NUR 208 (Fortis) – MENTAL HEALTH NURSING COMPLETE EXAM
1 V2 QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT ANSWERS RECENTLY
UPDATED 2026/2027
Q1. What is the definition of mental health according to the World
Health Organization (WHO)?
ANSWER A state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own
abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively,
and is able to contribute to their community.
Q2. What is the primary goal of mental health nursing?
ANSWER To promote mental health, prevent mental illness, and care
for individuals experiencing mental health disorders to achieve optimal
functioning.
Q3. What is the difference between mental health and mental illness?
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 1 of 56
, ANSWER Mental health is a positive state of psychological well-being,
while mental illness refers to diagnosable conditions that significantly
disrupt thinking, mood, or behavior.
Q4. Define the term 'therapeutic relationship' in mental health nursing.
ANSWER A professional, goal-directed relationship between nurse and
patient built on trust, empathy, respect, and professional boundaries that
promotes healing and growth.
Q5. What is deinstitutionalization?
ANSWER The process of transferring care of mentally ill individuals
from large psychiatric hospitals to community-based settings, which
began in the 1960s.
Q6. What are the four phases of the nurse-patient therapeutic
relationship?
ANSWER Pre-interaction phase, orientation (introductory) phase,
working phase, and termination phase.
Q7. What occurs during the pre-interaction phase of the therapeutic
relationship?
ANSWER The nurse reviews available information about the patient,
examines personal feelings and biases, and plans for the first
interaction.
Q8. What is the primary task of the orientation phase?
ANSWER Establishing trust, setting the contract for therapy (goals,
time, place), and identifying patient problems.
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 2 of 56
,Q9. What is countertransference?
ANSWER The nurse's emotional reaction to a patient, often based on
the nurse's own unconscious needs and past experiences, which can
interfere with the therapeutic relationship.
Q10. What is transference in the context of mental health nursing?
ANSWER When a patient unconsciously transfers feelings and
expectations from past significant relationships onto the nurse.
UNIT 2: Therapeutic Communication
Q11. What is active listening?
ANSWER A communication technique involving full concentration on
the patient, understanding their message, responding thoughtfully, and
remembering what was said.
Q12. Give three examples of therapeutic communication techniques.
ANSWER Open-ended questions, reflection, clarification, restating,
focusing, silence, and offering self.
Q13. What is the therapeutic technique of 'reflection'?
ANSWER Directing the patient's feelings and ideas back to them to
encourage further expression (e.g., 'You seem angry about that').
Q14. What are non-therapeutic communication techniques?
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 3 of 56
, ANSWER Techniques that block communication, such as giving advice,
offering false reassurance, changing the subject, being defensive, and
using clichés.
Q15. Why is offering false reassurance non-therapeutic?
ANSWER It dismisses the patient's concerns and provides unrealistic
hope, damaging trust and preventing the patient from working through
real concerns.
Q16. What does 'open-ended question' mean in therapeutic
communication?
ANSWER A question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no,
encouraging the patient to share more (e.g., 'Tell me what brought you
here today').
Q17. What is the purpose of using silence therapeutically?
ANSWER To allow the patient time to think, feel, and formulate
responses without pressure, conveying that the nurse is present and
attentive.
Q18. What is 'focusing' as a therapeutic technique?
ANSWER Drawing the patient's attention to a specific point in the
conversation to explore it in more depth.
Q19. Define 'clarification' as a communication technique.
ANSWER Asking the patient to explain something further to ensure the
nurse accurately understands the message (e.g., 'Can you tell me more
about what you mean?').
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 4 of 56
1 V2 QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT ANSWERS RECENTLY
UPDATED 2026/2027
Q1. What is the definition of mental health according to the World
Health Organization (WHO)?
ANSWER A state of well-being in which an individual realizes their own
abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively,
and is able to contribute to their community.
Q2. What is the primary goal of mental health nursing?
ANSWER To promote mental health, prevent mental illness, and care
for individuals experiencing mental health disorders to achieve optimal
functioning.
Q3. What is the difference between mental health and mental illness?
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 1 of 56
, ANSWER Mental health is a positive state of psychological well-being,
while mental illness refers to diagnosable conditions that significantly
disrupt thinking, mood, or behavior.
Q4. Define the term 'therapeutic relationship' in mental health nursing.
ANSWER A professional, goal-directed relationship between nurse and
patient built on trust, empathy, respect, and professional boundaries that
promotes healing and growth.
Q5. What is deinstitutionalization?
ANSWER The process of transferring care of mentally ill individuals
from large psychiatric hospitals to community-based settings, which
began in the 1960s.
Q6. What are the four phases of the nurse-patient therapeutic
relationship?
ANSWER Pre-interaction phase, orientation (introductory) phase,
working phase, and termination phase.
Q7. What occurs during the pre-interaction phase of the therapeutic
relationship?
ANSWER The nurse reviews available information about the patient,
examines personal feelings and biases, and plans for the first
interaction.
Q8. What is the primary task of the orientation phase?
ANSWER Establishing trust, setting the contract for therapy (goals,
time, place), and identifying patient problems.
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 2 of 56
,Q9. What is countertransference?
ANSWER The nurse's emotional reaction to a patient, often based on
the nurse's own unconscious needs and past experiences, which can
interfere with the therapeutic relationship.
Q10. What is transference in the context of mental health nursing?
ANSWER When a patient unconsciously transfers feelings and
expectations from past significant relationships onto the nurse.
UNIT 2: Therapeutic Communication
Q11. What is active listening?
ANSWER A communication technique involving full concentration on
the patient, understanding their message, responding thoughtfully, and
remembering what was said.
Q12. Give three examples of therapeutic communication techniques.
ANSWER Open-ended questions, reflection, clarification, restating,
focusing, silence, and offering self.
Q13. What is the therapeutic technique of 'reflection'?
ANSWER Directing the patient's feelings and ideas back to them to
encourage further expression (e.g., 'You seem angry about that').
Q14. What are non-therapeutic communication techniques?
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 3 of 56
, ANSWER Techniques that block communication, such as giving advice,
offering false reassurance, changing the subject, being defensive, and
using clichés.
Q15. Why is offering false reassurance non-therapeutic?
ANSWER It dismisses the patient's concerns and provides unrealistic
hope, damaging trust and preventing the patient from working through
real concerns.
Q16. What does 'open-ended question' mean in therapeutic
communication?
ANSWER A question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no,
encouraging the patient to share more (e.g., 'Tell me what brought you
here today').
Q17. What is the purpose of using silence therapeutically?
ANSWER To allow the patient time to think, feel, and formulate
responses without pressure, conveying that the nurse is present and
attentive.
Q18. What is 'focusing' as a therapeutic technique?
ANSWER Drawing the patient's attention to a specific point in the
conversation to explore it in more depth.
Q19. Define 'clarification' as a communication technique.
ANSWER Asking the patient to explain something further to ensure the
nurse accurately understands the message (e.g., 'Can you tell me more
about what you mean?').
NUR 208 Mental Health Nursing – Exam 1 V2 | Page 4 of 56
