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N322 MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM 1 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS NEWEST 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS LATEST
VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED
A client at 36 weeks gestation has just delivered a stillborn baby. Which of the
following statements should the nurse make?
A. "I understand your grief. I lost a baby also."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
C. "I have called for the chaplain to come and stay with you."
D. "This is for the best. Your baby was very ill."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
Rationale: Holding the newborn is essential because it helps the client confront the
reality of the loss and facilitates progression through the grief process.
A nurse is providing care for a client who seems anxious following a recent
tragedy. Which of the following statements by the client reflects an adaptive
use of sublimation?
A. "I will work out in the gym every time I get mad about what happened."
B. "I do not have anxiety, and I'm not sure why you think I do."
C. "I can't remember anything that happened, but I am okay."
D. "I'm not capable of moving past this time in my life."
A. "I will work out in the gym every time I get mad about what happened."
Rationale: This represents sublimation, which is dealing with unacceptable feelings
or impulses by substituting acceptable forms of expression. This is considered an
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adaptive defense mechanism, and the use of this can be encouraged by the nurse to
assist the client in decreasing anxiety.
A nurse is caring for a client who begins to yell and scream at staff members.
Which of the following should be the nurse's priority action?
A. Administer haloperidol IM to the client
B. Engage the client in an activity
C. Move the client to a seclusion room with continuous observation
D. Say to the client, "I can tell that you are upset."
D. Say to the client, "I can tell that you are upset."
Rationale: The nurse's immediate priority when faced with a client who is potentially
violent is to maintain safety while preventing the behavior from escalating. This
therapeutic communication helps defuse anger and offers understanding and
support. This statement demonstrates the nurse's desire to help the client while
listening.
A charge nurse is conducting a staff education in-service about depressive
disorders. Which of the following should the nurse identify as a risk factor for
depression?
A. Being married
B. Pregnancy
C. Male gender
D. Chronic illness
D. Chronic illness
Rationale: Having a medical illness, especially one that is chronic, is a primary risk
factor for depression.
A nurse is providing a community health education class about suicide
prevention. Which of the following should the nurse identify as risk factors for
suicide? (Select all that apply.)
A. Substance use disorder
B. Age greater than 45 years old
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C. Female gender
D. Currently married
E. Schizophrenia
A. Substance use disorder
B. Age greater than 45 years old
E. Schizophrenia
Rationale: Clients who have a substance use disorder are at a higher risk for suicide.
The rate of suicide increases with age and peaks after the age of 45. Clients who
have schizophrenia are at a high risk for suicide.
A nurse on a crisis hotline is speaking to a client who says, "I just took an
entire bottle of amitriptyline." Which of the following responses should the
nurse make?
A. "I'm glad you called, and I want to send an ambulance to help you."
B. "You must have been feeling pretty depressed to do that."
C. "Do you know how many pills were in the bottle?"
D. "Were you trying to kill yourself by taking an overdose?"
A. "I'm glad you called, and I want to send an ambulance to help you."
Rationale: Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, is used to treat depression. This
therapeutic statement shows the nurse's concern for the client's safety and responds
to the client's priority need. Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that the client's
physical and safety needs come first. Therefore, the client needs to be evaluated
immediately.
A nurse is preparing to assist with electroconvulsive therapy. Which of the
following pieces of equipment should the nurse set up in the room prior to the
treatment? (Select all that apply.)
A. EEG monitor
B. Blood pressure monitor
C. Ophthalmoscope
D. Cardiac monitor
E. Portable x-ray machine
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A. EEG monitor
B. Blood pressure monitor
D. Cardiac monitor
Rationale: During ECT, the client is monitored with an EEG to track brain wave
patterns. The client's blood pressure is monitored to identify changes that can
indicate cardiac stress. The client is monitored with continuous telemetry to identify
arrhythmias or other changes in the tracing.
A nurse is caring for a client who has major depressive disorder (MDD). Which
of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Significant change in weight
B. Hyperexcitability
C. Exaggerated response to stimuli
D. Attention seeking behavior
A. Significant change in weight
Rationale: A significant change in weight, either loss or gain, is an expected finding
of MDD.
A client who has major depressive disorder states to the nurse that he and his
family would be better of if he were gone. Which of the following is the nurse's
priority response?
A. "Do you really think your family would be better off without you?"
B. "Are you thinking of harming yourself?"
C. "Tell me what is happening right now."
D. "When did you first start feeling this way?"
B. "Are you thinking of harming yourself?"
Rationale: When a client expresses suicidal intent, it is the nurse's priority to
determine the seriousness of the client's intent, whether or not he has a plan and the
means to follow through with it, and the lethality of the means.
