Test Bank
Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing
2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
1
, Chapter 1 :
Multiple Choice
1. As part of a class activity, nursing students are engaged in a small group discussion about
the epidemiology of mental illness. Which statement best explains the importance of
epidemiology in understanding the impact of mental disorders? Epidemiology:
A) Helps promote understanding of the patterns of occurrence associated with mental
disorders.
B) Helps explain research findings about the neurophysiology that causes mental disorders.
C) Provides a thorough theoretical explanation of why specific mental disorders occur.
D) Predicts when a specific psychiatric client will recover from a specific mental disorder.
Ans: A
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 4
Page Number: 2
Feedback: Epidemiology is the study of patterns of disease distribution and determinants of
health within populations. It contributes to the overall understanding of the mental health
status of population groups, or aggregates, and it examines the associations among possible
factors. Epidemiology does not explain research findings about neurophysiology, provide
theoretical explanations for why specific disorders occur, or predict recovery.
2. A nurse is working in a community mental health center that provides care to a large
population of people of Asian descent. When developing programs for this community, which
of the following would be most important for the nurse to address?
A) Public stigma
B) Self-stigma
C) Label avoidance
D) Negative life events
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Understand
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: Although public stigma and self-stigma may be areas needing to be addressed, in
this cultural group, label avoidance would be most important. Label avoidance or avoiding
treatment/care so as not to be labeled mentally ill is a type of stigma that influences why so
few people with mental health problems actually receive assistance. Asian cultures commonly
have negative views of mental illness that influence the willingness of members to seek
treatment; they possibly ignore the symptoms or refuse to seek treatment because of this
stigma. Negative life events affect anyone, not just those of the Asian culture.
3. A nursing student is assigned to care for a client diagnosed with schizophrenia. When
talking about this client in a clinical post-conference, the student would use which
terminology when referring to the client?
A) Committed client
B) Schizophrenic
C) Schizophrenic client
D) Person with schizophrenia
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
2
, Ans: D
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: Just as a person with diabetes should not be referred to as a “diabetic” but rather
as a “person with diabetes,” a person with a mental disorder should never be referred to as a
“schizophrenic” or “bipolar,” but rather as a “person with schizophrenia” or a “person with
bipolar disorder.” Doing so helps to counteract the negative effects of stigma.
4. A nursing student is reviewing journal articles about major depression. One of the articles
describes the number of persons newly diagnosed with the disorder during the past year. The
student interprets this as which of the following?
A) Rate
B) Prevalence
C) Point prevalence
D) Incidence
Ans: D
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 4
Page Number: 3
Feedback: The article is describing incidence, which refers to a rate that includes only new
cases that have occurred within a clearly defined time period. The most common time period
evaluated is 1 year. Rate reflects the proportion of cases in the population compared with the
total population. Prevalence refers to the total number of people with the disorder within a
given population at a specified time, regardless of how long ago the disorder started. Point
prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in the population that have a disorder at a
specific point in time.
5. While working in a community mental health treatment center, the nurse overhears one of
the receptionists saying that one of the clients is “really psycho.” Later in the day, the nurse
talks with the receptionist about the comment. This action by the nurse demonstrates an
attempt to address which issue?
A) Lack of knowledge
B) Public stigma
C) Label avoidance
D) Self-stigma
Ans: B
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: The receptionist's statement reflects the negative effects of stigmatization, more
specifically public stigma. Self-stigma reflects a person's internalization of a negative
stereotype; that is, the person with the mental illness begins to believe that he or she is what
the public thinks he or she is. Label avoidance refers to avoiding treatment or care so as not
to be labeled mentally ill. Lack of knowledge is often the underlying theme associated with
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
3
, any type of stigma.
6. After educating a group of students on mental health and mental illness, the instructor
determines that the education was successful when the group identifies which of the following
as reflecting mental disorders?
A) Capacity to interact with others
B) Ability to deal with ordinary stress
C) Alteration in mood or thinking
D) Lack of impaired functioning
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Understand
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 3
Page Number: 3
Feedback: Mental disorders are health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking,
mood, or behavior and are associated with distress or impaired functioning. Mental health is
the emotional and psychological well-being of an individual who has the capacity to interact
with others, deal with ordinary stress, and perceive one's surroundings realistically.
7. A nurse is preparing a presentation for a local community group about mental disorders
and plans to include how mental disorders are different from medical disorders. Which
statement would be most appropriate for the nurse to include?
A) “Mental disorders are defined by an underlying biological pathology.”
B) “Numerous laboratory tests are used to aid in the diagnosis of mental disorders.”
C) “Clusters of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings characterize mental disorders.”
D) “Manifestations of mental disorders are within normal, expected parameters.”
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 3
Page Number: 2
Feedback: Unlike many medical disorders, mental disorders are defined by clusters of
behaviors, thoughts, and feelings, not underlying biologic pathology. The alterations in
thoughts, behaviors, and feelings are unexpected and outside the normal, culturally defined
limits. Laboratory tests are not used in diagnosing mental disorders.
8. A psychiatric–mental health nurse is providing care for a client with a mental disorder. The
client is participating in the decision-making process. The nurse interprets this as which
component of recovery?
A) Self-direction
B) Collaborative
C) Person-centered
D) Holistic
Ans: B
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 6
Page Number: 4
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
4
Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing
2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
1
, Chapter 1 :
Multiple Choice
1. As part of a class activity, nursing students are engaged in a small group discussion about
the epidemiology of mental illness. Which statement best explains the importance of
epidemiology in understanding the impact of mental disorders? Epidemiology:
A) Helps promote understanding of the patterns of occurrence associated with mental
disorders.
