Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 1
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING TEST PART 1
All the questions in the quiz along with their answers are shown below. Your answers are bolded. The
correct answers have a green background while the incorrect ones have a red background.
1. Your patient is very dependent and submissive. There are times that the patient is very clingy. This behavior reflects
what type of personality disorder?
▪ a. Antisocial personality
▪ b. Dependent Personality
▪ c. Manic behavior
▪ D. ANXIETY DISORDER
Dependent personality is characterized by dependence, submission and being clingy. Antisocial personality is
impulsive, aggressive and manipulative.
2. The appropriate therapeutic distance between you and a psychiatric patient is?
▪ a. 12 inches
▪ b. 35 inches
▪ c. 12 feet
▪ D. 4 FEET
Intimate zone: 0-18 inches. Parents with young children, people who mutually desire personal contact, or people
whispering. Personal zone: 18-36 inches. Between family and friends talking. Social zone: 4-12 feet. Communication
in social, work and business settings. Public zone: 12-25 inches. Speaker and an audience. Therapeutic distance: 3-6
feet.
3. Nurse Anna is instructing the new nurse to the psychiatric set-up. She also reminded her to use her therapeutic
communication skills in dealing with clients. Which of the following techniques enlaces therapeutic communication?
▪ a. What are you thinking about?
▪ b. What made you think that way?
▪ c. Why did you say that?
▪ D. LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
This is using the therapeutic technique BROAD OPENING that allows the client to take the initiative to introduce a
topic.
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 2
4. Mr. Juan is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The nurse’s intervention should focus on helping the client be oriented with
the physical set-up and daily events. Which of the following is the most effective nursing intervention in orienting patients who
has Alzheimer’s disease?
▪ a. Encourage the client to talk to family members to reminisce things
▪ b. Provide simple and easily understood directions
▪ c. Perform tasks with a variety of activities each day
▪ D. HAVE THE CLIENT SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER PATIENTS
Providing a daily routine and directions easily understood by the client would help orienting a client with Alzheimer’s
disease.
5. A therapy that focuses on the remotivation of clients by directing their attention outside themselves to relieve
preoccupation with personal thoughts, feelings, and attitudes is known as:
▪ a. Pharmacologic therapy
▪ b. Music therapy
▪ c. Occupational therapy
▪ D. RECREATIONAL THERAPY
Recreational therapy- Focuses on remotivation of clients by directing their attention outside themselves to relieve
preoccupation with personal thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Clients learn to cope with stress through activity.
Activities are planned to meet specific needs and encourage the development of leisure-time activities or hobbies.
Recreational therapy is especially useful with those people who have difficulty relating to others (e.g., the regressed,
withdrawn, or immobilized person). Examples of recreational activities include group bowling, picnics, sing-along, and
bingo.
6. The 12-year old male patient looks like the nurse’s younger brother who is missing for years. During assessment and in the
implementation of nursing care the nurse prioritizes this client. One day, when she found the boy crying in his room she
hugged him and cried with him. This is an example of:
▪ a. Counter-transference
▪ b. Transference
▪ c. Resistance
▪ D. DENIAL
When the nurse displays affection or emotion toward the client counter-transference is occurring. Transference is
observed when the patient is displaying emotions towards the nurse.
7. A schizophrenic client is under your care. In reinforcing the functional behavior of this client what will the nurse do?
▪ a. Enumerate the symptoms of schizophrenia to the client
▪ b. Correct delusional thoughts to orient to reality
▪ c. Compliment the client for cessation of acting out behaviors
▪ D. ENCOURAGE THE CLIENT TO DRINK HIS MEDICATIONS RELIGIOUSLY
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 3
According to B.F. Skinner’s behavior medication technique, a client should be praise for good behaviors to help him
modify his faulty actions.
8. A client was brought to the ER. Based on the significant others, the client had a history of shop stealing. However,no self-
mutilating activities are committed by the client. During the interview, the client is very manipulative and aggressive and
impulsive. What personality disorder most likely the client has?
