ATI RN MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE PRACTICE B
LEARNING WORKBOOK 2026 PSYCHIATRIC
DISORDERS AND THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION
◉ A nurse is caring for a child who has conducted disorder and is
behaving in a destructive manner, throwing objects, and kicking
others. Which of the following therapeutic nursing interventions is
the priority?
Encourage expression of feelings
Support the child's attendance at an assertiveness training group
Assist the child to perform relaxation breathing
Reduce environmental stimuli.
Answer: Reduce environmental stimuli
The greatest risk to the child and others is harm. Therefore, the
nurse's priority intervention is to reduce environmental stimuli in
an attempt to de-escalate the behavior and prevent injury.
,◉ A nurse in a community health center is working with a group of
clients who have post-traumatic stress disorder. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include to reduce anxiety
among the group members?
Response prevention
Guided imagery
Aversion therapy
Light therapy.
Answer: Guided imagery
Guided imagery involves assisting the client to imagine a restful and
safe place. This method is effective in reducing anxiety in clients who
have post-traumatic stress disorder.
◉ A nurse is performing a cognitive assessment to distinguish
delirium from dementia in a client whose family reports episodes of
confusion. Which of the following assessment findings supports the
nurse's suspicion of delirium?
,Slow onset
Aphasia
Confabulation
Easily distracted.
Answer: Easily distracted
Extreme distractibility is a hallmark manifestation of delirium.
◉ A nurse is caring for an older adult client who begins to cry and
states, "I knew God would punish me and I deserve this horrible
sickness!" Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
"Why do you think you deserve this punishment?"
"Don't worry about being punished by God."
"Let's talk about what is upsetting you."
"You shouldn't say things that will upset you so much.".
, Answer: "Let's talk about what is upsetting you."
The nurse is acknowledging the client's concerns and is showing a
desire to understand what the client is thinking and feeling.
◉ A client who has a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder is placed in
a room with a client who has severe depression. The client who has
depression reports to the nurse, "My roommate never sleeps and
keeps me up, too." Which of the following actions should the nurse
take?
Move the client who has bipolar disorder to a private room
Administer sleep medication to the client who has bipolar disorder.
Move the client who has severe depression to a private room.
Administer sleep medication to the client who has severe
depression..
Answer: Move the client who has bipolar disorder to a private room.
Clients who have bipolar disorder can disrupt the therapeutic milieu
for other clients. Therefore, the nurse should move this client to a
private room.
LEARNING WORKBOOK 2026 PSYCHIATRIC
DISORDERS AND THERAPEUTIC
COMMUNICATION
◉ A nurse is caring for a child who has conducted disorder and is
behaving in a destructive manner, throwing objects, and kicking
others. Which of the following therapeutic nursing interventions is
the priority?
Encourage expression of feelings
Support the child's attendance at an assertiveness training group
Assist the child to perform relaxation breathing
Reduce environmental stimuli.
Answer: Reduce environmental stimuli
The greatest risk to the child and others is harm. Therefore, the
nurse's priority intervention is to reduce environmental stimuli in
an attempt to de-escalate the behavior and prevent injury.
,◉ A nurse in a community health center is working with a group of
clients who have post-traumatic stress disorder. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include to reduce anxiety
among the group members?
Response prevention
Guided imagery
Aversion therapy
Light therapy.
Answer: Guided imagery
Guided imagery involves assisting the client to imagine a restful and
safe place. This method is effective in reducing anxiety in clients who
have post-traumatic stress disorder.
◉ A nurse is performing a cognitive assessment to distinguish
delirium from dementia in a client whose family reports episodes of
confusion. Which of the following assessment findings supports the
nurse's suspicion of delirium?
,Slow onset
Aphasia
Confabulation
Easily distracted.
Answer: Easily distracted
Extreme distractibility is a hallmark manifestation of delirium.
◉ A nurse is caring for an older adult client who begins to cry and
states, "I knew God would punish me and I deserve this horrible
sickness!" Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
"Why do you think you deserve this punishment?"
"Don't worry about being punished by God."
"Let's talk about what is upsetting you."
"You shouldn't say things that will upset you so much.".
, Answer: "Let's talk about what is upsetting you."
The nurse is acknowledging the client's concerns and is showing a
desire to understand what the client is thinking and feeling.
◉ A client who has a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder is placed in
a room with a client who has severe depression. The client who has
depression reports to the nurse, "My roommate never sleeps and
keeps me up, too." Which of the following actions should the nurse
take?
Move the client who has bipolar disorder to a private room
Administer sleep medication to the client who has bipolar disorder.
Move the client who has severe depression to a private room.
Administer sleep medication to the client who has severe
depression..
Answer: Move the client who has bipolar disorder to a private room.
Clients who have bipolar disorder can disrupt the therapeutic milieu
for other clients. Therefore, the nurse should move this client to a
private room.
