NU160 | NU160 Mental Health Concepts Exam 2 v1
| Questions with Correct Answers and Expert
Explanation for Each Question | Galen
1. A nurse is caring for a client experiencing a panic attack. Which of the following
nursing interventions should be the priority?
A. Stay with the client and maintain a calm, quiet environment.
B. Encourage the client to describe their feelings in detail.
C. Teach the client new relaxation techniques immediately.
D. Administer a long-acting antidepressant medication.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: During a panic attack, the client’s ability to process
information is severely limited, so staying with the client provides a sense of safety.
A calm and quiet environment helps to reduce external stimuli that could exacerbate
the anxiety. Attempting to teach new skills during a crisis is ineffective because the
client cannot focus or learn in this state.
2. A client is diagnosed with Agoraphobia. Which of the following behaviors is most
characteristic of this disorder?
A. Fear of being in places where escape might be difficult.
B. Repeatedly checking if the front door is locked.
,C. Intense fear of gain weight despite being underweight.
D. Experiencing flashbacks of a traumatic car accident.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Agoraphobia is characterized by intense fear or anxiety about
being in situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available.
This often leads to the client avoiding places like crowds, bridges, or being outside
alone. It is distinct from generalized anxiety as it focuses specifically on the
environment and potential entrapment.
3. Which level of anxiety is considered optimal for learning and problem-solving?
A. Mild anxiety
B. Moderate anxiety
C. Severe anxiety
D. Panic level anxiety
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Mild anxiety sharpens the senses and increases the perceptual
field, making it the ideal state for learning. It motivates individuals to perform at
their best and focus on the task at hand. In contrast, higher levels of anxiety narrow
the perceptual field and impair the ability to process information logically.
,4. A nurse is assessing a client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) who spends
hours washing their hands. What is the primary purpose of this ritual?
A. To gain attention from the nursing staff.
B. To reduce the intense anxiety caused by obsessions.
C. To exert control over the hospital environment.
D. To improve physical hygiene and prevent infection.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: In OCD, compulsions are repetitive behaviors that the
individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. These rituals serve to
neutralize or decrease the overwhelming anxiety associated with the intrusive
thoughts. Although the behavior may seem irrational to others, it provides
temporary relief for the client.
5. A client is prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan) for acute anxiety. What is the most
important teaching point for the nurse to include?
A. The medication should be taken with a glass of grapefruit juice.
B. It may take 4 to 6 weeks for the full effect to be felt.
C. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medication.
D. You can stop taking this drug abruptly once you feel better.
, Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine that acts as a central nervous
system (CNS) depressant. Combining it with alcohol can lead to life-threatening
respiratory depression and extreme sedation. Clients must also be warned never to
stop the medication abruptly due to the risk of withdrawal seizures.
6. Which finding is most common in a client diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)?
A. Development of multiple distinct personalities.
B. Loss of memory for all events prior to the trauma.
C. Preoccupation with imagined physical defects in appearance.
D. Hypervigilance and an exaggerated startle response.
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Hypervigilance is a hallmark symptom of PTSD, reflecting the
client’s constant state of being ‘on guard.’ This is often accompanied by sleep
disturbances, irritability, and flashbacks of the traumatic event. These symptoms
result from a prolonged activation of the body’s stress response system.
7. A client with Somatic Symptom Disorder is focused on recurring stomach pain for
which no physical cause is found. What is the nursing priority?
A. Explain to the client that the pain is purely psychological.
| Questions with Correct Answers and Expert
Explanation for Each Question | Galen
1. A nurse is caring for a client experiencing a panic attack. Which of the following
nursing interventions should be the priority?
A. Stay with the client and maintain a calm, quiet environment.
B. Encourage the client to describe their feelings in detail.
C. Teach the client new relaxation techniques immediately.
D. Administer a long-acting antidepressant medication.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: During a panic attack, the client’s ability to process
information is severely limited, so staying with the client provides a sense of safety.
A calm and quiet environment helps to reduce external stimuli that could exacerbate
the anxiety. Attempting to teach new skills during a crisis is ineffective because the
client cannot focus or learn in this state.
2. A client is diagnosed with Agoraphobia. Which of the following behaviors is most
characteristic of this disorder?
A. Fear of being in places where escape might be difficult.
B. Repeatedly checking if the front door is locked.
,C. Intense fear of gain weight despite being underweight.
D. Experiencing flashbacks of a traumatic car accident.
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Agoraphobia is characterized by intense fear or anxiety about
being in situations where escape might be difficult or help might not be available.
This often leads to the client avoiding places like crowds, bridges, or being outside
alone. It is distinct from generalized anxiety as it focuses specifically on the
environment and potential entrapment.
3. Which level of anxiety is considered optimal for learning and problem-solving?
A. Mild anxiety
B. Moderate anxiety
C. Severe anxiety
D. Panic level anxiety
Correct Answer: A
Expert Explanation: Mild anxiety sharpens the senses and increases the perceptual
field, making it the ideal state for learning. It motivates individuals to perform at
their best and focus on the task at hand. In contrast, higher levels of anxiety narrow
the perceptual field and impair the ability to process information logically.
,4. A nurse is assessing a client with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) who spends
hours washing their hands. What is the primary purpose of this ritual?
A. To gain attention from the nursing staff.
B. To reduce the intense anxiety caused by obsessions.
C. To exert control over the hospital environment.
D. To improve physical hygiene and prevent infection.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: In OCD, compulsions are repetitive behaviors that the
individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. These rituals serve to
neutralize or decrease the overwhelming anxiety associated with the intrusive
thoughts. Although the behavior may seem irrational to others, it provides
temporary relief for the client.
5. A client is prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan) for acute anxiety. What is the most
important teaching point for the nurse to include?
A. The medication should be taken with a glass of grapefruit juice.
B. It may take 4 to 6 weeks for the full effect to be felt.
C. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medication.
D. You can stop taking this drug abruptly once you feel better.
, Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine that acts as a central nervous
system (CNS) depressant. Combining it with alcohol can lead to life-threatening
respiratory depression and extreme sedation. Clients must also be warned never to
stop the medication abruptly due to the risk of withdrawal seizures.
6. Which finding is most common in a client diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)?
A. Development of multiple distinct personalities.
B. Loss of memory for all events prior to the trauma.
C. Preoccupation with imagined physical defects in appearance.
D. Hypervigilance and an exaggerated startle response.
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Hypervigilance is a hallmark symptom of PTSD, reflecting the
client’s constant state of being ‘on guard.’ This is often accompanied by sleep
disturbances, irritability, and flashbacks of the traumatic event. These symptoms
result from a prolonged activation of the body’s stress response system.
7. A client with Somatic Symptom Disorder is focused on recurring stomach pain for
which no physical cause is found. What is the nursing priority?
A. Explain to the client that the pain is purely psychological.