A nurse is planning care for a client newly admitted with major depressive
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
N322 MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM 1 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS NEWEST 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS LATEST
VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED
A client at 36 weeks gestation has just delivered a stillborn baby. Which of the
following statements should the nurse make?
A. "I understand your grief. I lost a baby also."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
C. "I have called for the chaplain to come and stay with you."
D. "This is for the best. Your baby was very ill."
B. "You may hold your baby as long as you want."
Rationale: Holding the newborn is essential because it helps the client confront the
reality of the loss and facilitates progression through the grief process.
A nurse is providing care for a client who seems anxious following a recent
tragedy. Which of the following statements by the client reflects an adaptive
use of sublimation?
A. "I will work out in the gym every time I get mad about what happened."
B. "I do not have anxiety, and I'm not sure why you think I do."
C. "I can't remember anything that happened, but I am okay."
D. "I'm not capable of moving past this time in my life."
A. "I will work out in the gym every time I get mad about what happened."
Rationale: This represents sublimation, which is dealing with unacceptable feelings
or impulses by substituting acceptable forms of expression. This is considered an
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adaptive defense mechanism, and the use of this can be encouraged by the nurse to
assist the client in decreasing anxiety.
A nurse is caring for a client who begins to yell and scream at staff members.
Which of the following should be the nurse's priority action?
A. Administer haloperidol IM to the client
B. Engage the client in an activity
C. Move the client to a seclusion room with continuous observation
D. Say to the client, "I can tell that you are upset."
D. Say to the client, "I can tell that you are upset."
Rationale: The nurse's immediate priority when faced with a client who is potentially
violent is to maintain safety while preventing the behavior from escalating. This
therapeutic communication helps defuse anger and offers understanding and
support. This statement demonstrates the nurse's desire to help the client while
listening.
A charge nurse is conducting a staff education in-service about depressive
disorders. Which of the following should the nurse identify as a risk factor for
depression?
A. Being married
B. Pregnancy
C. Male gender
D. Chronic illness
D. Chronic illness
Rationale: Having a medical illness, especially one that is chronic, is a primary risk
factor for depression.
A nurse is providing a community health education class about suicide
prevention. Which of the following should the nurse identify as risk factors for
suicide? (Select all that apply.)
A. Substance use disorder
B. Age greater than 45 years old
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C. Female gender
D. Currently married
E. Schizophrenia
A. Substance use disorder
B. Age greater than 45 years old
E. Schizophrenia
Rationale: Clients who have a substance use disorder are at a higher risk for suicide.
The rate of suicide increases with age and peaks after the age of 45. Clients who
have schizophrenia are at a high risk for suicide.
A nurse on a crisis hotline is speaking to a client who says, "I just took an
entire bottle of amitriptyline." Which of the following responses should the
nurse make?
A. "I'm glad you called, and I want to send an ambulance to help you."
B. "You must have been feeling pretty depressed to do that."
C. "Do you know how many pills were in the bottle?"
D. "Were you trying to kill yourself by taking an overdose?"
A. "I'm glad you called, and I want to send an ambulance to help you."
Rationale: Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, is used to treat depression. This
therapeutic statement shows the nurse's concern for the client's safety and responds
to the client's priority need. Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that the client's
physical and safety needs come first. Therefore, the client needs to be evaluated
immediately.
A nurse is preparing to assist with electroconvulsive therapy. Which of the
following pieces of equipment should the nurse set up in the room prior to the
treatment? (Select all that apply.)
A. EEG monitor
B. Blood pressure monitor
C. Ophthalmoscope
D. Cardiac monitor
E. Portable x-ray machine
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A. EEG monitor
B. Blood pressure monitor
D. Cardiac monitor
Rationale: During ECT, the client is monitored with an EEG to track brain wave
patterns. The client's blood pressure is monitored to identify changes that can
indicate cardiac stress. The client is monitored with continuous telemetry to identify
arrhythmias or other changes in the tracing.
A nurse is caring for a client who has major depressive disorder (MDD). Which
of the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Significant change in weight
B. Hyperexcitability
C. Exaggerated response to stimuli
D. Attention seeking behavior
A. Significant change in weight
Rationale: A significant change in weight, either loss or gain, is an expected finding
of MDD.
A client who has major depressive disorder states to the nurse that he and his
family would be better of if he were gone. Which of the following is the nurse's
priority response?
A. "Do you really think your family would be better off without you?"
B. "Are you thinking of harming yourself?"
C. "Tell me what is happening right now."
D. "When did you first start feeling this way?"
B. "Are you thinking of harming yourself?"
Rationale: When a client expresses suicidal intent, it is the nurse's priority to
determine the seriousness of the client's intent, whether or not he has a plan and the
means to follow through with it, and the lethality of the means.
A nurse is planning care for a client newly admitted with major depressive
disorder. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