▪ a. Antisocial
▪ b. Histrionic
▪ c. Narcissistic
▪ D. BORDERLINE
Antisocial P.D is characterized by aggression, manipulation and impulsivity. Histrionic people are emotional, dramatic
and theatrical. Narcissistic people are boastful, egotistical and have superiority complex. Borderline PD is
characterized by impulsivity, self-destruction and very unstable mood.
9. When the client told the nurse that he feels good when he mutilates or cuts himself the novice psychiatric nurse
answered, “Do you know the risks involved when you cut yourself?” what type of nontherapeutic communication is the
nurse using?
▪ a. Defending
▪ b. Testing
▪ c. Making stereotyped comments
▪ D. DISAGREEING
Testing is appraising a client’s degree of insight such as by asking the patient of the risks involved when he cut
himself. This forces the client to recognize his problems. Defending is attempting to protect someone from a verbal
attack. Stereotyped comments are meaningless clichés such as “it’s for your own good.”
10. A therapy that assists with discharge planning and rehabilitation, focusing on vocational skills and activities of daily
living (ADL) to raise self-esteem and promote independence is called:
▪ a. Behavior modification
▪ b. Milieu therapy
▪ c. Recreational therapy
▪ D. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy - Assists with discharge planning and rehabilitation, focusing on vocational skills and activities
of daily living (ADL) to raise self-esteem and promote independence
11. Nurse Marie is caring for a patient that underwent alcohol detoxification. Which of the following symptoms wouldNurse
Marie be most concern?
▪ a. Fever
▪ b. Delusions
▪ c. Excessive sweating
▪ D. INCREASE BP
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 4
Once hallucinations and delusions are present; the client’s condition will most likely progress to delirium tremens.
12. The Distance that is observed when family members or friends are talking is under what zone:
▪ a. Intimate
▪ b. Therapeutic
▪ c. Personal
▪ D. SOCIAL
Personal zone: 18-36 inches. Between family and friends talking. Intimate zone: 0-18 inches. Parents with young
children, people who mutually desire personal contact, or people whispering. Social zone: 4-12 feet. Communication
in social, work and business settings. Therapeutic distance: 3-6 feet.
13. The client is sharing Nurse Marie about his experiences. Suddenly, he paused, looked to the nurse and is hesitant to
continue. The nurse responded, “Go on, and tell me about it.” What therapeutic communication technique is the nurse using?
▪ a. Exploring
▪ b. Focusing
▪ c. Encouraging expression
▪ D. GENERAL LEADS
General leads indicate that the nurse is listening and following what the client is saying without taking away the
initiative for the interaction. They also encourage the client to continue if he or she is hesitant or uncomfortable of the
topic. Examples include, “Go on,” “Tell me about it,” and “And then?”
14. In a therapeutic communication, “why questions” are discouraged. For what reason is this question not useful?
▪ a. The question is intimidating and the client may be defensive in trying to explain him/herself.
▪ b. It forces the client to recognize his or her problems. The client’s acknowledgement that s/he doesn’t know things
may be helpful to the nurse’s needs but not the client.
▪ c. It indicates that the client is right rather than wrong.
▪ D. IT TENDS TO MAKE THE CLIENT USED AND INVADED .
Using “why question” is asking to client the client to provide reasons for thoughts, feeling and behaviors. The question
is intimidating and the client may be defensive in trying to explain him/herself.
15. An 18 year old client is brought to the ER due to a suicidal attempt. Her mother told the nurse that she has been drinking
alcohol for the last 3 weeks and is depressed. In caring for this patient what is the most important consideration?
▪ a. Administering antidepressant medications
▪ b. Alcohol detoxification
▪ c. Allowing the client to participate in a therapy
▪ D. CLOSE MONITORING
Safety is the most important consideration in client with a suicidal attempt. This is achieved by removing harmful
objects around the client and monitoring the client closely.
