NURS 322: Mental Health Nursing Final Exam 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
✓ VERIFIED • 2026 UPDATE • 100% ACCURATE
NURS 322: Mental Health Nursing Final Exam 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 Final Exam 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
Questions & Verified Answers
1. A nurse is caring for a client who is taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Which of
the following foods should the nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh chicken and fish
B. Whole-grain breads
C. Aged cheeses and cured meats
D. Apples and oranges
Answer: C
Rationale: Aged cheeses and cured meats contain tyramine, which can lead to a hypertensive crisis in patients
taking MAOIs. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves
patient outcomes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (C) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
2. Which therapeutic communication technique involves the nurse repeating the main idea of
what the client has said?
A. Clarification
B. Focusing
C. Restating
D. Offering self
Answer: C
Rationale: Restating lets the client know whether an expressed statement has or has not been understood and
gives them a chance to continue. 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 with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations. What is the most
appropriate initial nursing intervention?
A. Tell the client that the voices are not real.
B. Agree with the client to build rapport.
C. Leave the client alone to reduce stimulation.
D. Ask the client directly, ‘What are you hearing?’
Answer: D
Rationale: Asking what the client is hearing helps assess for command hallucinations, which can pose a safety
risk. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient
outcomes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (D) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 2
, NURS 322: Mental Health Nursing Final Exam 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
4. What is the therapeutic serum level for Lithium carbonate in the maintenance phase?
A. 0.6 - 1.2 mEq/L
B. 0.1 - 0.5 mEq/L
C. 1.5 - 2.0 mEq/L
D. 2.5 - 3.0 mEq/L
Answer: A
Rationale: The therapeutic range for lithium maintenance is generally 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L; levels above 1.5
indicate toxicity. 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.
5. A nurse is assessing a client for serotonin syndrome. Which of the following symptoms
should the nurse expect?
A. Muscle rigidity and hyperreflexia
B. Hypothermia and bradycardia
C. Constipation and urinary retention
D. Weight gain and sedation
Answer: A
Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is characterized by autonomic instability, neuromuscular hyperactivity
(hyperreflexia, tremors), and mental status changes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the
correct answer (A) 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 client is admitted for alcohol withdrawal. Which medication is the nurse most likely to
administer to prevent delirium tremens?
A. Lorazepam
B. Disulfiram
C. Methadone
D. Bupropion
Answer: A
Rationale: Benzodiazepines like lorazepam are the gold standard for managing acute alcohol withdrawal
symptoms and preventing seizures or delirium. 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.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 3
✓ VERIFIED • 2026 UPDATE • 100% ACCURATE
NURS 322: Mental Health Nursing Final Exam 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 Final Exam 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
Questions & Verified Answers
1. A nurse is caring for a client who is taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Which of
the following foods should the nurse instruct the client to avoid?
A. Fresh chicken and fish
B. Whole-grain breads
C. Aged cheeses and cured meats
D. Apples and oranges
Answer: C
Rationale: Aged cheeses and cured meats contain tyramine, which can lead to a hypertensive crisis in patients
taking MAOIs. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves
patient outcomes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (C) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
2. Which therapeutic communication technique involves the nurse repeating the main idea of
what the client has said?
A. Clarification
B. Focusing
C. Restating
D. Offering self
Answer: C
Rationale: Restating lets the client know whether an expressed statement has or has not been understood and
gives them a chance to continue. 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 with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations. What is the most
appropriate initial nursing intervention?
A. Tell the client that the voices are not real.
B. Agree with the client to build rapport.
C. Leave the client alone to reduce stimulation.
D. Ask the client directly, ‘What are you hearing?’
Answer: D
Rationale: Asking what the client is hearing helps assess for command hallucinations, which can pose a safety
risk. Applying this knowledge in clinical settings supports safe, evidence-based practice and improves patient
outcomes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the correct answer (D) requires
understanding both the pathophysiology and the practical nursing implications.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 2
, NURS 322: Mental Health Nursing Final Exam 2026 UPDATE 2026 Update • Verified Answers
4. What is the therapeutic serum level for Lithium carbonate in the maintenance phase?
A. 0.6 - 1.2 mEq/L
B. 0.1 - 0.5 mEq/L
C. 1.5 - 2.0 mEq/L
D. 2.5 - 3.0 mEq/L
Answer: A
Rationale: The therapeutic range for lithium maintenance is generally 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L; levels above 1.5
indicate toxicity. 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.
5. A nurse is assessing a client for serotonin syndrome. Which of the following symptoms
should the nurse expect?
A. Muscle rigidity and hyperreflexia
B. Hypothermia and bradycardia
C. Constipation and urinary retention
D. Weight gain and sedation
Answer: A
Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is characterized by autonomic instability, neuromuscular hyperactivity
(hyperreflexia, tremors), and mental status changes. This is an important clinical concept because selecting the
correct answer (A) 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 client is admitted for alcohol withdrawal. Which medication is the nurse most likely to
administer to prevent delirium tremens?
A. Lorazepam
B. Disulfiram
C. Methadone
D. Bupropion
Answer: A
Rationale: Benzodiazepines like lorazepam are the gold standard for managing acute alcohol withdrawal
symptoms and preventing seizures or delirium. 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.
Exam (Elaborations) • Actual Questions & Rationales Page 3
