Page 1 of 59
NSG-322 PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 1
QUESTIONS NEWEST 2026 EXAM LATEST VERSION
SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
What is behavioral health nursing/psychiatric-mental health nursing?
Behavioral health (psychiatric–mental health) nursing is a specialty focused
on promoting mental wellness, preventing mental illness, and providing holistic
care for the psychological, emotional, and social needs of individuals with
psychiatric disorders across the lifespan.
What is mental health?
State of well-being in which an individual reaches their own potential, effectively
copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively, and contributes to their
community.
Traits of mental health include resilience, self-awareness, effective communication,
emotional regulation, and the ability to cope with stress.
Physical and mental health have a strong relationship:
o Poor physical health can lead to mental distress/disorders.
o Poor mental health can lead to physical problems.
What is mental illness?
A diagnosable psychiatric disorder can be diagnosed by qualified providers such
as PMH-APRNs, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and primary care
providers. Diagnoses are based on criteria from the DSM or ICD. To meet
diagnostic criteria, there must be a significant alteration in mental
functioning related to developmental, biological, and/or physiological
disruptions that interferes with functioning for the individual, others around them, or
both.
What is resilience?
, Page 2 of 59
Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and even grow stronger after stress,
adversity, trauma, or crisis. It also includes a person’s capacity to find and use
resources that support well-being. Resilience influences how someone responds
to mental health or substance use disorders, life stressors, and even stress-
related physical symptoms. A person’s response is shaped by culture and
societal values, past experiences, and current coping strategies. Nursing
careshould assess: Is the client resilient? What risk factors and protective factors
does this person have?
Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS)
Purpose: This scale measures how well you “bounce back” and cope when life gets
hard.
How it works:
You answer 4 statements by rating yourself from 1 to 5:
1 = Not me at all 2 = Mostly not me 3 = Neutral / Sometimes 4 = Mostly me 5 =
Definitely me
The 4 Questions
When something is hard, I try to find creative ways to fix or improve the
situation.
No matter what happens, I believe I can control how I respond to it.
I believe hard situations can help me grow into a better/stronger person.
When I lose something (time, opportunities, relationships, etc.), I try to find
ways to replace it or rebuild.
Scoring
Add all 4 answers together.
✅ Lowest score: 4 (very low coping)
✅ Highest score: 20 (very strong coping)
What your score means:
Score
Meaning
4–13Low resilience coping (struggles to bounce back)
14–16Medium resilience coping (sometimes copes well)
17–20High resilience coping (very strong coping skills)
What does it mean to be mentally healthy?
, Page 3 of 59
Mental health allows for: rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, self-esteem
Outpatient setting
Characteristics
Intermittent supervision
Patient lives independently → higher self-care + safety responsibility
Treatment Goal
Maintain stable functioning in the community
Key Interventions
Build long-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with patient + family/supports (include sociocultural needs)
Encourage medication adherence
Teach/support nutrition + self-care (refer out as needed)
Help patient self-assess health needs (refer to community resources)
Use creative strategies to increase positive social activities
Regular family/support communication to assess functioning
Inpatient Setting
Characteristics
24-hour supervision
Structured therapeutic milieu (staff-supported healing)
Treatment Goal
Stabilize symptoms → return safely to community
Key Interventions
Build short-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with focus on reintegration to community
Administer medications (not just “encourage”)
Monitor nutrition/self-care + assist as needed
Provide health assessment + interventions on unit
Offer structured social activities
Discharge planning with family/significant other:
Housing
Follow-up care
, Page 4 of 59
✅ Big difference: Outpatient = maintain function long-term Inpatient =
stabilize symptoms short-term
Residential Treatment (Between Outpatient + Inpatient)
What it is
24-hour supervised living setting
Treatment may last weeks → months → years
Who needs it
Acute/subacute crisis where outpatient isn’t enough
But not severe enough for hospital-level inpatient admission
When it’s used
Often as a step-down after hospitalization
Common for disorders with a psychotic element:
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
Other examples
Psychiatric + physical condition combo (ex: cerebral palsy)
Why referred
No improvement even with intense outpatient therapy
Need longer observation to clarify diagnosis:
rapid cycling bipolar
concerns about undisclosed substance use
Prevention Levels in Outpatient Care
Primary Prevention
When: BEFORE illness starts Goal: prevent or delay onset in vulnerable
people Examples:
coping skills teaching
psychosocial support for vulnerable youth
early support to prevent mood/anxiety disorders
Secondary Prevention
When: EARLY illness or early symptoms Goal: early detection + stop
worsening Key actions:
screening
early identification
NSG-322 PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 1
QUESTIONS NEWEST 2026 EXAM LATEST VERSION
SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
What is behavioral health nursing/psychiatric-mental health nursing?
