Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024, Exams of Nursing

Download Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 The nurse is conducting discharge teaching for a client with schizophrenia who plans to live in a group home. Which statement is most indicative of the need for careful follow-up after discharge? a. Crickets are a good source of protein. b. I have not heard any voices for a week. c. Only my belief in God can help me. d. Sometimes I have a hard time sitting still - Correct Answer ✅*C. Only my belief in God can help me.* The most frequent cause of increased symptoms in psychotic clients is non-compliance with the medication regimen. If clients believe that "God alone" is going to heal them (C) then they may discontinue their medication, so (C) would pose the greatest threat to this client's prognosis. (A) would require further teaching, but is not as significant a statement as (C). (B) indicates an improvement in the client's condition. (D) may be a sign of anxiety that could improve with tx, but does not have the priority of (C). Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 A child is brought to the ER with a broken arm. Because of other injuries, the nurse suspects the child may be a victim of abuse. When the nurse tries to give the child an injection, the child's mother becomes very loud and shouts, "I won't leave my son! Don't you touch him! You'll hurt my child!" What is the best interpretation of the mother's statements? The mother is a. regressing to an earlier behavior pattern. b. sublimating her anger. c. projecting her feelings onto the nurse. d. suppressing her fear. - Correct Answer ✅*C. projecting her feelings onto the nurse.* Projection is attributing one's own thoughts, impulses, or behaviors onto another--it is the mother who is probably harming the child and she is attributing her actions to the nurse (C). The mother may be immature, but (A) is not the best description of her behavior. (B) is substituting a socially acceptable feeling for an unacceptable one. These are not socially acceptable feelings. The mother may be suppressing Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 with bipolar disorder. To prevent future complications, the nurse should monitor these clients' decisions and assist them in decision-making process (B). (C) is more often associated with depression than with bipolar disorder. An adult male client who was admitted to the mental hospital unit yesterday tells the nurse that microchips were planted in his head for military surveillance of his every move. Which response is best for the nurse to provide? a. You are in the hospital, and I am the nurse caring for you. b. It must be difficult for you to control your anxious feelings. c. Go to occupational therapy and start a project. d. You are not in a war area now; this is the United States. - Correct Answer ✅* C. Go to occupational therapy and start a project.* Delusions often generate fear and isolation, so the nurse should help the client participate in activities that avoid focusing on the false belief and encourage interaction with others (C). Delusions are often well-fixed, and though (A) Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 reinforces reality, it is argumentative and dismisses the clients fears. It is often difficult for the client to recognize the relationship between delusions and anxiety (B), and the nurse should reassure the client that he is in a safe place. Dismissing delusional thinking (D) is unrealistic because neurochemical imbalances that cause positive symptoms of schizophrenia require antipsychotic drug therapy. A 38 y/o F client is admitted with a dx of paranoid schizophrenia. When her tray is brought to her, she refuses to eat and tells the nurse, "I know you're trying to poison me with that food." Which response is most appropriate for the nurse to make? a. I'll leave your tray here. I am available if you need anything else. b. You're not being poisoned. Why do you think someone is trying to poison you? c. No one on this unit has ever died from poisoning. You're safe here. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 d. I will talk to your HCP about the possibility of changing your diet. - Correct Answer ✅*A. I'll leave your tray here. I am available if you need anything else.* (A) is the best choice cited. The nurse doesn't argue with the client nor demand that she eat, but offers support by agreeing to "be there if needed", e.g., to warm the food. (B and C) are arguing with the client's delusions, and (B) asks "why" which is usually not a good question for a psychotic client. (D) has nothing to do with the actual problem; i.e., the problem is not the diet (she thinks any food given to her is poisoned). A homeless person who is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder is admitted to the mental health unit. Which lab finding obtained on admission is most important for the nurse to report to the HCP? a. Decreased TSH level. b. Elevated liver function profile. c. Increased WBC count. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 Offering self shows empathy and caring (A), and is the best of the choices provided. Combining the first part of (D) with (A) would be the best response, but this is not a fill-in-the-blank or an essay test! Choose the best of those choices provided and move on. (B) dismisses the client, things are bad as far as this client is concerned. (C) avoids the clients problems and promotes denial. "I hear how miserable you are" is an example of reflective dialogue and would be the best choice if it were not for the rest of the sentence--"but things will get better" which is offering false reassurance. A young adult male client, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, believes the world is trying to poison him. What intervention should the nurse include in this client's plan of care? a. Remind the client that his suspicions are not true. b. Ask one nurse to spend time with the client daily. c. Encourage the client to participate in group activities. