Galen NSG 3450 Exam 1 | Nursing Practice – Mental
Health (2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. Which term describes a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their
own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and contributes
to their community?
A) Mental health
B) Mental illness
C) Resilience
D) Recovery
Correct Answer: Mental health
Rationale: Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual
realizes their own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and
contributes to their community. It is not merely the absence of mental illness but
involves a dynamic balance of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental
illness refers to diagnosable conditions, resilience is the capacity to adapt to stress, and
recovery is the process of improving health and wellness.
2. What is the primary purpose of the DSM-5 in psychiatric practice?
A) To provide billing codes for insurance reimbursement
B) To outline nursing scope and standards of practice
C) To establish standardized diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
D) To describe therapeutic communication techniques
Correct Answer: To establish standardized diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
Rationale: The DSM-5 is the primary resource used in the United States for diagnosing
mental disorders, providing standardized criteria for psychiatric conditions. The ICD-10
is used for billing and coding, the ANA standards guide nursing practice, and therapeutic
communication techniques are described in nursing textbooks. Accurate diagnosis
guides treatment planning and interdisciplinary communication.
3. According to Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Theory, during which phase do the
nurse and patient work together to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals?
A) Pre-interaction phase
B) Orientation phase
,C) Working phase
D) Termination phase
Correct Answer: Working phase
Rationale: The working phase is when the nurse and patient collaborate to achieve
therapeutic goals, with the patient actively participating in problem-solving. The
orientation phase establishes trust and identifies needs, and the termination phase
concludes the relationship. The pre-interaction phase occurs before the first meeting,
when the nurse prepares for the interaction.
4. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with mood regulation and is
the target of many antidepressant medications?
A) Dopamine
B) Serotonin
C) Acetylcholine
D) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
Correct Answer: Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation,
sleep, appetite, and pain perception. Many antidepressants, such as selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), work by increasing serotonin availability in the synaptic cleft.
Dopamine is associated with reward and motivation, acetylcholine with memory and
muscle control, and GABA with inhibition of neuronal activity.
5. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and
hopeless mood for several weeks. Which conclusion is most appropriate?
A) The patient is experiencing a normal grief reaction
B) The patient may be experiencing a mental illness
C) The patient is demonstrating resilience
D) The patient is exhibiting signs of acute stress disorder
Correct Answer: The patient may be experiencing a mental illness
Rationale: Persistent sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood is a hallmark symptom of
depression, a mental illness. Occasional sadness or grief after a loss is normal, but a
sustained mood disturbance lasting weeks suggests a psychiatric condition requiring
assessment. Resilience involves adapting to stress, and acute stress disorder typically
follows a traumatic event.
, 6. Which nursing action best demonstrates advocacy for a patient with mental
illness?
A) Making decisions on behalf of the patient without consulting them
B) Writing letters to elected representatives to oppose funding cuts for mental health
services
C) Avoiding discussion of the patient's diagnosis with the treatment team
D) Discouraging the patient from participating in their own care planning
Correct Answer: Writing letters to elected representatives to oppose funding cuts for
mental health services
Rationale: Advocacy involves speaking up for the rights and needs of patients, including
efforts to influence policy and funding decisions that affect mental health care. Making
decisions without consulting the patient undermines autonomy, avoiding team
communication hinders care coordination, and discouraging participation disempowers
the patient. Advocacy is a core nursing responsibility.
7. What is the primary goal of therapeutic communication in psychiatric nursing?
A) To give advice and solutions to the patient's problems
B) To socialize and become friends with the patient
C) To build trust, explore feelings, and promote healing
D) To gather information for insurance billing purposes
Correct Answer: To build trust, explore feelings, and promote healing
Rationale: Therapeutic communication is a purposeful, patient-centered interaction
using techniques such as active listening, empathy, and open-ended questions. It aims
to establish rapport, explore the patient's concerns, and facilitate emotional expression.
It is not intended to socialize, give advice, or gather billing information. The focus is on
the patient's growth and healing.
