MENTAL HEALTH NCLEX EXAM
STUDY GUIDE. GRADED A+.
QUESTIONS AND 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS. LATEST
2026 UPDATE
Mental Health
1. The home care nurse is visiting an older client whose spouse died 6 months
ago. Which behavior by the client indicates ineffective coping?
1. Neglecting personal grooming
2. Looking at old snapshots of family
3. Participating in a senior citizens' program
4. Visiting their spouse's grave once a month
1. Neglecting personal grooming
2. A client with a diagnosis of major depression who has attempted suicide
says to the nurse, "I should have died. I've always been a failure. Nothing
ever goes right for me." Which response demonstrates therapeutic
communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
, 4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
3. When the mental health nurse visits a client at home, the client states, "I
haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which response by the nurse
illustrates a therapeutic communication response to this client?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping too."
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. A client experiencing disturbed thought processes believes that his food is
being poisoned. Which communication technique should the nurse use to
encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
,5. A client admitted to a mental health unit for treatment of psychotic
behavior spends hours at the locked exit door shouting, "Let me out.
There's nothing wrong with me. I don't belong here." What defense
mechanism is the client implementing?
1. Denial
2. Projection
3. Regression
4. Rationalization
1. Denial
6. A client diagnosed with terminal cancer says to the nurse, "I'm going to die,
and I wish my family would stop hoping for a cure! I get so angry when they
carry on like this. After all, I'm the one who's dying." Which response by the
nurse is therapeutic?
1. "Have you shared your feelings with your family?"
2. "I think we should talk more about your anger with your family."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be
cured?"
4. "You are probably very depressed, which is understandable with such a
diagnosis."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be
cured?"
7. On review of the client's record, the nurse notes that the mental health
admission was voluntary. Based on this information, the nurse anticipates
which client behavior?
1. Fearfulness regarding treatment measures.
2. Anger and aggressiveness directed toward others.
, 3. An understanding of the pathology and symptoms of the diagnosis.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment
plan.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment
plan.
8. When reviewing the admission assessment, the nurse notes that a client
was admitted to the mental health unit involuntarily. Based on this type of
admission, the nurse should provide which intervention for this client?
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others.
2. Assist in completing an application for admission.
3. Supply the client with written information about their mental illness.
4. Provide an opportunity for the family to discuss why they felt the
admission was needed.
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others.
9. The nurse is preparing a client for the termination phase of the nurse-client
relationship. The nurse prepares to implement which nursing task that is
most appropriate for this phase?
1. Planning short-term goals
2. Making appropriate referrals
STUDY GUIDE. GRADED A+.
QUESTIONS AND 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS. LATEST
2026 UPDATE
Mental Health
1. The home care nurse is visiting an older client whose spouse died 6 months
ago. Which behavior by the client indicates ineffective coping?
1. Neglecting personal grooming
2. Looking at old snapshots of family
3. Participating in a senior citizens' program
4. Visiting their spouse's grave once a month
1. Neglecting personal grooming
2. A client with a diagnosis of major depression who has attempted suicide
says to the nurse, "I should have died. I've always been a failure. Nothing
ever goes right for me." Which response demonstrates therapeutic
communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
, 4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
3. When the mental health nurse visits a client at home, the client states, "I
haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which response by the nurse
illustrates a therapeutic communication response to this client?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping too."
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. A client experiencing disturbed thought processes believes that his food is
being poisoned. Which communication technique should the nurse use to
encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
,5. A client admitted to a mental health unit for treatment of psychotic
behavior spends hours at the locked exit door shouting, "Let me out.
There's nothing wrong with me. I don't belong here." What defense
mechanism is the client implementing?
1. Denial
2. Projection
3. Regression
4. Rationalization
1. Denial
6. A client diagnosed with terminal cancer says to the nurse, "I'm going to die,
and I wish my family would stop hoping for a cure! I get so angry when they
carry on like this. After all, I'm the one who's dying." Which response by the
nurse is therapeutic?
1. "Have you shared your feelings with your family?"
2. "I think we should talk more about your anger with your family."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be
cured?"
4. "You are probably very depressed, which is understandable with such a
diagnosis."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be
cured?"
7. On review of the client's record, the nurse notes that the mental health
admission was voluntary. Based on this information, the nurse anticipates
which client behavior?
1. Fearfulness regarding treatment measures.
2. Anger and aggressiveness directed toward others.
, 3. An understanding of the pathology and symptoms of the diagnosis.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment
plan.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment
plan.
8. When reviewing the admission assessment, the nurse notes that a client
was admitted to the mental health unit involuntarily. Based on this type of
admission, the nurse should provide which intervention for this client?
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others.
2. Assist in completing an application for admission.
3. Supply the client with written information about their mental illness.
4. Provide an opportunity for the family to discuss why they felt the
admission was needed.
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others.
9. The nurse is preparing a client for the termination phase of the nurse-client
relationship. The nurse prepares to implement which nursing task that is
most appropriate for this phase?
1. Planning short-term goals
2. Making appropriate referrals