Behavioral health (psychiatric–mental health) nursing is a specialty focused
on promoting mental wellness, preventing mental illness, and providing holistic
care for the psychological, emotional, and social needs of individuals with
psychiatric disorders across the lifespan.
What is mental health?
State of well-being in which an individual reaches their own potential, effectively
copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively, and contributes to their
community.
Traits of mental health include resilience, self-awareness, effective communication,
emotional regulation, and the ability to cope with stress.
Physical and mental health have a strong relationship:
o Poor physical health can lead to mental distress/disorders.
o Poor mental health can lead to physical problems.
What is mental illness?
A diagnosable psychiatric disorder can be diagnosed by qualified providers such
as PMH-APRNs, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and primary care
providers. Diagnoses are based on criteria from the DSM or ICD. To meet
diagnostic criteria, there must be a significant alteration in mental
functioning related to developmental, biological, and/or physiological
disruptions that interferes with functioning for the individual, others around them, or
both.
What is resilience?
, Page 2 of 59
Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and even grow stronger after stress,
adversity, trauma, or crisis. It also includes a person’s capacity to find and use
resources that support well-being. Resilience influences how someone responds
to mental health or substance use disorders, life stressors, and even stress-
related physical symptoms. A person’s response is shaped by culture and
societal values, past experiences, and current coping strategies. Nursing
careshould assess: Is the client resilient? What risk factors and protective factors
does this person have?
Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS)
Purpose: This scale measures how well you “bounce back” and cope when life gets
hard.
How it works:
You answer 4 statements by rating yourself from 1 to 5:
1 = Not me at all 2 = Mostly not me 3 = Neutral / Sometimes 4 = Mostly me 5 =
Definitely me
The 4 Questions
When something is hard, I try to find creative ways to fix or improve the
situation.
No matter what happens, I believe I can control how I respond to it.
I believe hard situations can help me grow into a better/stronger person.
When I lose something (time, opportunities, relationships, etc.), I try to find
ways to replace it or rebuild.
Scoring
Add all 4 answers together.
✅ Lowest score: 4 (very low coping)
✅ Highest score: 20 (very strong coping)
What your score means:
Score
Meaning
4–13Low resilience coping (struggles to bounce back)
14–16Medium resilience coping (sometimes copes well)
17–20High resilience coping (very strong coping skills)
What does it mean to be mentally healthy?
, Page 3 of 59
Mental health allows for: rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, self-esteem
Outpatient setting
Characteristics
Intermittent supervision
Patient lives independently → higher self-care + safety responsibility
Treatment Goal
Maintain stable functioning in the community
Key Interventions
Build long-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with patient + family/supports (include sociocultural needs)
Encourage medication adherence
Teach/support nutrition + self-care (refer out as needed)
Help patient self-assess health needs (refer to community resources)
Use creative strategies to increase positive social activities
Regular family/support communication to assess functioning
Inpatient Setting
Characteristics
24-hour supervision
Structured therapeutic milieu (staff-supported healing)
Treatment Goal
Stabilize symptoms → return safely to community
Key Interventions
Build short-term therapeutic relationship
Plan care with focus on reintegration to community
Administer medications (not just “encourage”)
Monitor nutrition/self-care + assist as needed
Provide health assessment + interventions on unit
Offer structured social activities
Discharge planning with family/significant other:
Housing
Follow-up care
, Page 4 of 59
✅ Big difference: Outpatient = maintain function long-term Inpatient =
stabilize symptoms short-term
Residential Treatment (Between Outpatient + Inpatient)
What it is
24-hour supervised living setting
Treatment may last weeks → months → years
Who needs it
Acute/subacute crisis where outpatient isn’t enough
But not severe enough for hospital-level inpatient admission
When it’s used
Often as a step-down after hospitalization
Common for disorders with a psychotic element:
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
Other examples
Psychiatric + physical condition combo (ex: cerebral palsy)
Why referred
No improvement even with intense outpatient therapy
Need longer observation to clarify diagnosis:
rapid cycling bipolar
concerns about undisclosed substance use
Prevention Levels in Outpatient Care
Primary Prevention
When: BEFORE illness starts Goal: prevent or delay onset in vulnerable
people Examples:
coping skills teaching
psychosocial support for vulnerable youth
early support to prevent mood/anxiety disorders
Secondary Prevention
When: EARLY illness or early symptoms Goal: early detection + stop
worsening Key actions:
screening
early identification