8. Which response by a nurse best demonstrates the therapeutic technique of
reflection?
A) "You shouldn't worry so much; everything will be fine."
B) "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed right now."
C) "Why do you let these things bother you?"
D) "You need to learn how to control your thoughts."
Correct Answer: "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed right now."
, Rationale: Reflection involves restating the patient's feelings or thoughts to demonstrate
understanding and encourage further exploration. This response validates the patient's
experience without giving advice or judgment. The other options are non-therapeutic:
minimizing feelings, asking "why" questions, and giving unsolicited advice. Reflection
promotes trust and self-awareness.
9. Which statement by a patient demonstrates a healthy degree of resilience?
A) "I try to remember not to take other people's bad moods personally."
B) "I avoid all stressful situations whenever possible."
C) "I blame others when things go wrong in my life."
D) "I give up easily when I face obstacles."
Correct Answer: "I try to remember not to take other people's bad moods personally."
Rationale: Resilience involves emotional regulation, perspective-taking, and proactive
problem-solving. This statement demonstrates the ability to manage emotional
responses and reframe negative perceptions. Avoiding stress, blaming others, and giving
up easily are maladaptive coping mechanisms. Resilience can be strengthened through
supportive relationships and coping skills.
10. Which factor is a social determinant of mental health?
A) Genetic predisposition
B) Neurotransmitter imbalance
C) Access to education and employment
D) Brain structure abnormalities
Correct Answer: Access to education and employment
Rationale: Social determinants of mental health include conditions in which people are
born, grow, work, live, and age, such as access to education, employment, housing, and
healthcare. Genetic predisposition, neurotransmitter imbalances, and brain structure
abnormalities are biological factors. Understanding social determinants helps nurses
address health disparities and promote equity.
11. What is the primary purpose of the ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Scope and Standards of Practice?
A) To provide diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
B) To guide nursing practice and define professional expectations
C) To establish reimbursement rates for psychiatric services
Health (2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. Which term describes a state of well-being in which an individual realizes their
own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and contributes
to their community?
A) Mental health
B) Mental illness
C) Resilience
D) Recovery
Correct Answer: Mental health
Rationale: Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which an individual
realizes their own abilities, can cope with normal stresses, works productively, and
contributes to their community. It is not merely the absence of mental illness but
involves a dynamic balance of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental
illness refers to diagnosable conditions, resilience is the capacity to adapt to stress, and
recovery is the process of improving health and wellness.
2. What is the primary purpose of the DSM-5 in psychiatric practice?
A) To provide billing codes for insurance reimbursement
B) To outline nursing scope and standards of practice
C) To establish standardized diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
D) To describe therapeutic communication techniques
Correct Answer: To establish standardized diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
Rationale: The DSM-5 is the primary resource used in the United States for diagnosing
mental disorders, providing standardized criteria for psychiatric conditions. The ICD-10
is used for billing and coding, the ANA standards guide nursing practice, and therapeutic
communication techniques are described in nursing textbooks. Accurate diagnosis
guides treatment planning and interdisciplinary communication.
3. According to Peplau's Interpersonal Relations Theory, during which phase do the
nurse and patient work together to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals?
A) Pre-interaction phase
B) Orientation phase
,C) Working phase
D) Termination phase
Correct Answer: Working phase
Rationale: The working phase is when the nurse and patient collaborate to achieve
therapeutic goals, with the patient actively participating in problem-solving. The
orientation phase establishes trust and identifies needs, and the termination phase
concludes the relationship. The pre-interaction phase occurs before the first meeting,
when the nurse prepares for the interaction.
4. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with mood regulation and is
the target of many antidepressant medications?
A) Dopamine
B) Serotonin
C) Acetylcholine
D) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
Correct Answer: Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in mood regulation,
sleep, appetite, and pain perception. Many antidepressants, such as selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), work by increasing serotonin availability in the synaptic cleft.
Dopamine is associated with reward and motivation, acetylcholine with memory and
muscle control, and GABA with inhibition of neuronal activity.
