NSG 3450. MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 1 REVIEW QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
The scope of practiced for an advanced nurse practitioner would include which
intervention?
a. Conducting a mental health assessment.
b. Prescribing psychotropic medication.
c. Establishing a therapeutic relationship.
d. Individualizing a nursing care plan. Answer - b. Prescribing psychotropic
medication.
A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their
clinical
nursing skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties.
Nurse-to client ratios must be better because of the nature of the clients'
problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those
situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring
equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as
medical-
,surgical nurses do. That appeals to me." Answer - b. "Psychiatric nurses use
complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons
diagnosed with mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected
representatives in opposition to the legislation. Which role have the nurses
fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
d. Evidence-based practice Answer - c. Advocacy
A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members.
Which family member's comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change."
Answer - c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the
family."
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be
experiencing a mental illness?
a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
,c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.
Answer - b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy
behavior" was achieved for an adult client?
a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaving without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meeting personal needs without considering the rights of
others.
d. seeking help from others to avoid assuming responsibility for major areas of
own life. Answer - a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and
meeting demands.
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's
admission form. Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria
used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health
Problems
(ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of
Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual Answer - c. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders.
Which resource would have the most complete information?
, a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. DSM-V
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. ICD-10 Answer - b. DSM-V
Which individual behavior demonstrates resilience?
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a
permanent job. Answer - d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial
stability after loss of a permanent job.
The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA)
is to clinical judgment as Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
a. client outcomes.
b. nursing actions.
c. diagnosis.
d. symptoms. Answer - b. nursing actions.
An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have
learned that what I get out of something is proportional to the effort I put into
it." Which number on this mental health continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness Mental Health
AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
The scope of practiced for an advanced nurse practitioner would include which
intervention?
a. Conducting a mental health assessment.
b. Prescribing psychotropic medication.
c. Establishing a therapeutic relationship.
d. Individualizing a nursing care plan. Answer - b. Prescribing psychotropic
medication.
A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their
clinical
nursing skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties.
Nurse-to client ratios must be better because of the nature of the clients'
problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical
thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those
situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology
monitoring
equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as
medical-
,surgical nurses do. That appeals to me." Answer - b. "Psychiatric nurses use
complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons
diagnosed with mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected
representatives in opposition to the legislation. Which role have the nurses
fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
d. Evidence-based practice Answer - c. Advocacy
A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members.
Which family member's comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change."
Answer - c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the
family."
Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a client may be
experiencing a mental illness?
a. reporting occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
,c. being able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. experiencing difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.
Answer - b. reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy
behavior" was achieved for an adult client?
a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaving without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meeting personal needs without considering the rights of
others.
d. seeking help from others to avoid assuming responsibility for major areas of
own life. Answer - a. being willing to work towards achieving ideals and
meeting demands.
A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new client's
admission form. Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria
used to establish this diagnosis?
a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health
Problems
(ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of
Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual Answer - c. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders.
Which resource would have the most complete information?
, a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. DSM-V
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. ICD-10 Answer - b. DSM-V
Which individual behavior demonstrates resilience?
a. Repress stressors associated with a divorce.
b. Continuing to grieve the death of a spouse for 5 years.
c. Continuing to live in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a
permanent job. Answer - d. Taking a temporary job to maintain financial
stability after loss of a permanent job.
The relationship of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA)
is to clinical judgment as Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) is to what?
a. client outcomes.
b. nursing actions.
c. diagnosis.
d. symptoms. Answer - b. nursing actions.
An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have
learned that what I get out of something is proportional to the effort I put into
it." Which number on this mental health continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness Mental Health