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 d. Assign the client to a room closest to the activity room. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Ask one nurse to spend time with the client daily.* A client with paranoid schizophrenia has difficulty with trust and a developing trusting relationship with one nurse (B) is likely to be therapeutic for this client. (A) is argumentative. Stress increases anxiety, and anxiety increases paranoid ideation; (C) would be too stressful and anxiety-promoting for a client who is experiencing pathological suspicions. (D) also might increase anxiety and stress. A male adolescent is admitted with bipolar disorder after being released from jail for assault with a deadly weapon. When the nurse asks the teen to identify his reason for the assault, he replies, "Because he made me mad!" Which goal is best for the nurse to include in the client's plan of care? The client will a. outline methods for managing anger. b. control impulsive actions toward self and others. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 c. verbalize feelings when anger occurs. d. recognize consequences for behaviors exhibited. - Correct Answer ✅*B. control impulsive actions toward self and others.* Those with bipolar disorder often exhibit poor impulse control, and the most important goal for this client at this time is to learn to control impulsive behavior (B) so that he can avert the social consequences related to such behaviors. (A, C, and D) are important goals but they don't address the acute issue of impulse control, which is necessary to reduce the likelihood of harming self or others. Based on non-compliance with the medication regimen, an adult client with a medical dx of substance abuse and schizophrenia was recently switched from oral fluphenazine HCl (Prolixin) to IM fluphenazine (Prolixin Decanoate). Which is most important to teach the client and family about this change in medication regimen? a. S/s of extrapyramidal effects (PS). Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 her child is always having accidents. Which initial response by the nurse would be most appropriate? a. I need to inform the HCP about your child's tendency to be accident prone. b. Tell me more specifically about your child's accidents. c. I must report these injuries to the authorities because they don't seem accidental. d. Boys this age always seem to require more supervision and can be quite accident prone. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Tell me more specifically about your child's accidents.* (B) seeks more information using an open ended, non- threatening statement. (A) could be appropriate, but it is not the best answer because the nurse is being somewhat sarcastic and is also avoiding the situation by referring it to the HCP for resolution. Although it is true that suspected cases of child abuse must be reported, (C) is virtually an attack and is jumping to conclusions before conclusive data has been obtained. (D) is a cliche and dismisses the seriousness of the situation. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 The nurse is assessing the parents of a nuclear family who are attending a support group for parents of adolescents. According to Erikson, these parents who are adapting to middle adulthood should exhibit which characteristic? a. Loss of independence. b. Increased self-understanding. c. Isolation from society. d. Development of intimate relationships. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Increased self-understanding.* Middle adulthood is characterized by self-reflection, understanding, and acceptance (B), and generativity or guidance of children. (A and C) are maladaptive behaviors in middle adulthood. Although middle-aged adults may delay or re-establish intimate relationships ; (D) is initially developed during young adulthood. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 When preparing a teaching plan for a client who is to be discharged with a prescription for lithium carbonate (Lithonate), it is important for the nurse to include which instruction? a. It may take 3-4 weeks to achieve therapeutic effects. b. Keep your dietary salt intake consistent. c. Avoid eating aged cheese and chicken liver. d. Eat foods high in fiber such as whole grain breads. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Keep your dietary salt intake consistent.* Lithium's effectiveness is influenced by salt intake (B). Too much salt causes more lithium to be excreted, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the drug. Too little salt causes less lithium to be excreted, potentially resulting in toxicity. (A, C, and D) are not specific instructions pertinent to teaching about lithium carbonate (Lithonate). Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 (A) is in effect arguing with the client's delusions and could escalate an already anxious situation. Collaborating about diabetic care (B and C) is not likely to help change the client's false beliefs. A male client is admitted to a mental health unit on Friday afternoon and is very upset on Sunday because he has not had the opportunity to talk with the healthcare provider. Which response is best for the nurse to provide this client? a. Let me call and leave a message for your HCP. b. The HCP should be here on Monday morning. c. How can I help answer your questions. d. What concerns do you have at this time? - Correct Answer ✅*A. Let me call and leave a message for your HCP.