5. A nurse is assessing a patient who reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and
hopeless mood for several weeks. Which conclusion is most appropriate?
A) The patient is experiencing a normal grief reaction
B) The patient may be experiencing a mental illness
C) The patient is demonstrating resilience
D) The patient is exhibiting signs of acute stress disorder
Correct Answer: The patient may be experiencing a mental illness
Rationale: Persistent sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood is a hallmark symptom of
depression, a mental illness. Occasional sadness or grief after a loss is normal, but a
sustained mood disturbance lasting weeks suggests a psychiatric condition requiring
assessment. Resilience involves adapting to stress, and acute stress disorder typically
follows a traumatic event.
, 6. Which nursing action best demonstrates advocacy for a patient with mental
illness?
A) Making decisions on behalf of the patient without consulting them
B) Writing letters to elected representatives to oppose funding cuts for mental health
services
C) Avoiding discussion of the patient's diagnosis with the treatment team
D) Discouraging the patient from participating in their own care planning
Correct Answer: Writing letters to elected representatives to oppose funding cuts for
mental health services
Rationale: Advocacy involves speaking up for the rights and needs of patients, including
efforts to influence policy and funding decisions that affect mental health care. Making
decisions without consulting the patient undermines autonomy, avoiding team
communication hinders care coordination, and discouraging participation disempowers
the patient. Advocacy is a core nursing responsibility.
7. What is the primary goal of therapeutic communication in psychiatric nursing?
A) To give advice and solutions to the patient's problems
B) To socialize and become friends with the patient
C) To build trust, explore feelings, and promote healing
D) To gather information for insurance billing purposes
Correct Answer: To build trust, explore feelings, and promote healing
Rationale: Therapeutic communication is a purposeful, patient-centered interaction
using techniques such as active listening, empathy, and open-ended questions. It aims
to establish rapport, explore the patient's concerns, and facilitate emotional expression.
It is not intended to socialize, give advice, or gather billing information. The focus is on
the patient's growth and healing.
8. Which response by a nurse best demonstrates the therapeutic technique of
reflection?
A) "You shouldn't worry so much; everything will be fine."
B) "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed right now."
C) "Why do you let these things bother you?"
D) "You need to learn how to control your thoughts."
Correct Answer: "It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed right now."
, Rationale: Reflection involves restating the patient's feelings or thoughts to demonstrate
understanding and encourage further exploration. This response validates the patient's
experience without giving advice or judgment. The other options are non-therapeutic:
minimizing feelings, asking "why" questions, and giving unsolicited advice. Reflection
promotes trust and self-awareness.
9. Which statement by a patient demonstrates a healthy degree of resilience?
A) "I try to remember not to take other people's bad moods personally."
B) "I avoid all stressful situations whenever possible."
C) "I blame others when things go wrong in my life."
D) "I give up easily when I face obstacles."
Correct Answer: "I try to remember not to take other people's bad moods personally."
Rationale: Resilience involves emotional regulation, perspective-taking, and proactive
problem-solving. This statement demonstrates the ability to manage emotional
responses and reframe negative perceptions. Avoiding stress, blaming others, and giving
up easily are maladaptive coping mechanisms. Resilience can be strengthened through
supportive relationships and coping skills.
10. Which factor is a social determinant of mental health?
A) Genetic predisposition
B) Neurotransmitter imbalance
C) Access to education and employment
D) Brain structure abnormalities
Correct Answer: Access to education and employment
Rationale: Social determinants of mental health include conditions in which people are
born, grow, work, live, and age, such as access to education, employment, housing, and
healthcare. Genetic predisposition, neurotransmitter imbalances, and brain structure
abnormalities are biological factors. Understanding social determinants helps nurses
address health disparities and promote equity.
11. What is the primary purpose of the ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
Scope and Standards of Practice?
A) To provide diagnostic criteria for mental disorders
B) To guide nursing practice and define professional expectations
C) To establish reimbursement rates for psychiatric services
