WILKES NSG 526 Exam 1 Questions with Correct
Answers_Updated___2025
A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's
cognition, emotion, regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the
psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental funcioning
They are associated with significant distress, disability in social occupational, or other
important activities
mental disorder/psychiatric illness
Criteria that are offered as guidelines for making diagnoses
Diagnostic Criteria
When the symptom presentation does not meet full criteria for any disorder and the
symptom cause clinically significant distress/impairment what categories should be used
in the diagnosis
"other specified"
"unspecified"
,When the symptom presentation does not meet full criteria and "other specified" and
"unspecified" categories are used in the diagnosis, what should the main diagnosis be
corresponding to?
main diagnosis should correspond to the most predominant symptoms.
ex: Bipolar disorder, unspecified
The coding system that is used in the U.S. for diagnosing and documenting psychiatric
disorders
ICD-10-CM
(international classification of disease-10th revision-clinical modification)
True or false: the diagnosis of a mental disorder is not equivalent to a need for treatment
TRUE - clinicians should treat based on symptom severity, clinical presentation, etc.
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional
feelings of sadness because of the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appetite,
sleep patterns, and daily routine have not changed. How should the nurse interpret the
client's behaviors?
1. The client's behaviors demonstrate mental illness in the form of
depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive, which indicates the presence of mental
illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent with cultural norms.
,4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no
mental illness.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no mental
illness.
2. At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk
for developing a mental illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are not reflective of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily
functioning.
3. When a client communicates significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms as ego protection.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily
functioning.
6. During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological
and psychosocial questions. The client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not
my head problems." Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "It is just a routine part of our assessment.
All clients are asked these same
questions."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types
, of questions?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive
stress, have been found to affect medical
conditions."
4. "We can skip these questions, if you like.
It isn't imperative that we complete this
section."
3. "psychological factors, like excessive stress have been found to affect medical
conditions"
8. A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl
in his class. This behavior should be identified by a nurse as indicative of which
defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projection
3. Reaction formation
4. Sublimation
3. Reaction formation
Reaction formation is the
attempt to prevent undesirable thoughts
from being expressed by expressing
opposite thoughts or behaviors.
Answers_Updated___2025
A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's
cognition, emotion, regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the
psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental funcioning
They are associated with significant distress, disability in social occupational, or other
important activities
mental disorder/psychiatric illness
Criteria that are offered as guidelines for making diagnoses
Diagnostic Criteria
When the symptom presentation does not meet full criteria for any disorder and the
symptom cause clinically significant distress/impairment what categories should be used
in the diagnosis
"other specified"
"unspecified"
,When the symptom presentation does not meet full criteria and "other specified" and
"unspecified" categories are used in the diagnosis, what should the main diagnosis be
corresponding to?
main diagnosis should correspond to the most predominant symptoms.
ex: Bipolar disorder, unspecified
The coding system that is used in the U.S. for diagnosing and documenting psychiatric
disorders
ICD-10-CM
(international classification of disease-10th revision-clinical modification)
True or false: the diagnosis of a mental disorder is not equivalent to a need for treatment
TRUE - clinicians should treat based on symptom severity, clinical presentation, etc.
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional
feelings of sadness because of the recent death of a beloved pet. The client's appetite,
sleep patterns, and daily routine have not changed. How should the nurse interpret the
client's behaviors?
1. The client's behaviors demonstrate mental illness in the form of
depression.
2. The client's behaviors are extensive, which indicates the presence of mental
illness.
3. The client's behaviors are not congruent with cultural norms.
,4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no
mental illness.
4. The client's behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no mental
illness.
2. At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk
for developing a mental illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are not reflective of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily
functioning.
3. When a client communicates significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms as ego protection.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily
functioning.
6. During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological
and psychosocial questions. The client angrily responds, "I'm here for my heart, not
my head problems." Which is the nurse's best response?
1. "It is just a routine part of our assessment.
All clients are asked these same
questions."
2. "Why are you concerned about these types
, of questions?"
3. "Psychological factors, like excessive
stress, have been found to affect medical
conditions."
4. "We can skip these questions, if you like.
It isn't imperative that we complete this
section."
3. "psychological factors, like excessive stress have been found to affect medical
conditions"
8. A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl
in his class. This behavior should be identified by a nurse as indicative of which
defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projection
3. Reaction formation
4. Sublimation
3. Reaction formation
Reaction formation is the
attempt to prevent undesirable thoughts
from being expressed by expressing
opposite thoughts or behaviors.