* It is best for the nurse to call the HCP (A) because clients have the right to information about their tx. Suggesting that the HCP will be available the following day (B) doesn't provide immediate reassurance to the client. The nurse can also Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 implement offer to assess the client (C and D), but the highest priority is contacting the HCP. A 45 y/o F client is admitted to the psych unit for evaluation. Her husband states that she has been reluctant to leave home for the last 6 months. The client has not gone to work for a month and has been terminated from her job. She has not left the house since that time. This client is displaying symptoms of what condition? a. Claustrophobia b. Acrophobia c. Agoraphobia d. Post-traumatic stress disorder - Correct Answer ✅*C. Agoraphobia* Agoraphobia (C) is the fear of crowds or being in an open place. (A) is the fear of being in closed areas. (B) is the fear of high places. Remember a phobia is an unrealistic fear which is associated with severe anxiety. (D) consists of the development of anxiety symptoms following a life event that Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 is particularly serious and stressful (war, witnessing a child killed, etc.) and is experienced with terror, fear, and helplessness--a phobia is different. A nurse working in the ER of a children's hospital admits a child whose injuries could have resulted from abuse. Which statement most accurately describes the nurse's responsibility in cases of suspected child abuse? a. The nurse should obtain objective data such as x-rays before reporting suspicions to the authorities. b. The nurse should confirm any suspicions of child abuse with the HCP before reporting to the authorities. c. The nurse should report any case of suspected child abuse to the nurse in charge. d. The nurse should note in the client's record any suspicions of child abuse so that a history of such suspicions can be tracked. - Correct Answer ✅*C. The nurse should report any case of suspected child abuse to the nurse in charge.* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 result in escalating the abuse and unnecessarily involve another staff member in the abusive situation. (B) is a threat and is using a health team member (HCP) as the threat. (D) may be indicated if the behavior escalates, but at this time the best initial action is (C). A 52 y/o M client is the ICU has been oriented suddenly becomes disoriented and fearful. Assessment of VS and other physical parameters reveal no significant change and the nurse formulates the diagnosis, "Confusion related to ICU psychosis." Which intervention is best to implement. a. Move all machines away from the client's immediate area. b. Attempt to allay the client's fears by explaining the etiology of his condition. c. Cluster care so that brief periods of rest can be scheduled during the day. d. Extend visitation times for family and friends. - Correct Answer ✅*C. Cluster care so that brief periods of rest can be scheduled during the day.* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 The critical care environment confronts clients with an environment which provides stressors heightened by treatment modalities that may provide lifesaving. These stressors can result in isolation and confusion. The best intervention is to provide the client with rest periods (C). (A) is not practical --the machinery is often lifesaving. The client is not ready for (B). Although family and friends (D) can provide a support system to the client, visits should be limited because of the critical care that must be provided. A client who is on a 30-day commitment to a drug rehabilitation unit asks the nurse if he can go for a walk on the grounds of the treatment center. When he is told that his privileges do not include walking on the grounds the client becomes verbally abusive. Which approach should the nurse use? a. Call a staff member to escort the client to his room. b. Tell the client to talk to his HCP about his privileges. c. Remind the client of the unit rules. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 d. Tell the client that privileges are earned for appropriate behavior. - Correct Answer ✅*D. Tell the client that privileges are earned for appropriate behavior.* The client is trying to engage the nurse in a dispute. Rewards (D) reinforce appropriate behavior. (A) is not necessary unless the client becomes a physical threat to the nurse. (B) would be inappropriate because it is referring the situation to the HCP and is not in keeping with good health team management. Consistent limits must be established and enforced. (C) would subject the nurse to more verbal abuse because the client could use any response as an excuse to attack the nurse once again. The nurse should include which interventions in the plan of care for a severely depressed client with neurovegetative symptoms? (Select all that apply.) a. Permit rest periods as needed. b. Speaking slowly and simply. c. Place the client on suicide precautions. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 The charge nurse is collaborating with the nursing staff about the plan of care for a client who is very depressed. What is the most important intervention to implement during the first 48 hours after the client's admission to the unit? a. Monitor appetite and observe intake at meals. b. Maintain safety in the client's milieu. c. Provide ongoing, supportive contact. d. Encourage participation in activities. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Maintain safety in the client's milieu.* The most important reason for closely observing a depressed client immediately after admission is to maintain safety (B) since suicide is a risk with depression. (A, C, and D) are all important interventions but safety is the priority. A 35 y/o M client on the psych ward of a general hospital believes that someone is trying to poison him. The nurse understands that a client's delusions are most likely related to his Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 a. early childhood experiences involving authority issues. b. anger about being hospitalized. c. neurobiological disorder. d. phobic fear of food. - Correct Answer ✅*C. neurobiological disorder.* Psychotic clients have difficulty with trust and have neurobiological disorder (C). Nursing care should be directed at building trust and promoting positive self-esteem. Activities with limited concentration and no competition should be encourages tin order to build self-esteem. (A, B, and D) aren't specifically related to the development of delusions. A male client with schizophrenia who is taking fluphenazine decanoate (Prolixin decanoate) is being discharged in the morning. A repeat dose of medication is scheduled for 20 days after discharge. The client tells the nurse that he is going on vacation in the Bahamas and will return in 18 days. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 Which statement by the client indications a need for health testing? a. Two weeks after I return from my tropical island vacation, I will go to the clinic to get my Prolixin injections. b. While I'm on vacation and when I return, I will not eat or drink anything that contains alcohol. c. I will notify the HCP if I have a sore throat or flu-like symptoms. d. I will continue to take my benztropine mesylate (Cogentin) everyday. - Correct Answer ✅*A. Two weeks after I return from my tropical island vacation, I will go to the clinic to get my Prolixin injections.* Photosensitivity is a side effect of Proxilin and a vacation in the Bahamas (with its tropical island clean up climate) increases the client's chance of experiencing this side effect. He should be instructed to avoid direct sun (A) and wear sunscreen. (B,C, and d) include accurate knowledge. Alcohol acts synergistically with Proxlin (B). (C) lists signs of Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 client how she feels (frightened and lonely) rather than allowing the client to describe her own feelings. Hallucinating and/or delusional clients are not capable of discussing their feelings, particularly when they perceive a crisis. The community health nurse talks to a male client who has bipolar disorder. The client explains that he sleeps 4-5 hours a night and is working with his partner to start two new businesses and build an empire. The client stopped taking his medications several days ago. What nursing problem has the highest priority? a. Excessive work activity. b. Decreased need for sleep. c. Medication management. d. Inflated self-esteem - Correct Answer ✅*C. Medication management.* The most important nursing problem is medication management © because compliance with the medication regimen will help prevent hospitalization. The client is also Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 exhibiting signs of (A, B, and C); however, these problems don't have the priority of medication management. A woman brings her 48 y/o husband to the outpatient psych unit and describes his behavior to the admitting nurse. She states that he has been sleepwalking, can't remember who he is, and exhibits multiple personalities. The nurse knows that these behaviors are often associated with a. dissociative disorder b. obsessive-compulsive disorder c. panic disorder d. post-traumatic stress syndrome - Correct Answer ✅*A. dissociative disorder* Sleepwalking, amnesia, and multiple personalities are examples of detaching emotional conflict from one's consciousness, which is the definition of a dissociative disorder (A). (B) is characterized by persistent, recurrent intrusive thoughts or urges (obsessions) that are unwilled and cannot be ignored, and provoke impulsive acts (compulsions) Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 such as handwashing. (C) is an acute attack of anxiety characterized by personality disorganization. (D) is re- experiencing a psychologically terrifying or distressing event that is outside the usual range of human experience, such as war, rape, etc. A 45 y/o M client tells the nurse that he used to believe that he was Jesus Christ, but now he knows he is not. Which response is best for the nurse to make? a. Did you really believe you were Jesus Christ? b. I think you're getting well. c. Others have had similar thoughts when under stress. d. Why did you think you were Jesus Christ? - Correct Answer ✅*C. Others have had similar thoughts when under stress.* (C) offers support by assuring the client that others have suffered as he has (also the principle on which Alcoholics Anonymous acts). (A) is belittling. (B) is making an inappropriate judgment. You may have narrowed your choices Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 A nurse working on a mental health unit receives a community call from a person who is tearful and states, "I just feel so nervous all of the time. I don't know what to do about my problems. I haven't been able to sleep at night and have hardly eaten for the past 3-4 days." The nurse should initiate a referral based on which assessment? a. Altered thought processes. b. Moderate levels of anxiety. c. Inadequate social support. d. Altered health maintenance. