ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Proctored Exam
Questions and answers 2025/2026 Latest
Update Graded A+
A charge nurse is discussing mental status
examinations with a newly licensed nurse.
Which of the following statements indicates
an understanding of the teaching? (Select all
that apply.)
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the patient to count backward by sevens."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the patient's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the patient to write a sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the patient repeat a list of objects."
E. "To assess the patient's abstract thinking, I should ask the patient to identify our
most recent presidents." --CORRECT ANSWER>>A, B, C
• A nurse is planning care for a patient who has a mental health disorder. Which of the
following actions should the nurse include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. assist the patient with systematic desensitization therapy
B. teach the patient appropriate coping mechanisms
C. assess the patient for comorbid health conditions
D. monitor the patient for adverse effects of medications --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial patient
interview. When conducting the interview, which of the following actions should the nurse
identify as the priority?
A. coordinate holistic care with social services
B. identify the patient's perception of her mental health status
C. include the patient's family in the interview
D. teach the patient about her current mental health disorder --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a patient is stuporous. When assessing the
patient, which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. the patient arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
B. the patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale score of less than 7
C. the patient exhibits decorticate rigidity
D. the patient is alert but disoriented to time and place --CORRECT ANSWER>>A
,• A nurse is planning a peer group discussions about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following information is appropriate to
include in the discussion? (Select all that apply.)
A. the DSM-5 includes patient education handouts for mental health disorders
B. the DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment for mental health
disorders
D. the DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care for patients who have mental
health disorders
E. the DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders --
CORRECT ANSWER>> B, D, E
• A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of patients. The nurse
should identify that which of the following patients requires a temporary emergency
admission?
A. a patient who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur
B. a patient who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
C. a patient who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man
with a metal rod
D. a patient who has bipolar disorder and paces quickly around the room while talking
to himself --CORRECT ANSWER>>C
• A nurse decides to put a patient who has a psychotic disorder in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very short-staffed, and the patient frequently fights with other patients. The nurse's
actions are an example of which of the following torts?
A. invasion of privacy
B. false imprisonment
C. assault
D. battery --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A patient tells a nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order
to protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me an threatening me." Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. keep the patient's communication confidential, but talk to the patient daily,
using therapeutic communication to convince him to admit to hiding the knife
B. keep the patient's communication confidential, but watch the patient and
his roommate closely
C. tell the patient that this must be reported to the health care team because
it concerns the health and safety of the patient and others
D. report the incident to the health care team, but do not inform the patient of
the intention to do so --CORRECT ANSWER>>C
, • A nurse is caring for a patient who is in mechanical restraints. Which of the following
statements should the nurse include in the documentation?
A. "Patient ate most of his breakfast."
B. "Patient was offered 8 oz of water every hr."
C. "Patient shouted obscenities at assistive personnel."
D. "Patient received chlorpromazine 15 mg by mouth at 1000."
E. "Patient acted out after lunch." --CORRECT ANSWER>>B, C, D
• A nurse hears a newly licensed nurse discussing a patient's hallucinations in the hallway
with another nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. notify the nurse manager
B. tell the nurse to stop discussing the behavior
C. provide an in-service program about confidentiality
D. complete an incident report --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A charge nurse is conducting a class on therapeutic communication to a group of newly licensed
nurses. Which of the following aspects of communication should the nurse identify as a
component of verbal communication?
A. personal space
B. posture
C. eye contact
D. innotation --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse in an acute mental health facility is communicating with a patient. The patient states,
"I can't sleep. I stay up all night." The nurse responds, "You are having difficulty sleeping?"
Which of the following therapeutic communication techniques is the nurse demonstrating?
A. offering general leads
B. summarizing
C. focusing
D. restating --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse is communicating with a patient who was just admitted for treatment of a substance
use disorder. Which of the following communication techniques should the nurse identify as a
barrier to therapeutic communication?
A. offering advice
B. reflecting
C. listening attentively
D. giving information --CORRECT ANSWER>>A
Questions and answers 2025/2026 Latest
Update Graded A+
A charge nurse is discussing mental status
examinations with a newly licensed nurse.
Which of the following statements indicates
an understanding of the teaching? (Select all
that apply.)
