,
,Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Halter: Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A
Clinical Approach, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect
an advanced practice nurse to perform which additional
intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments.
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. Establish therapeutic relationships.
d. Individualize nursing care plans.
ANS: B
In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse
practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on
prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to
perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
, REF: Page 1-23 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
2. A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses “lose all their
clinical nursing skills.” Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
“Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties.
Nurse-toa.
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients’
problems.”
“Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to b. solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those
situations.”
“That’s a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high
technology c. monitoring equipment and manage complex
intravenous therapies.”
“Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and
suffering as d.
medical–surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.”
ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical–
surgical nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be
,Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Halter: Varcarolis’ Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A
Clinical Approach, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect
an advanced practice nurse to perform which additional
intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments.
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. Establish therapeutic relationships.
d. Individualize nursing care plans.
ANS: B
In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to master’s-prepared nurse
practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who have taken special courses on
prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to
perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)
, REF: Page 1-23 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment
2. A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses “lose all their
clinical nursing skills.” Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
“Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties.
Nurse-toa.
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients’
problems.”
“Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to b. solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those
situations.”
“That’s a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high
technology c. monitoring equipment and manage complex
intravenous therapies.”
“Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and
suffering as d.
medical–surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.”
ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical–
surgical nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be
