NUR 256 Mental Health Exam 1 (Updated
2026) | Complete Study Guide with Solved
Questions and Verified Answers | 100%
Accurate | Grade A+
• What is mental illness? Answer: All psychiatric disorders• Significant
dysfunction
• The mental health continuum Answer: Mental health--(occasional to
mild distress with no impairment)--(mild to moderate distress/mild to
moderate impairment)--(Marked distress, moderate to disabling, chronic
impairment, inpatient/suicidal)--Mental Illness
• Mental illness risk factors Answer: biological, genetics, social,
economic, culture, environmental
• Resilience Answer: the ability and capacity for people to secure
resources needed for well-being. Does not mean they are unaffected by
stress.
• Diathesis-stress model Answer: suggests that a person may be
predisposed for a mental disorder that remains unexpressed until
triggered by stress
• DSM-5 Answer: Classifies Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders•
Depressive Disorders• Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders• Feeding
and Eating Disorders
• QSEN COMPETENCIES
Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Answer: • All healthcare
workers must:• Provide patient-centered care• Work in interdisciplinary
teams• Employ evidence-based practice• Apply quality improvement•
Utilize informatics
,• Nursing Process Answer: Assessment
Diagnosis
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation
• Mental Status Exam Answer: • Appearance• Behavior• Speech• Mood•
D/O of the form of thought• Perceptual Disturbances• Cognition• Ideas
of Harming Self or others
• SOAPIE documentation Answer: subjective, objective, assessment,
plan, intervention, evaluation
• documentation legal considerations Answer: • Do Chart - Timely,
facts, descriptive, pertinent observations, Subjective data (patient's
feelings, thoughts)
• Do NOT chart - your opinion, false documentation, no blanks, do not
chart "incident
report filed"
• Therapeutic Relationship Answer: • Focus of the relationship is on the
patient's
ideas, experience and feelings.
• Consistently focused on the patient's
needs
• Clear boundaries are established
• Help the patient developing new coping
mechanisms
• Supports behavioral change
• Roles do not shift
• Boundaries Answer: Boundaries exist to protect the patient. Well
established boundaries allow for a safe environment where the patient
can explore feelings and treatment concerns
, • Blurred roles: Transference Answer: pt transfers feelings & behaviors
onto the nurse related to significant figures in the patient's past
• Blurred roles: Countertransference Answer: Nurse transfers feelings
and behaviors onto the patient related to significant figures in the nurse's
past
• Peplau's Model of the Nurse-Patient Relationship Answer: The nurse-
patient relationship "facilitates forward movement"
4 phases:
• Preorientation Phase
• Orientation Phase
• Working Phase
• Termination Phase
• The communication process Answer: Stimulus - someone has a need to
communicate
Sender - the person sending the message
Message - information send or expressed
Channel - auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory or a combination
Receiver - person receiving the message
Feedback - validates the accuracy of the sender's message and is
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
• Nonverbal communication Answer: Tone, Facial expression, Body
language
• THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES Answer: Using
silence, Active listening, Clarifying techniques: paraphrasing, restating,
reflecting, exploring
• NONTHERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES Answer:
Excessive questioning
Giving approval or disapproval
2026) | Complete Study Guide with Solved
Questions and Verified Answers | 100%
Accurate | Grade A+
• What is mental illness? Answer: All psychiatric disorders• Significant
dysfunction
• The mental health continuum Answer: Mental health--(occasional to
mild distress with no impairment)--(mild to moderate distress/mild to
moderate impairment)--(Marked distress, moderate to disabling, chronic
impairment, inpatient/suicidal)--Mental Illness
• Mental illness risk factors Answer: biological, genetics, social,
economic, culture, environmental
• Resilience Answer: the ability and capacity for people to secure
resources needed for well-being. Does not mean they are unaffected by
stress.
• Diathesis-stress model Answer: suggests that a person may be
predisposed for a mental disorder that remains unexpressed until
triggered by stress
• DSM-5 Answer: Classifies Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders•
Depressive Disorders• Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders• Feeding
and Eating Disorders
• QSEN COMPETENCIES
Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Answer: • All healthcare
workers must:• Provide patient-centered care• Work in interdisciplinary
teams• Employ evidence-based practice• Apply quality improvement•
Utilize informatics
,• Nursing Process Answer: Assessment
Diagnosis
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation
• Mental Status Exam Answer: • Appearance• Behavior• Speech• Mood•
D/O of the form of thought• Perceptual Disturbances• Cognition• Ideas
of Harming Self or others
• SOAPIE documentation Answer: subjective, objective, assessment,
plan, intervention, evaluation
• documentation legal considerations Answer: • Do Chart - Timely,
facts, descriptive, pertinent observations, Subjective data (patient's
feelings, thoughts)
• Do NOT chart - your opinion, false documentation, no blanks, do not
chart "incident
report filed"
• Therapeutic Relationship Answer: • Focus of the relationship is on the
patient's
ideas, experience and feelings.
• Consistently focused on the patient's
needs
• Clear boundaries are established
• Help the patient developing new coping
mechanisms
• Supports behavioral change
• Roles do not shift
• Boundaries Answer: Boundaries exist to protect the patient. Well
established boundaries allow for a safe environment where the patient
can explore feelings and treatment concerns
, • Blurred roles: Transference Answer: pt transfers feelings & behaviors
onto the nurse related to significant figures in the patient's past
• Blurred roles: Countertransference Answer: Nurse transfers feelings
and behaviors onto the patient related to significant figures in the nurse's
past
• Peplau's Model of the Nurse-Patient Relationship Answer: The nurse-
patient relationship "facilitates forward movement"
4 phases:
• Preorientation Phase
• Orientation Phase
• Working Phase
• Termination Phase
• The communication process Answer: Stimulus - someone has a need to
communicate
Sender - the person sending the message
Message - information send or expressed
Channel - auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory or a combination
Receiver - person receiving the message
Feedback - validates the accuracy of the sender's message and is
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
• Nonverbal communication Answer: Tone, Facial expression, Body
language
• THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES Answer: Using
silence, Active listening, Clarifying techniques: paraphrasing, restating,
reflecting, exploring
• NONTHERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES Answer:
Excessive questioning
Giving approval or disapproval