A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the patient to count backward by sevens."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the patient's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the patient to write a sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the patient repeat a list of objects."
E. "To assess the patient's abstract thinking, I should ask the patient to identify our
most recent presidents." --CORRECT ANSWER>>A, B, C
• A nurse is planning care for a patient who has a mental health disorder. Which of the
following actions should the nurse include as a psychobiological intervention?
A. assist the patient with systematic desensitization therapy
B. teach the patient appropriate coping mechanisms
C. assess the patient for comorbid health conditions
D. monitor the patient for adverse effects of medications --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an initial patient
interview. When conducting the interview, which of the following actions should the nurse
identify as the priority?
A. coordinate holistic care with social services
B. identify the patient's perception of her mental health status
C. include the patient's family in the interview
D. teach the patient about her current mental health disorder --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a patient is stuporous. When assessing the
patient, which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. the patient arouses briefly in response to a sternal rub
B. the patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale score of less than 7
C. the patient exhibits decorticate rigidity
D. the patient is alert but disoriented to time and place --CORRECT ANSWER>>A
,• A nurse is planning a peer group discussions about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of the following information is appropriate to
include in the discussion? (Select all that apply.)
A. the DSM-5 includes patient education handouts for mental health disorders
B. the DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria for individual mental health disorders
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment for mental health
disorders
D. the DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care for patients who have mental
health disorders
E. the DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings of mental health disorders --
CORRECT ANSWER>> B, D, E
• A nurse in an emergency mental health facility is caring for a group of patients. The nurse
should identify that which of the following patients requires a temporary emergency
admission?
A. a patient who has schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur
B. a patient who has manifestations of depression and attempted suicide a year ago
C. a patient who has borderline personality disorder and assaulted a homeless man
with a metal rod
D. a patient who has bipolar disorder and paces quickly around the room while talking
to himself --CORRECT ANSWER>>C
• A nurse decides to put a patient who has a psychotic disorder in seclusion overnight because the
unit is very short-staffed, and the patient frequently fights with other patients. The nurse's
actions are an example of which of the following torts?
A. invasion of privacy
B. false imprisonment
C. assault
D. battery --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A patient tells a nurse, "Don't tell anyone, but I hid a sharp knife under my mattress in order
to protect myself from my roommate, who is always yelling at me an threatening me." Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. keep the patient's communication confidential, but talk to the patient daily,
using therapeutic communication to convince him to admit to hiding the knife
B. keep the patient's communication confidential, but watch the patient and
his roommate closely
C. tell the patient that this must be reported to the health care team because
it concerns the health and safety of the patient and others
D. report the incident to the health care team, but do not inform the patient of
the intention to do so --CORRECT ANSWER>>C
, • A nurse is caring for a patient who is in mechanical restraints. Which of the following
statements should the nurse include in the documentation?
A. "Patient ate most of his breakfast."
B. "Patient was offered 8 oz of water every hr."
C. "Patient shouted obscenities at assistive personnel."
D. "Patient received chlorpromazine 15 mg by mouth at 1000."
E. "Patient acted out after lunch." --CORRECT ANSWER>>B, C, D
• A nurse hears a newly licensed nurse discussing a patient's hallucinations in the hallway
with another nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A. notify the nurse manager
B. tell the nurse to stop discussing the behavior
C. provide an in-service program about confidentiality
D. complete an incident report --CORRECT ANSWER>>B
• A charge nurse is conducting a class on therapeutic communication to a group of newly licensed
nurses. Which of the following aspects of communication should the nurse identify as a
component of verbal communication?
A. personal space
B. posture
C. eye contact
D. innotation --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse in an acute mental health facility is communicating with a patient. The patient states,
"I can't sleep. I stay up all night." The nurse responds, "You are having difficulty sleeping?"
Which of the following therapeutic communication techniques is the nurse demonstrating?
A. offering general leads
B. summarizing
C. focusing
D. restating --CORRECT ANSWER>>D
• A nurse is communicating with a patient who was just admitted for treatment of a substance
use disorder. Which of the following communication techniques should the nurse identify as a
barrier to therapeutic communication?
A. offering advice
B. reflecting
C. listening attentively
D. giving information --CORRECT ANSWER>>A