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Moderate levels of anxiety.* The nurse should initiate a referral based on anxiety levels (B) and feelings of nervousness that interfere with sleep, appetite, and the inability to solve problems. The client doesn't report symptoms of (A) or evidence of (C). There isn't enough information to initiate a referral based on (D). Over a period of several weeks, one male participate of a socialization group at a community day care center for the Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 elderly monopolizes most of the group's time and interrupts others when they are talking. What is the best action for the nurse to take in this situation? a. Talk to the client outside the group about his behavior during group meetings. b. Remind the client to allow others in the group a chance to talk. c. Allow the group to handle the problem. d. Ask the client to join another group. - Correct Answer ✅*C. Allow the group to handle the problem.* After several weeks, the group is in the working phase and the group members should be allowed to determine the direction of the group. The nurse should ignore the client's comments and allow the group to handle the situation ©. A good leader shouldn't have separate meetings with group members (A), as such behavior is manipulative on the part of the leader. (B) is dictatorial and isn't keeping with good leadership skills. (D) is avoiding the problem. Remember, Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 identify what phase the group is in—initial, working, or termination—this will help determine communication style. A client who is diagnosed with schizophrenia is admitted to the hospital. The nurse assess the client's mental status. Which assessment finding is most characteristic of a client with schizophrenia? a. Mood swings. b. Extreme sadness. c. Manipulative behavior d. Flat affect. - Correct Answer ✅*D. Flat affect.* Disinterest, and diminished or lack of facial expression is characteristic of schizophrenia and is referred to as a flat affect (D). (A) is associated with bipolar disorder. (B) is associated with depression. (C) is usually associated with personality disorders and is often seen in clients who abuse substances. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 43. A client on the psych unit appears to imitate a certain nurse on the unit. The client seeks out this particular nurse and imitates her mannerisms. The nurse knows that the client is using which defense mechanism? a. Sublimation b. Identification c. Introjection d. Repression - Correct Answer ✅*B. Identification* Identification (B) is an attempt to be like someone or emulate the personality traits of another. (A) is substituting an unacceptable feeling for one that is more socially acceptable. (C) is incorporating the values or qualities of an admired person or group into one's own ego structure. (D) is the involuntary exclusion of painful thoughts or memories from one's awareness. A 65 y/o F client complains to the nurse that recently she has been hearing voices. What question should the nurse ask the client first? Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 a. Do you have problems with hallucinations? b. Are you ever alone when you hear the voices? c. Has anyone in your family had hearing problems? d. Do you see things that others cannot see? - Correct Answer ✅*B. Are you ever alone when you hear the voices?* Determining if the client is alone when she hears voices (B) will assist in differentiating between hallucinations and hearing loss; this is especially important in the aging population. If the client is experiencing hallucinations, the voices will be real to her, and it is unlikely that (A) would provide accurate information. (C and D) might be good follow- up questions, but would not have the priority of (B). The nurse plans to help an 18 y/o F intellectually disabled client ambulate the first postop day after an appendectomy. When the nurse tells the client it is time to get out of bed, the client becomes angry and tells the nurse, "Get out of here! I'll get up when I'm ready!" Which response is best for the nurse to make? Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 a. Your healthcare provider has prescribed ambulation on the first postop day. b. You must ambulate to avoid complications which could cause more discomfort than ambulating. c. I know how you feel. You're angry about having to ambulate, but this will help you get well. d. I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room. - Correct Answer ✅*D. I'll be back in 30 minutes to help you get out of bed and walk around the room.* (D) provides a "cooling off" period, is firm, direct, non- threatening, and avoids arguing with the client. (A) is avoiding responsibility by referring to the healthcare provider. (B) is trying to reason with an intellectually disabled client and is threatening the client with "complications". (C) is telling the client how she feels (angry), and the nurse doesn't really "know" how this client feels, unless the nurse is intellectually disabled and has just had an appendectomy. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 associated with a break in reality, nor hallucinations (false sensations such as hearing, or seeing) or delusions (false beliefs). A male client is admitted to the psych unit with a medical dx of paranoid schizophrenia. During the admission procedure, the client looks up and states, "No, it's not MY fault. You can't blame me. I didn't kill him, you did." What action is best for the nurse to take? a. Reassure the client by telling him that his fear of the admission procedure is to be expected. b. Tell the client that no one is accusing him of murder and remind him that the hospital is a safe place. c. Assess the content of the hallucinations by asking the client what he is hearing. d. Ignore the behavior and make no response at all to his delusional statements. - Correct Answer ✅*C. Assess the content of the hallucinations by asking the client what he is hearing.* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 Further assessment is indicated. The nurse should obtain information about what the client believes the voices are telling him—they may be telling him to kill the nurse! (A) is telling the client how he feels (fearful). The nurse should leave communications open and seek more information. (B) is arguing with the client's delusion, and the nurse should never argue with a client's hallucinations or delusions, also (B) is possibly offering false reassurance. (D) is avoiding the situation and the client's needs. The nurse is preparing to administer pheneizine sulfate (Nardil) to a client on the psych unit. Which complaint related to administration of this drug should the nurse expect this client to make? a. My mouth feels like cotton. b. That stuff gives me indigestion. c. This pill gives me diarrhea. d. My urine looks pink. - Correct Answer ✅*A. My mouth feels like cotton.* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 A dry mouth (A) is an anticholinergic effect that is an expected side of effect MAO inhibitors such as phenelizine sulfate (Nardil). (B, C, and D) aren't expected side effects of this medication. A 30 y/o sales manager tells the nurse, "I am thinking about a job change. I don't feel like I am living up to my potential". Which of Maslow's developmental stages is the sales manager attempting to achieve? a. Self-Actualization b. Loving and Belonging c. Basic Needs d. Safety and Security - Correct Answer ✅*A. Self- Actualization* Self-actualization is the highest level of Maslow's development stages, which is an attempt to fulfill one's full potential (C). (B) is identifying support systems. (C) is the first level of Maslow's developmental stages and is the foundation upon which higher needs rest. Indiviuals who feel safe and Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 healthcare provider should be notified prior to the next administration of the drug. (A, C, and D) would not reflect good nursing judgment. The nurse observed a client who is admitted to the mental health unit and identifies that the client is talking continuously, using words that rhyme but that have no context or relationship with one topic to the next in the conversation. This client's behavior and thought processes are consistent with which syndrome? a. Dementia b. Depression c. Schizophrenia d. Chronic brain syndrome - Correct Answer ✅*C. Schizophrenia* The client is demonstrating symptoms of schizophrenia (C), such as disorganized speech that may include word salad (communication that includes both real and imaginary words in no logical order), incoherent speech, and clanging Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 (rhyming). Dementia (A) is a global impairment of intellectual (cognitive) functions that may be progressive, such as Alzheimer's or organic brain syndrome (D). Depression (C) is typified by psychomotor retardation, and the client appears to be slowed down in movement, in speech, and would appear listless and disheveled. A female client with depression attends group and states that she sometimes misses her medication appointments because she feels very anxious bout riding the bus. Which statement is the nurse's best response? a. Can your case manager take you to your appointments? b. Take your medication for anxiety before you ride the bus. c. Let's talk about what happens when you feel very anxious. d. What are some ways that you can cope with your anxiety? - Correct Answer ✅* D. What are some ways that you can cope with your anxiety?* The best response is to explore ways for the client to cope with anxiety (D). The nurse should encourage problem- Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 solving rather than dependence on the case manager (A) for transportation. Strategies for coping with anxiety should be encouraged before suggesting (B). (C) therapeutic, but the best response is an open-ended question to explore ways to cope with the anxiety. At the meeting of a group of older adults at a daycare center for the elderly, the nurse asks one of the members what kinds of things she would like to go with the group. The older woman shrugs her shoulders and says, "You tell me, you're the leader." What is the best response for the nurse to make? a. Yes, I am the leader today. Would you like to be the leader tomorrow? b. Yes, I will be leading this group. What would you like to accomplish during this time? c. Yes, I have been assigned to be leader of this group. I will be here for the next six weeks. d. Yes, I am the leader. You seem angry about not being the leader yourself. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Yes, I will be leading Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 c. Contemporary practice of psychiatric nursing is primarily focused on inpatient care. d. The psychiatric nursing client may be an individual, family, group, organization, or community. - Correct Answer ✅*D. The psychiatric nursing client may be an individual, family, group, organization, or community.