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING TEST PART 1
All the questions in the quiz along with their answers are shown below. Your answers are bolded. The
correct answers have a green background while the incorrect ones have a red background.
1. Your patient is very dependent and submissive. There are times that the patient is very clingy. This behavior reflects
what type of personality disorder?
▪ a. Antisocial personality
▪ b. Dependent Personality
▪ c. Manic behavior
▪ D. ANXIETY DISORDER
Dependent personality is characterized by dependence, submission and being clingy. Antisocial personality is
impulsive, aggressive and manipulative.
2. The appropriate therapeutic distance between you and a psychiatric patient is?
▪ a. 12 inches
▪ b. 35 inches
▪ c. 12 feet
▪ D. 4 FEET
Intimate zone: 0-18 inches. Parents with young children, people who mutually desire personal contact, or people
whispering. Personal zone: 18-36 inches. Between family and friends talking. Social zone: 4-12 feet. Communication
in social, work and business settings. Public zone: 12-25 inches. Speaker and an audience. Therapeutic distance: 3-6
feet.
3. Nurse Anna is instructing the new nurse to the psychiatric set-up. She also reminded her to use her therapeutic
communication skills in dealing with clients. Which of the following techniques enlaces therapeutic communication?
▪ a. What are you thinking about?
▪ b. What made you think that way?
▪ c. Why did you say that?
▪ D. LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
This is using the therapeutic technique BROAD OPENING that allows the client to take the initiative to introduce a
topic.
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 2
4. Mr. Juan is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The nurse’s intervention should focus on helping the client be oriented with
the physical set-up and daily events. Which of the following is the most effective nursing intervention in orienting patients who
has Alzheimer’s disease?
▪ a. Encourage the client to talk to family members to reminisce things
▪ b. Provide simple and easily understood directions
▪ c. Perform tasks with a variety of activities each day
▪ D. HAVE THE CLIENT SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER PATIENTS
Providing a daily routine and directions easily understood by the client would help orienting a client with Alzheimer’s
disease.
5. A therapy that focuses on the remotivation of clients by directing their attention outside themselves to relieve
preoccupation with personal thoughts, feelings, and attitudes is known as:
▪ a. Pharmacologic therapy
▪ b. Music therapy
▪ c. Occupational therapy
▪ D. RECREATIONAL THERAPY
Recreational therapy- Focuses on remotivation of clients by directing their attention outside themselves to relieve
preoccupation with personal thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Clients learn to cope with stress through activity.
Activities are planned to meet specific needs and encourage the development of leisure-time activities or hobbies.
Recreational therapy is especially useful with those people who have difficulty relating to others (e.g., the regressed,
withdrawn, or immobilized person). Examples of recreational activities include group bowling, picnics, sing-along, and
bingo.
6. The 12-year old male patient looks like the nurse’s younger brother who is missing for years. During assessment and in the
implementation of nursing care the nurse prioritizes this client. One day, when she found the boy crying in his room she
hugged him and cried with him. This is an example of:
▪ a. Counter-transference
▪ b. Transference
▪ c. Resistance
▪ D. DENIAL
When the nurse displays affection or emotion toward the client counter-transference is occurring. Transference is
observed when the patient is displaying emotions towards the nurse.
7. A schizophrenic client is under your care. In reinforcing the functional behavior of this client what will the nurse do?
▪ a. Enumerate the symptoms of schizophrenia to the client
▪ b. Correct delusional thoughts to orient to reality
▪ c. Compliment the client for cessation of acting out behaviors
▪ D. ENCOURAGE THE CLIENT TO DRINK HIS MEDICATIONS RELIGIOUSLY
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 3
According to B.F. Skinner’s behavior medication technique, a client should be praise for good behaviors to help him
modify his faulty actions.
8. A client was brought to the ER. Based on the significant others, the client had a history of shop stealing. However,no self-
mutilating activities are committed by the client. During the interview, the client is very manipulative and aggressive and
impulsive. What personality disorder most likely the client has?
