ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING ACTUAL
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and
behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
,D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an
initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of the
following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: *B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.*
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process
approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status
provides important information about the client's psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
,D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: *A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit
a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of
the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria,
used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉A nurse is planning care for a client who has a mental health disorder.
Which of the following is appropriate to include as a psychobiological
intervention?
A. Assist the client with systematic desensitization therapy.
B. Teach the client appropriate coping mechanisms.
C. Assess the client for comorbid health conditions.
D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: D. Monitor the client for adverse effects of medications.
Assisting with systematic desensitization therapy is a cognitive and
behavioral.
Teaching appropriate coping mechanisms is a counseling or health
teaching.
Assessing for comorbid health conditions is health promotion and
maintenance.
,D. Monitoring for adverse effects of medications is an example of a
psychobiological intervention.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse in an outpatient mental health clinic is preparing to conduct an
initial client interview. When conducting the interview, which of the
following is the highest priority action?
A. Respect the client's need for personal space.
B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.
C. Include the client's family in the interview.
D. Teach the client about her current mental health disorder.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: *B. Identify the client's perception of her mental health status.*
A. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
B. Assessment is the priority action when taking the nursing process
approach. Identifying the client's perception of her mental health status
provides important information about the client's psychosocial history.
C. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
,D. Appropriate, but not highest priority.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse is told during change-of-shift report that a client is stuporous.
When assessing the client, which of the following is an expected
finding?
A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.
B. The client has a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 7.
C. The client exhibits decorticate rigidity.
D. The client is alert but disoriented to time and place.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: *A. The client arouses briefly in response to a sternal rib.*
A. A client who is stuporous requires vigorous or painful stimuli to elicit
a response.
B. <7 on GCS indicates comatose, not stuporous, level of consciousness.
C. Abnormal posturing = comatose.
D. Stuporous /= alert.
, ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉A nurse is planning a peer group discussion about the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Which of
the following is appropriate to include in the discussion? (SATA)
A. The DSM-5 is used to identify mental health disorders.
B. The DSM-5 establishes diagnostic criteria.
C. The DSM-5 indicates recommended pharmacological treatment.
D. The DSM-5 assists nurses in planning care.
E. The DSM-5 indicates expected assessment findings.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises .
Answer: A, B, D, E.
The DSM-5 is used as a diagnostic tool, establishes diagnostic criteria,
used by nurses to plan, implement, and evaluate care, and identifies
expected findings for mental health disorders.
It does not indicate pharmacological treatment.
ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises
◉Which of the following is an example of a client who requires
emergency admission to a mental health facility?