* Mental health nursing isn't only concerned with one-on-one interactions. Psychiatric stressors can impact and be reflected in the overall direction, activities, and responses involving families, groups, and entire communities (D). (A, B, and C) are incorrect statements about the status of mental health nursing. An 86 y/o F client with Alzheimer's disease is wandering the busy halls of the extended care facility and asks the nurse, "Where should I stand for the parade?" Which response is best for the nurse to provide? a. Anywhere you want to stand as long as you don't get hurt by those in the parade. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 b. You are confused because of all the activity in the hall. There is no parade. c. Let us go back to the activity room and see what is going on in there. d. Remember I told you that this is a nursing home and I'm your nurse. - Correct Answer ✅*C. Let us go back to the activity room and see what is going on in there.* It's common for those with Alzheimer's disease to use the wrong words. Redirecting the client (using an accepting non- judgmental dialogue) to a safer place and familiar activities (C) is most helpful because clients experience short-term memory loss. (A) dismisses the client's attempt to find order and doesn't help her relate to her surroundings. (B) dismisses the client and may increase her anxiety level because it merely labels the client's behavior and offers no solution. It is very frustrating for those with Alzheimer's disease to "remember" and scolding them (D) may hurt their feelings. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 A 19 y/o F client with a dx of anorexia nervosa wants to help serve dinner trays to other clients on a psychiatric unit. What action should the nurse take? a. Encourage the client's participation in unit activities by asking her to pass trays for the rest of the week. b. Provide an additional challenge by asking the client to also help feed the older clients. c. Suggest another way for this client to participate in unit activities. d. Tell the client that the hospital policy doesn't permit her to pass trays. - Correct Answer ✅*C. Suggest another way for this client to participate in unit activities.* Anorexics gain pleasure from providing others with food and watching them eat. Such behaviors reinforce their perception of self-control. These clients shouldn't be allowed to plan or prepare food for unit activities and their desires to do so should be redirected (C). (A and B) are contraindicated for client with anorexia nervosa. (D) avoids addressing the Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 d. No action is required at this time as these are known side effects of such drugs. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Immediately transfer the client to ICU.* These symptoms are descriptive of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) which is extremely serious/life threatening reaction to neuroleptic drugs (B). The major symptoms of this syndrome are fever, rigidity, autonomic instability, and encephalopathy. Respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse, arrhythmias, and/or renal failure can result in death. This is an EMERGENCY situation, and the client requires immediate critical care. Seizure precautions (A) aren't indicated in this situation. (C and D) do not consider the seriousness of the situation. Which diet selection by a client who is depressed and taking the MAO inhibitor tranylcypromine sulfate (Parnate) indicates to the nurse that the client understands the dietary restrictions imposed by this medication regimen? a. Hamburger, French fries, and chocolate milkshake Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 b. Liver and onions, broccoli, and decaffeinated coffee c. Pepperoni and cheese pizza, tossed salad, and a soft drink d. Roast beef, baked potato with butter, and iced tea - Correct Answer ✅*D. Roast beef, baked potato with butter, and iced tea* Only (D) contains no tyramine. Tyramine in foods interacts with MAOI in the body causing a hypertensive crisis which is life-threatening, and Parnate is classified as an MAOI antidepressant. Some items in (A, B, and C) contain tyramine and wouldn't be permitted for a client taking Parnate. A male client with schizophrenia tells the nurse that the voices he hears are saying, "You must kill yourself." To assist the client in coping with these thoughts, which response is best for for the nurse to provide? a. Tell the voices to go away. b. Exercise when you hear the voices. c. Talk to someone when you hear the voices. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 d. The voices aren't real, so ignore them. - Correct Answer ✅*A. Tell the voices to go away.