NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
✓ VERIFIED • 2026 UPDATE • 100% ACCURATE
NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026
UPDATE
Actual Exam Questions & Verified Answers
with Detailed Rationales
Document Type: Exam (Elaborations)
Academic Year:
Total Questions: 50 Multiple Choice
Includes: Correct Answers + Full Rationales
Status: Verified & Updated for 2026
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 1
,NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
Questions & Verified Answers
1. During the orientation phase of the nurse-client relationship, which of the following is the
priority task?
A. Promoting the client’s problem-solving skills
B. Identifying client strengths and weaknesses
C. Establishing trust and setting boundaries
D. Evaluating progress toward goals
Answer: C
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on establishing rapport, building trust, and defining the boundaries
and parameters of the relationship. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely
related distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings
supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
2. A nurse is practicing the principle of beneficence by doing which of the following?
A. Spending extra time to calm an anxious client
B. Allowing a client to choose their own treatment plan
C. Reporting a medication error immediately
D. Maintaining client confidentiality at all times
Answer: A
Rationale: Beneficence is the quality of doing good; taking extra time to help a client in distress is a direct
application of this principle. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related
distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports
safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
3. A client tells the nurse, ‘My boss is only mean to me because he is jealous of my skills.’ This
is an example of which defense mechanism?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
D. Reaction Formation
Answer: C
Rationale: Rationalization involves creating socially acceptable or logical explanations for behaviors or feelings
to justify them. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (C) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications. Recognizing this principle
allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide accurate patient education.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 2
, NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
4. When assessing a client’s abstract thinking, which question should the nurse ask?
A. ‘What did you eat for breakfast this morning?’
B. ‘Who is the current President of the United States?’
C. ‘What does the phrase ’don’t cry over spilled milk’ mean?”
D. ‘Can you count backwards from 100 by 7s?’
Answer: C
Rationale: Interpreting proverbs is a standard way to assess a client’s ability to think abstractly versus
concretely. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related distractors,
making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe,
evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
5. Which criterion is essential for an involuntary admission to a psychiatric facility?
A. The client refuses to take prescribed psychiatric medications
B. The client has a diagnosed personality disorder
C. The client is unable to maintain employment due to symptoms
D. The client is a danger to themselves or others
Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary admission is based on the client’s need for psychiatric treatment, the risk of harm to self
or others, or the inability to provide self-care. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct
answer (D) requires understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
Recognizing this principle allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide accurate
patient education.
6. A nurse uses the therapeutic technique of ‘reflecting’ when they say:
A. ‘I will sit here with you for a while.’
B. ‘You seem to be feeling angry about the news.’
C. ‘Tell me more about your family.’
D. ‘What is your opinion on how to handle this?’
Answer: B
Rationale: Reflecting directs questions or feelings back to the client so that they may be recognized and
accepted. Recognizing this principle allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide
accurate patient education. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related
distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 3
✓ VERIFIED • 2026 UPDATE • 100% ACCURATE
NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026
UPDATE
Actual Exam Questions & Verified Answers
with Detailed Rationales
Document Type: Exam (Elaborations)
Academic Year:
Total Questions: 50 Multiple Choice
Includes: Correct Answers + Full Rationales
Status: Verified & Updated for 2026
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 1
,NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
Questions & Verified Answers
1. During the orientation phase of the nurse-client relationship, which of the following is the
priority task?
A. Promoting the client’s problem-solving skills
B. Identifying client strengths and weaknesses
C. Establishing trust and setting boundaries
D. Evaluating progress toward goals
Answer: C
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on establishing rapport, building trust, and defining the boundaries
and parameters of the relationship. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely
related distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings
supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
2. A nurse is practicing the principle of beneficence by doing which of the following?
A. Spending extra time to calm an anxious client
B. Allowing a client to choose their own treatment plan
C. Reporting a medication error immediately
D. Maintaining client confidentiality at all times
Answer: A
Rationale: Beneficence is the quality of doing good; taking extra time to help a client in distress is a direct
application of this principle. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related
distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports
safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
3. A client tells the nurse, ‘My boss is only mean to me because he is jealous of my skills.’ This
is an example of which defense mechanism?
A. Displacement
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
D. Reaction Formation
Answer: C
Rationale: Rationalization involves creating socially acceptable or logical explanations for behaviors or feelings
to justify them. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (C) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications. Recognizing this principle
allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide accurate patient education.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 2
, NURS 322 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
4. When assessing a client’s abstract thinking, which question should the nurse ask?
A. ‘What did you eat for breakfast this morning?’
B. ‘Who is the current President of the United States?’
C. ‘What does the phrase ’don’t cry over spilled milk’ mean?”
D. ‘Can you count backwards from 100 by 7s?’
Answer: C
Rationale: Interpreting proverbs is a standard way to assess a client’s ability to think abstractly versus
concretely. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related distractors,
making a clear rationale essential for mastery. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe,
evidence-based practice and improves patient outcomes.
5. Which criterion is essential for an involuntary admission to a psychiatric facility?
A. The client refuses to take prescribed psychiatric medications
B. The client has a diagnosed personality disorder
C. The client is unable to maintain employment due to symptoms
D. The client is a danger to themselves or others
Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary admission is based on the client’s need for psychiatric treatment, the risk of harm to self
or others, or the inability to provide self-care. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct
answer (D) requires understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
Recognizing this principle allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide accurate
patient education.
6. A nurse uses the therapeutic technique of ‘reflecting’ when they say:
A. ‘I will sit here with you for a while.’
B. ‘You seem to be feeling angry about the news.’
C. ‘Tell me more about your family.’
D. ‘What is your opinion on how to handle this?’
Answer: B
Rationale: Reflecting directs questions or feelings back to the client so that they may be recognized and
accepted. Recognizing this principle allows the nurse to prioritize care, anticipate complications, and provide
accurate patient education. Exam questions often test the ability to distinguish this concept from closely related
distractors, making a clear rationale essential for mastery.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 3