B) Helps explain research findings about the neurophysiology that causes mental disorders.
C) Provides a thorough theoretical explanation of why specific mental disorders occur.
D) Predicts when a specific psychiatric client will recover from a specific mental disorder.
Ans: A
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 4
Page Number: 2
Feedback: Epidemiology is the study of patterns of disease distribution and determinants of
health within populations. It contributes to the overall understanding of the mental health
status of population groups, or aggregates, and it examines the associations among possible
factors. Epidemiology does not explain research findings about neurophysiology, provide
theoretical explanations for why specific disorders occur, or predict recovery.
2. A nurse is working in a community mental health center that provides care to a large
population of people of Asian descent. When developing programs for this community, which
of the following would be most important for the nurse to address?
A) Public stigma
B) Self-stigma
C) Label avoidance
D) Negative life events
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Understand
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: Although public stigma and self-stigma may be areas needing to be addressed, in
this cultural group, label avoidance would be most important. Label avoidance or avoiding
treatment/care so as not to be labeled mentally ill is a type of stigma that influences why so
few people with mental health problems actually receive assistance. Asian cultures commonly
have negative views of mental illness that influence the willingness of members to seek
treatment; they possibly ignore the symptoms or refuse to seek treatment because of this
stigma. Negative life events affect anyone, not just those of the Asian culture.
3. A nursing student is assigned to care for a client diagnosed with schizophrenia. When
talking about this client in a clinical post-conference, the student would use which
terminology when referring to the client?
A) Committed client
B) Schizophrenic
C) Schizophrenic client
D) Person with schizophrenia
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
2
, Ans: D
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: Just as a person with diabetes should not be referred to as a “diabetic” but rather
as a “person with diabetes,” a person with a mental disorder should never be referred to as a
“schizophrenic” or “bipolar,” but rather as a “person with schizophrenia” or a “person with
bipolar disorder.” Doing so helps to counteract the negative effects of stigma.
4. A nursing student is reviewing journal articles about major depression. One of the articles
describes the number of persons newly diagnosed with the disorder during the past year. The
student interprets this as which of the following?
A) Rate
B) Prevalence
C) Point prevalence
D) Incidence
Ans: D
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 4
Page Number: 3
Feedback: The article is describing incidence, which refers to a rate that includes only new
cases that have occurred within a clearly defined time period. The most common time period
evaluated is 1 year. Rate reflects the proportion of cases in the population compared with the
total population. Prevalence refers to the total number of people with the disorder within a
given population at a specified time, regardless of how long ago the disorder started. Point
prevalence refers to the proportion of individuals in the population that have a disorder at a
specific point in time.
5. While working in a community mental health treatment center, the nurse overhears one of
the receptionists saying that one of the clients is “really psycho.” Later in the day, the nurse
talks with the receptionist about the comment. This action by the nurse demonstrates an
attempt to address which issue?
A) Lack of knowledge
B) Public stigma
C) Label avoidance
D) Self-stigma
Ans: B
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 5
Page Number: 4
Feedback: The receptionist's statement reflects the negative effects of stigmatization, more
specifically public stigma. Self-stigma reflects a person's internalization of a negative
stereotype; that is, the person with the mental illness begins to believe that he or she is what
the public thinks he or she is. Label avoidance refers to avoiding treatment or care so as not
to be labeled mentally ill. Lack of knowledge is often the underlying theme associated with
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
3
, any type of stigma.
6. After educating a group of students on mental health and mental illness, the instructor
determines that the education was successful when the group identifies which of the following
as reflecting mental disorders?
A) Capacity to interact with others
B) Ability to deal with ordinary stress
C) Alteration in mood or thinking
D) Lack of impaired functioning
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Understand
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 3
Page Number: 3
Feedback: Mental disorders are health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking,
mood, or behavior and are associated with distress or impaired functioning. Mental health is
the emotional and psychological well-being of an individual who has the capacity to interact
with others, deal with ordinary stress, and perceive one's surroundings realistically.
7. A nurse is preparing a presentation for a local community group about mental disorders
and plans to include how mental disorders are different from medical disorders. Which
statement would be most appropriate for the nurse to include?
A) “Mental disorders are defined by an underlying biological pathology.”
B) “Numerous laboratory tests are used to aid in the diagnosis of mental disorders.”
C) “Clusters of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings characterize mental disorders.”
D) “Manifestations of mental disorders are within normal, expected parameters.”
Ans: C
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
Objective: 3
Page Number: 2
Feedback: Unlike many medical disorders, mental disorders are defined by clusters of
behaviors, thoughts, and feelings, not underlying biologic pathology. The alterations in
thoughts, behaviors, and feelings are unexpected and outside the normal, culturally defined
limits. Laboratory tests are not used in diagnosing mental disorders.
8. A psychiatric–mental health nurse is providing care for a client with a mental disorder. The
client is participating in the decision-making process. The nurse interprets this as which
component of recovery?
A) Self-direction
B) Collaborative
C) Person-centered
D) Holistic
Ans: B
Chapter: 1
Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
Cognitive Level: Apply
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 6
Page Number: 4
Test Bank for Essentials of Psychiatric Nursing 2nd Edition by Mary Ann Boyd
4