* The nurse should teach the client to use self-talk to disprove the voices (A). Although (B) may be helpful, the client's concrete thinking may make it difficult to understand this suggestion. Clients with schizophrenia have difficulty initiating interaction with others (C). Auditory hallucinations are often relentless, so it is difficult to ignore them (D). A client is admitted with a dx of depression. The nurse knows that which characteristic is most indicative of depression? a. Grandiose ideation b. Self-destructive thoughts c. Suspiciousness of others d. A negative view of self and the future - Correct Answer ✅*D. A negative view of self and the future* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 The nurse should answer the question with factual information and explain that schizophrenia is a chemical imbalance in the brain (B). (A) is a therapeutic response but doesn't answer the question, and may be an appropriate response after the nurse answers the question asked. Although (C) is likely true to some degree, it is also true that some clients continue to have disorganized thinking even with antipsychotic medications. Referring the spouse to the psychologist (D) is avoiding the issue; the nurse can and should answer the question. The nurse observes a female client with schizophrenia watching the news on TV. She begins to laugh softly and says, "yes, my love, I'll do it." When the nurse questions the client about her comment she states, "The news commentator is my lover and he speaks to me each evening. Only I can understand what he says." What is the best response for the nurse to make? a. What do you believe the new commentator said to you? b. Let's watch news on a different television channel. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 c. Does the news commentator have plans to harm you or others? d. The news commentator is not talking to you. - Correct Answer ✅*A. What do you believe the news commentator said to you?* It's imperative that the nurse determine what the client believes she heard (A). The idea of reference may be to hurt herself or someone else, and the main function of a psych nurse is to maintain safety. (B) is acceptable, but it is best to determine the client's beliefs. (C) is validating the idea of reference, while (D) is challenging the client. The nurse should hold the next scheduled dose of a client's haloperidol (Haldol) based on which assessment finding(s)? a. Dizziness when standing. b. Shuffling gait and hand tremors. c. Urinary retention. d. Fever of 102° F. - Correct Answer ✅*D. Fever of 102° F.* Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 A fever (D) may indicate neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal complication of antipsychotics. The healthcare provider should be contacted before administering the next dose of Haldol. (A, B, and C) are all adverse effects of Haldol which can be managed. The nurse is assessing a client's intelligence. Which factor should the nurse remember during this part of the mental health exam? a. Acute psychiatric illnesses impair intelligence. b. Intelligence is influenced by social and cultural beliefs. c. Poor concentration skills suggests limited intelligence. d. The inability to think abstractly indicates limited intelligence. - Correct Answer ✅*B. Intelligence is influenced by social and cultural beliefs.* Social and cultural beliefs (B) have significant impact on intelligence. Chronic psychiatric illness may impair Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 include explanations about the origin and treatment options of OCD symptomology. Compulsions are behaviors that help relieve anxiety (A), which is a vague feeling related to unknown fears, that motivate behavior (B) to help the client cope and feel secure. All obsessions (C) don't result in compulsive behavior. OCD is supported by the neurophysiology theory, which attributes a diminished level of neurochemicals (D), particularly serotonin, and responds to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). A 22 y/o M client is admitted to the emergency center following a suicide attempt. His records reveal that this is his third suicide attempt in the past two years. He is conscious, but doesn't respond to verbal commands for tx. Which assessment finding should prompt the nurse to prepare the client for gastric lavage? a. He ingested the drug 3 hours prior to admission to the emergency center. b. The family reports that he took an entire bottle of acetaminophen. Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 c. He is unresponsive to instructions and is unable to cooperate with emetic therapy. d. Those with repeated suicide attempts desire punishment to relieve their guilt. - Correct Answer ✅*C. He is unresponsive to instructions and is unable to cooperate with emetic therapy.* Because the client is unable to follow instructions, emetic therapy would be very difficult to implement and gastric lavage would be necessary (C). (A and B) should be considered in determining the course of tx, but they're not the basis for determining if gastric lavage will be implemented. Medical tx should never be used as "punitive" measures (D). The parents of a 14 y/o boy bring their son to the hospital. He is lethargic, but responsive. The mother states, "I think he took some of my pain pills." During initial assessment of the teenager, what information is most important for the nurse to obtain from the parents? Mental Health Practice Exam Questions with Answers / 75 Questions / Latest Update 2024 a. If he has seemed depressed recently. b. If a drug overdose has ever occurred before. c. If he might have taken any other drugs. d. If he has a desire to quit taking drugs. - Correct Answer ✅*C. If he might have taken any other drugs.* Knowledge of all substances taken (C) will guide further tx, such as administration of antagonists, so obtaining this information has the highest priority. (A and B) are also valuable in planning tx. (D) isn't appropriate during the acute management of a drug overdose. A woman arrives in the ED and tells the nurse she thinks she has been raped. The client is sobbing and expresses disbelief that a rape could happen because the man is her best friend. After acknowledging the client's fear and anxiety, how should the nurse respond? a. "I would be very upset and mad if my best friend did that to me."