NURS 222 Mental Health Nursing Exam 1 Study Guide 2026 |WCU
1. A nurse is working with a client during the orientation phase of the nurse-
client relationship. Which action should the nurse prioritize?
A. Establishing the parameters of the relationship
B. Evaluating the client’s progress toward goals
C. Assisting the client with problem-solving
D. Facilitating behavioral changes in the client
Answer: A
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on establishing rapport, defining parameters of
the relationship, and setting the contract.
2. Which neurotransmitter is primarily implicated in the development of
schizophrenia when levels are found to be excessively high in certain brain
pathways?
A. GABA
B. Dopamine
C. Acetylcholine
D. Serotonin
Answer: B
Rationale: The dopamine hypothesis suggests that excess dopamine in the mesolimbic
pathway contributes to positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
,3. A client becomes angry and shouts, ‘You are just like my mother, always
controlling me!’ This is an example of:
A. Projection
B. Countertransference
C. Resistance
D. Transference
Answer: D
Rationale: Transference occurs when a client unconsciously displaces feelings for a
significant person from their past onto the nurse.
4. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which assessment finding requires
the most immediate intervention?
A. A client who has not slept for three nights
B. A client refusing to participate in group therapy
C. A client expressing feelings of low self-esteem
D. A client who feels isolated from their family
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological needs, such as sleep and nutrition, take priority over safety,
belonging, and self-esteem.
5. Which legal principle applies when a nurse provides a patient with the
information needed to make a decision about treatment?
A. Fidelity
B. Autonomy
C. Beneficence
D. Justice
Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy refers to the right of the patient to make their own decisions about
their medical care.
, 6. A nurse identifies that a client is using the defense mechanism of ‘Reaction
Formation.’ Which behavior supports this?
A. A person uses exercise to vent their frustration
B. A student blames a poor grade on the teacher’s ‘bad’ teaching style
C. An individual forgets a traumatic event from childhood
D. A person who dislikes their boss behaves overly friendly toward them
Answer: D
Rationale: Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one’s actual feelings or
impulses.
7. What is the primary goal of the ‘Working Phase’ of the therapeutic
relationship?
A. Establish boundaries and confidentiality
B. Identify the client’s reason for seeking help
C. Review progress and clarify goals
D. Promote the client’s problem-solving skills
Answer: D
Rationale: The working phase is where the nurse and client work together to solve
problems and promote behavioral change.
8. The ‘Duty to Warn’ (Tarasoff v. Regents) applies when:
A. A client refuses their antipsychotic medication
B. A client admits to illegal drug use at home
C. A client reveals a plan to harm a specific individual
D. A client’s family requests information about their diagnosis
Answer: C
Rationale: The duty to warn is a legal obligation to notify a third party if a client poses a
specific threat of violence to them.
1. A nurse is working with a client during the orientation phase of the nurse-
client relationship. Which action should the nurse prioritize?
A. Establishing the parameters of the relationship
B. Evaluating the client’s progress toward goals
C. Assisting the client with problem-solving
D. Facilitating behavioral changes in the client
Answer: A
Rationale: The orientation phase focuses on establishing rapport, defining parameters of
the relationship, and setting the contract.
2. Which neurotransmitter is primarily implicated in the development of
schizophrenia when levels are found to be excessively high in certain brain
pathways?
A. GABA
B. Dopamine
C. Acetylcholine
D. Serotonin
Answer: B
Rationale: The dopamine hypothesis suggests that excess dopamine in the mesolimbic
pathway contributes to positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
,3. A client becomes angry and shouts, ‘You are just like my mother, always
controlling me!’ This is an example of:
A. Projection
B. Countertransference
C. Resistance
D. Transference
Answer: D
Rationale: Transference occurs when a client unconsciously displaces feelings for a
significant person from their past onto the nurse.
4. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which assessment finding requires
the most immediate intervention?
A. A client who has not slept for three nights
B. A client refusing to participate in group therapy
C. A client expressing feelings of low self-esteem
D. A client who feels isolated from their family
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological needs, such as sleep and nutrition, take priority over safety,
belonging, and self-esteem.
5. Which legal principle applies when a nurse provides a patient with the
information needed to make a decision about treatment?
A. Fidelity
B. Autonomy
C. Beneficence
D. Justice
Answer: B
Rationale: Autonomy refers to the right of the patient to make their own decisions about
their medical care.
, 6. A nurse identifies that a client is using the defense mechanism of ‘Reaction
Formation.’ Which behavior supports this?
A. A person uses exercise to vent their frustration
B. A student blames a poor grade on the teacher’s ‘bad’ teaching style
C. An individual forgets a traumatic event from childhood
D. A person who dislikes their boss behaves overly friendly toward them
Answer: D
Rationale: Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one’s actual feelings or
impulses.
7. What is the primary goal of the ‘Working Phase’ of the therapeutic
relationship?
A. Establish boundaries and confidentiality
B. Identify the client’s reason for seeking help
C. Review progress and clarify goals
D. Promote the client’s problem-solving skills
Answer: D
Rationale: The working phase is where the nurse and client work together to solve
problems and promote behavioral change.
8. The ‘Duty to Warn’ (Tarasoff v. Regents) applies when:
A. A client refuses their antipsychotic medication
B. A client admits to illegal drug use at home
C. A client reveals a plan to harm a specific individual
D. A client’s family requests information about their diagnosis
Answer: C
Rationale: The duty to warn is a legal obligation to notify a third party if a client poses a
specific threat of violence to them.
