NUR2459 Mental Health
2025 comprehensive
200+questions and verified
answers/ complete
solutions| with rationales get
it 100% accurate
1. A patient says to the nurse, “I feel hopeless and can’t go on.” What is the best
response?
Answer: "You sound like you're feeling overwhelmed. Can you tell me more about
what you're going through?"
✅ Rationale: This response uses therapeutic communication, encourages expression of
feelings, and assesses for suicide risk.
2. Which of the following medications is considered a first-line treatment for bipolar
disorder (mania)?
Answer: Lithium carbonate
✅ Rationale: Lithium is a mood stabilizer commonly used for bipolar mania management.
3. A nurse is assessing a patient with schizophrenia. Which of the following is
considered a positive symptom?
Answer: Auditory hallucinations
✅ Rationale: Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech or
behavior.
,4. A patient with generalized anxiety disorder is prescribed buspirone. What is an
important teaching point?
Answer: "This medication may take 2–4 weeks to be effective."
✅ Rationale: Buspirone has a delayed onset and is not effective for acute anxiety.
5. What is the nurse's primary responsibility when a patient is in restraints?
Answer: Ensure ongoing monitoring and assess circulation and psychological well-
being
✅ Rationale: Safety and humane care are top priorities when using restraints.
6. Which defense mechanism is used when a student blames a poor grade on the teacher
instead of lack of preparation?
Answer: Projection
✅ Rationale: Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to
another person.
7. What is the priority intervention for a patient in a psychiatric crisis due to domestic
violence?
Answer: Ensure the patient is in a safe environment
✅ Rationale: Safety is always the top priority in crisis intervention.
8. A patient reports taking phenelzine. What food should they avoid?
Answer: Aged cheese
✅ Rationale: MAOIs like phenelzine require a tyramine-free diet to avoid hypertensive crisis.
9. A nurse observes a patient with OCD repeatedly washing hands. What is the best
intervention?
Answer: Allow time for the ritual and gradually set limits
✅ Rationale: Initially allowing the compulsion helps reduce anxiety; limit-setting is introduced
later.
10. A patient with depression suddenly becomes cheerful and energetic. What should the
nurse do?
Answer: Assess for suicidal ideation
✅ Rationale: Sudden improvement in mood may indicate a suicide plan.
, 11. Which symptom is most characteristic of PTSD?
Answer: Re-experiencing the traumatic event through flashbacks
✅ Rationale: Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts are hallmark features of PTSD.
12. What is the best short-term goal for a patient admitted with suicidal ideation?
Answer: The patient will agree to a no-harm contract
✅ Rationale: No-harm contracts help establish safety in the short term.
13. Which side effect should the nurse monitor in a patient taking clozapine?
Answer: Agranulocytosis
✅ Rationale: Clozapine carries a risk of fatal blood dyscrasias; WBC monitoring is critical.
14. A patient with borderline personality disorder engages in splitting. What is the best
team approach?
Answer: Use consistent team communication and set clear boundaries
✅ Rationale: Splitting is managed with consistency and limit-setting across all staff.
15. What is a key symptom of serotonin syndrome?
Answer: Muscle rigidity and hyperreflexia
✅ Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening reaction to SSRIs and other
serotonergic agents.
16. The nurse finds a patient with schizophrenia mumbling and distracted. What is the
best initial action?
Answer: Ask the patient if they are hearing voices
✅ Rationale: Assessment is the first step; the nurse should evaluate for hallucinations.
17. What statement by a patient taking an SSRI indicates further teaching is needed?
Answer: "I can stop taking this medication once I feel better."
✅ Rationale: SSRIs should be tapered off under supervision; abrupt discontinuation may
cause withdrawal symptoms.
2025 comprehensive
200+questions and verified
answers/ complete
solutions| with rationales get
it 100% accurate
1. A patient says to the nurse, “I feel hopeless and can’t go on.” What is the best
response?
Answer: "You sound like you're feeling overwhelmed. Can you tell me more about
what you're going through?"
✅ Rationale: This response uses therapeutic communication, encourages expression of
feelings, and assesses for suicide risk.
2. Which of the following medications is considered a first-line treatment for bipolar
disorder (mania)?
Answer: Lithium carbonate
✅ Rationale: Lithium is a mood stabilizer commonly used for bipolar mania management.
3. A nurse is assessing a patient with schizophrenia. Which of the following is
considered a positive symptom?
Answer: Auditory hallucinations
✅ Rationale: Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech or
behavior.
,4. A patient with generalized anxiety disorder is prescribed buspirone. What is an
important teaching point?
Answer: "This medication may take 2–4 weeks to be effective."
✅ Rationale: Buspirone has a delayed onset and is not effective for acute anxiety.
5. What is the nurse's primary responsibility when a patient is in restraints?
Answer: Ensure ongoing monitoring and assess circulation and psychological well-
being
✅ Rationale: Safety and humane care are top priorities when using restraints.
6. Which defense mechanism is used when a student blames a poor grade on the teacher
instead of lack of preparation?
Answer: Projection
✅ Rationale: Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to
another person.
7. What is the priority intervention for a patient in a psychiatric crisis due to domestic
violence?
Answer: Ensure the patient is in a safe environment
✅ Rationale: Safety is always the top priority in crisis intervention.
8. A patient reports taking phenelzine. What food should they avoid?
Answer: Aged cheese
✅ Rationale: MAOIs like phenelzine require a tyramine-free diet to avoid hypertensive crisis.
9. A nurse observes a patient with OCD repeatedly washing hands. What is the best
intervention?
Answer: Allow time for the ritual and gradually set limits
✅ Rationale: Initially allowing the compulsion helps reduce anxiety; limit-setting is introduced
later.
10. A patient with depression suddenly becomes cheerful and energetic. What should the
nurse do?
Answer: Assess for suicidal ideation
✅ Rationale: Sudden improvement in mood may indicate a suicide plan.
, 11. Which symptom is most characteristic of PTSD?
Answer: Re-experiencing the traumatic event through flashbacks
✅ Rationale: Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts are hallmark features of PTSD.
12. What is the best short-term goal for a patient admitted with suicidal ideation?
Answer: The patient will agree to a no-harm contract
✅ Rationale: No-harm contracts help establish safety in the short term.
13. Which side effect should the nurse monitor in a patient taking clozapine?
Answer: Agranulocytosis
✅ Rationale: Clozapine carries a risk of fatal blood dyscrasias; WBC monitoring is critical.
14. A patient with borderline personality disorder engages in splitting. What is the best
team approach?
Answer: Use consistent team communication and set clear boundaries
✅ Rationale: Splitting is managed with consistency and limit-setting across all staff.
15. What is a key symptom of serotonin syndrome?
Answer: Muscle rigidity and hyperreflexia
✅ Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening reaction to SSRIs and other
serotonergic agents.
16. The nurse finds a patient with schizophrenia mumbling and distracted. What is the
best initial action?
Answer: Ask the patient if they are hearing voices
✅ Rationale: Assessment is the first step; the nurse should evaluate for hallucinations.
17. What statement by a patient taking an SSRI indicates further teaching is needed?
Answer: "I can stop taking this medication once I feel better."
✅ Rationale: SSRIs should be tapered off under supervision; abrupt discontinuation may
cause withdrawal symptoms.