▪ a. Antisocial
▪ b. Histrionic
▪ c. Narcissistic
▪ D. BORDERLINE
Antisocial P.D is characterized by aggression, manipulation and impulsivity. Histrionic people are emotional, dramatic
and theatrical. Narcissistic people are boastful, egotistical and have superiority complex. Borderline PD is
characterized by impulsivity, self-destruction and very unstable mood.
9. When the client told the nurse that he feels good when he mutilates or cuts himself the novice psychiatric nurse
answered, “Do you know the risks involved when you cut yourself?” what type of nontherapeutic communication is the
nurse using?
▪ a. Defending
▪ b. Testing
▪ c. Making stereotyped comments
▪ D. DISAGREEING
Testing is appraising a client’s degree of insight such as by asking the patient of the risks involved when he cut
himself. This forces the client to recognize his problems. Defending is attempting to protect someone from a verbal
attack. Stereotyped comments are meaningless clichés such as “it’s for your own good.”
10. A therapy that assists with discharge planning and rehabilitation, focusing on vocational skills and activities of daily
living (ADL) to raise self-esteem and promote independence is called:
▪ a. Behavior modification
▪ b. Milieu therapy
▪ c. Recreational therapy
▪ D. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy - Assists with discharge planning and rehabilitation, focusing on vocational skills and activities
of daily living (ADL) to raise self-esteem and promote independence
11. Nurse Marie is caring for a patient that underwent alcohol detoxification. Which of the following symptoms wouldNurse
Marie be most concern?
▪ a. Fever
▪ b. Delusions
▪ c. Excessive sweating
▪ D. INCREASE BP
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Part 1 4
Once hallucinations and delusions are present; the client’s condition will most likely progress to delirium tremens.
12. The Distance that is observed when family members or friends are talking is under what zone:
▪ a. Intimate
▪ b. Therapeutic
▪ c. Personal
▪ D. SOCIAL
Personal zone: 18-36 inches. Between family and friends talking. Intimate zone: 0-18 inches. Parents with young
children, people who mutually desire personal contact, or people whispering. Social zone: 4-12 feet. Communication
in social, work and business settings. Therapeutic distance: 3-6 feet.
13. The client is sharing Nurse Marie about his experiences. Suddenly, he paused, looked to the nurse and is hesitant to
continue. The nurse responded, “Go on, and tell me about it.” What therapeutic communication technique is the nurse using?
▪ a. Exploring
▪ b. Focusing
▪ c. Encouraging expression
▪ D. GENERAL LEADS
General leads indicate that the nurse is listening and following what the client is saying without taking away the
initiative for the interaction. They also encourage the client to continue if he or she is hesitant or uncomfortable of the
topic. Examples include, “Go on,” “Tell me about it,” and “And then?”
14. In a therapeutic communication, “why questions” are discouraged. For what reason is this question not useful?
▪ a. The question is intimidating and the client may be defensive in trying to explain him/herself.
▪ b. It forces the client to recognize his or her problems. The client’s acknowledgement that s/he doesn’t know things
may be helpful to the nurse’s needs but not the client.
▪ c. It indicates that the client is right rather than wrong.
▪ D. IT TENDS TO MAKE THE CLIENT USED AND INVADED .
Using “why question” is asking to client the client to provide reasons for thoughts, feeling and behaviors. The question
is intimidating and the client may be defensive in trying to explain him/herself.
15. An 18 year old client is brought to the ER due to a suicidal attempt. Her mother told the nurse that she has been drinking
alcohol for the last 3 weeks and is depressed. In caring for this patient what is the most important consideration?
▪ a. Administering antidepressant medications
▪ b. Alcohol detoxification
▪ c. Allowing the client to participate in a therapy
▪ D. CLOSE MONITORING
Safety is the most important consideration in client with a suicidal attempt. This is achieved by removing harmful
objects around the client and monitoring the client closely.
