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Details of ATI RN Mental Health Exam 2025 NGN Questions &
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ATI RN Mental Health Exam 2025 NGN Test Bank
Case Study 1 (6 NGN Questions)
Scenario:
A 28-year-old female, M.S., presents to the emergency
department with worsening mood and sleep disturbance. She
reports 6 weeks of depressed mood, anhedonia, poor
concentration, and recurrent passive thoughts that “life isn’t
worth it.” She has a history of Major Depressive Disorder and
discontinued sertraline 2 weeks ago because she “felt numb.”
Vital signs: T 36.7°C, HR 92, BP 118/74, RR 18, SpO₂ 98% RA.
,Labs: TSH 2.1 mIU/L, Na⁺ 139 mEq/L, urine toxicology negative.
She denies active suicidal intent but admits to passive ideation.
She lives alone. The ED triage nurse reports that M.S. appears
tearful, tearful and gives one-word answers. You are the
psychiatric RN performing the initial assessment.
Question 1 (NGN — Priority / Tiered)
Stem: Based on the Clinical Judgment Model (recognize cues →
analyze → prioritize → generate solutions → take action →
evaluate), which cue is highest priority to address first?
Options (select one):
A. Patient discontinued sertraline 2 weeks ago.
B. Passive suicidal ideation with living alone.
C. Tearfulness and poor concentration.
D. Negative urine toxicology.
Correct Answer: B. Passive suicidal ideation with living alone.
Rationale: Passive suicidal ideation combined with social
isolation (living alone) elevates immediate safety risk and
requires priority assessment/intervention (suicide precaution
measures, further suicide risk evaluation). Discontinuation of
sertraline is important (risk of relapse/withdrawal) but is
secondary to immediate safety concerns. Tearfulness and
cognitive symptoms are relevant but lower priority. Negative tox
screen informs management but does not override safety
concerns.
,Teaching Tip: Always prioritize safety alerts — any suicidal
ideation + social isolation or means requires immediate further
assessment and possible precautions.
Question 2 (NGN — Generate Solutions / Collaborative)
Stem: You decide to implement immediate safety measures.
Which action should be taken first? (Choose one.)
A. Place on one-to-one observation and remove potential
means from the room.
B. Reinitiate sertraline at previous dose.
C. Obtain CBC and CMP.
D. Schedule outpatient psychotherapy follow-up in 1 week.
Correct Answer: A. Place on one-to-one observation and
remove potential means from the room.
Rationale: For any patient with suicidal ideation — even passive
— immediate safety measures (increased observation,
environmental safety/means restriction) are first. Reinitiating
sertraline requires prescriber order and assessment; labs and
outpatient follow-up are important but not immediate safety
actions.
Teaching Tip: One-to-one observation is a common immediate
nursing intervention for suicide risk — follow facility policy and
document behaviors continuously.
, Question 3 (NGN — Analyze / Pharmacology Safety)
Stem: During assessment M.S. reports prior sexual side effects
on sertraline but states it helped her sleep. She asks about
switching to bupropion. Which teaching point is most
important to discuss now?
A. Bupropion has no risk of sexual side effects.
B. Bupropion lowers seizure threshold — assess for seizure risk
and eating disorder history.
C. Bupropion and sertraline can be taken together without
interaction.
D. Bupropion causes immediate mood improvement within 24
hours.
Correct Answer: B. Bupropion lowers seizure threshold —
assess for seizure risk and eating disorder history.
Rationale: Bupropion can lower seizure threshold and is
contraindicated in patients with bulimia or seizure disorders;
assess for these before switching. It may have lower rates of
sexual side effects, but statement A is too absolute.
Combination with SSRIs requires prescriber oversight (C
incorrect). Antidepressants do not produce reliable immediate
mood improvement (D incorrect).
Teaching Tip: When considering antidepressant changes,
evaluate safety (seizure history, eating disorder, substance use)
and provide realistic timelines for onset (weeks).