PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM 1
STUDY GUIDE 104 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS 2025/2026
1. Alarm - physical responses are initiated
2. Resistance - defensive attempt to adapt to the stressor.
3. Exhaustion - adaptive energy depleted > diseases of exhaustion (ulcers, colitis,
headaches, mental disorders, coronary artery disease > mortality
** Stress has negative impact on immune system**
Alarm - This occurs when we first perceive something as stressful, and then the
body initiates the fight-or-flight response (as discussed earlier).
Resistance - If the perceived stress continues, the body stays activated at a higher
metabolic level in an effort to offset the persistent stress. The body cannot
maintain this level indefinitely, and its resources will eventually deplete.
Exhaustion - Prolonged exposure to the stressor will result in the depletion of the
body's resources, and the resulting wear and tear will suppress the immune
system and cause bodily functions to deteriorate. This can lead to a variety o -
CORRECT ANSWER Stages of Stress Response
- Genetic
- Past experiences
- Existing conditions - CORRECT ANSWER Pre-disposing Factors to Stress Response
,- rational thinking
- communicate appropriately
- care
- positive attitude towards self
- emotional growth, self-actualization
- autonomy (self-control & awareness)
- integration: adaptive response to - CORRECT ANSWER Traits of Mental Health
mental illness as a disturbance in thoughts or mood that causes maladaptive
behavior, inability to cope with normal stresses, and/or impaired functioning -
CORRECT ANSWER What is Mental Illness?
- resiliency & available support
- family & developmental influences
- personality
- cultural, spiritual, religious beliefs
- perceptions, health practices, beliefs
- social influences
- biology, genetics, hormones
- psychosocial, socioeconomic, demographic, environment - CORRECT ANSWER
Risk and Protective Factors for Mental Disorders
1. Stranger - initial role
2. Resource person - provide answers to questions
,3. Counselor - use interpersonal techniques to assist pts
4. Teacher - identify learning needs and provides teaching to pt & family
5. Leader - leads working w/ pt to develop care plan (diff styles)
6. Technical expert - provides clinical skills needed
7. Surrogate - can be perceived as symbols of other individuals (mother, caregiver)
- CORRECT ANSWER Peplau's Roles of Psych Nurse
Self-understanding is required: know your experiences, biases, and judgements,
but leave them outside the door. Know your emotions, your needs, your
behaviors. Understand the impact on self and others.
Essential Conditions to therapy:
- Rapport
- Trust - confidentiality
- Respect
- Genuineness
- Empathy - CORRECT ANSWER Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship
- the unconscious displacement (transfer) to the nurse of feelings held for a
person in the client's past
- interferes with therapeutic relationship, causes conflicting feelings, especially
anger and hostility - CORRECT ANSWER Transference
, the nurse's behavioral and emotional response to a client in which the nurse
transfers his feelings held for a person from his past onto the client - CORRECT
ANSWER Countertransference
1. Pre-interaction: explore self-perceptions
2. Orientation: establish trust & contract for intervention
3. Working Phase: promote client change
4. Termination: evaluate goals, ensure therapeutic closure - CORRECT ANSWER
Phases of Therapeutic Relationships
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition,2013:
official medical guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association for diagnosing
psychiatric disorders. Provides guidance/understanding for nurse assessment and
education about disorders.
NANDA diagnosis identifies the patient's response to health problems - CORRECT
ANSWER What is the DSM-5?
Autonomy - Duty to respect the rights of others to make their own decisions
Beneficence - Duty to benefit or promote the good of others
Nonmalfeficence - Duty to do no harm whether intentional or unintentional
STUDY GUIDE 104 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS 2025/2026
1. Alarm - physical responses are initiated
2. Resistance - defensive attempt to adapt to the stressor.
3. Exhaustion - adaptive energy depleted > diseases of exhaustion (ulcers, colitis,
headaches, mental disorders, coronary artery disease > mortality
** Stress has negative impact on immune system**
Alarm - This occurs when we first perceive something as stressful, and then the
body initiates the fight-or-flight response (as discussed earlier).
Resistance - If the perceived stress continues, the body stays activated at a higher
metabolic level in an effort to offset the persistent stress. The body cannot
maintain this level indefinitely, and its resources will eventually deplete.
Exhaustion - Prolonged exposure to the stressor will result in the depletion of the
body's resources, and the resulting wear and tear will suppress the immune
system and cause bodily functions to deteriorate. This can lead to a variety o -
CORRECT ANSWER Stages of Stress Response
- Genetic
- Past experiences
- Existing conditions - CORRECT ANSWER Pre-disposing Factors to Stress Response
,- rational thinking
- communicate appropriately
- care
- positive attitude towards self
- emotional growth, self-actualization
- autonomy (self-control & awareness)
- integration: adaptive response to - CORRECT ANSWER Traits of Mental Health
mental illness as a disturbance in thoughts or mood that causes maladaptive
behavior, inability to cope with normal stresses, and/or impaired functioning -
CORRECT ANSWER What is Mental Illness?
- resiliency & available support
- family & developmental influences
- personality
- cultural, spiritual, religious beliefs
- perceptions, health practices, beliefs
- social influences
- biology, genetics, hormones
- psychosocial, socioeconomic, demographic, environment - CORRECT ANSWER
Risk and Protective Factors for Mental Disorders
1. Stranger - initial role
2. Resource person - provide answers to questions
,3. Counselor - use interpersonal techniques to assist pts
4. Teacher - identify learning needs and provides teaching to pt & family
5. Leader - leads working w/ pt to develop care plan (diff styles)
6. Technical expert - provides clinical skills needed
7. Surrogate - can be perceived as symbols of other individuals (mother, caregiver)
- CORRECT ANSWER Peplau's Roles of Psych Nurse
Self-understanding is required: know your experiences, biases, and judgements,
but leave them outside the door. Know your emotions, your needs, your
behaviors. Understand the impact on self and others.
Essential Conditions to therapy:
- Rapport
- Trust - confidentiality
- Respect
- Genuineness
- Empathy - CORRECT ANSWER Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship
- the unconscious displacement (transfer) to the nurse of feelings held for a
person in the client's past
- interferes with therapeutic relationship, causes conflicting feelings, especially
anger and hostility - CORRECT ANSWER Transference
, the nurse's behavioral and emotional response to a client in which the nurse
transfers his feelings held for a person from his past onto the client - CORRECT
ANSWER Countertransference
1. Pre-interaction: explore self-perceptions
2. Orientation: establish trust & contract for intervention
3. Working Phase: promote client change
4. Termination: evaluate goals, ensure therapeutic closure - CORRECT ANSWER
Phases of Therapeutic Relationships
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition,2013:
official medical guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association for diagnosing
psychiatric disorders. Provides guidance/understanding for nurse assessment and
education about disorders.
NANDA diagnosis identifies the patient's response to health problems - CORRECT
ANSWER What is the DSM-5?
Autonomy - Duty to respect the rights of others to make their own decisions
Beneficence - Duty to benefit or promote the good of others
Nonmalfeficence - Duty to do no harm whether intentional or unintentional
