Mental Health Final
Mental Health Final:
1. A nurse is caring for a client who has depression and states that she is too tired
to get out of bed or dress. Which of the following statements by the nurse is
appropriate?
a. "You really need to follow the rules of the unit and get out of bed."
b. "If you do not get out of bed, you will not receive your meal."
c. "I will help you sit up and get your slippers on."
d. "You should rest in bed until you feel able to take part in unit activities."
2. A nurse on an acute care mental health unit is caring for a client who has
generalized anxiety disorder. The client received an upsetting telephone call and is
now rapidly pacing the corridors of the unit. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
a. Walk with the client at a gradually slowing pace.
b. Allow the client to pace alone until physically tired.
c. Ask a small group of other clients to walk with the client.
d. Calmly instruct the client to stop pacing and sit in the dayroom.
3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about manifestations of lithium
toxicity. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. vomiting and diarrhea
b. increased flatulence
c. loss of appetite
d. increased urination
4. A nurse on the mental health unit is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder
and comes to the nurse's station at 0300 demanding to see the provider. Which of
the following responses should the nurse make?
a. "Go back to your room, and I'll try to get in touch with your provider in the
morning."
b. "You seem to be very upset about something. Tell me about it."
c. "Why don't you wait to speak to your provider in the morning?"
d. "Everything will be okay until morning. You can speak with your provider then."
,Mental Health Final
5. A nurse is talking with a client who has schizophrenia. Suddenly the client states,
“I'm frightened. Do you hear that? The voices are telling me to do terrible things.”
Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate?
a. “You need to tell the voices to leave you alone.”
b. “You need to understand that there are no voices.”
c. “What are the voices telling you to do?”
d. “Why do you think you are hearing the voices?”
6. A nurse on an inpatient unit is caring for a client who has major depressive
disorder. The nurse observes an improvement in the client's grooming when the
client comes to breakfast. Which of the following statements should the nurse
make?
a. "You look very nice after your bathe."
b. "You should do that more often. You look great!"
c. "Everyone feels better after showering."
d. "Why are you so dressed up? Is it a special occasion?"
7. A nurse is assisting with an admission assessment for a client who has vegetative
signs of depression. Which of the following is an appropriate intervention to
recommend including in the plan of care?
a. Discourage rest only at bedtime.
b. Instruct family to avoid visiting during mealtimes.
c. Offer frequent, low-calorie snacks.
d. Developing a structured routine for the client to follow.
8. A nurse is assisting with the admission of an older adult who is confused. Which
of the following statements by the client's partner indicates that the client may be
experiencing delirium?
a. "Her behavior changed so quickly, I wasn't sure what was happening."
b. "She became very withdrawn and extremely sad."
c. "Her speech was slow and repetitious."
d. "She's been making up stories the past few weeks."
9. A nurse is collecting data for a client who has schizophrenia. The client states that
he hears voices telling him to do “bad things.” The nurse should recognize this
finding as which of the following?
,Mental Health Final
a. command hallucination
b. gustatory hallucination
c. automatic obedience
d. negativism
10. A nurse is making a home visit for a 16-year-old adolescent who attempted
suicide. Which of the following behaviors should alert the nurse that the adolescent
still has suicidal intent?
a. Telling his parents that he doesn't want to talk about the attempt
b. Stating that he wants to be with his peers more than with his parents
c. Preferring to eat his meals while watching TV
d. Planning to give his CD collection to his girlfriend
11. A nurse is caring for a 20-year-old college student who has a 2-year history of
bulimia nervosa. She tells the nurse, "I know my eating binges and vomiting are not
normal, but I cannot do anything about them." Which of the following is a
therapeutic response by the nurse?
a. "It seems like you are feeling helpless about this behavior."
b. "Do you have any idea why you do this?”
c. "I'm proud of you for recognizing that this behavior is not normal."
d. "You should stop because you need to. You are destroying your health."
12. A nurse is caring for a client with whom he has developed a therapeutic
relationship and who will be discharged later in the day. The client thanks the nurse
for his help during the hospitalization. Which of the following responses should the
nurse make?
a. "Aren't you excited about being discharged today?"
b. "How do you feel about being discharged?"
c. "I will send you a note in a few weeks."
d. "I know you will do well living out in the community."
13. A nurse is caring for a client with has schizophrenia and is taking haloperidol.
The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
a. increased salivation
b. serotonin syndrome
c. tardive dyskinesia
, Mental Health Final
d. increased menstrual bleeding
14. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about valproate with a client who has a bipolar
disorder. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. "Thyroid function tests must be performed every 6 months."
b. "A pretreatment electroencephalogram (EEG) will be performed."
c. "Liver function tests must be monitored regularly."
d. "A white blood count must be monitored weekly."
15. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has dementia. Which
of the following interventions is appropriate to include in the plan of care?
a. Provide a cognitively stimulating environment.
b. Rotate staff to prevent caregiver role strain.
c. Limit the client's choices for daily activities.
d. Use confrontation to manage negative behavior.
16. A nurse is caring for a client who is threatening to commit suicide. Which of the
following questions should the nurse ask?
a. "How will you carry out your plan?"
b. "What happened to you in the past to make you so desperate?"
c. "Why do you feel depressed enough to end your life?"
d. "What will you accomplish by taking your life?"
17. A nurse is collecting data on a client who is experiencing chronic stress. Which
of the following is an expected finding?
a. hypotension
b. viral infection
c. increased energy
d. increased cognitive awareness
18. A nurse in an acute care mental health facility is contributing to the plan of care
for a client who is newly diagnosed with schizophrenia and is verbalizing paranoid
delusions. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the
plan?
a. Schedule a variety of competitive, stimulating group activities for the client.
Mental Health Final:
1. A nurse is caring for a client who has depression and states that she is too tired
to get out of bed or dress. Which of the following statements by the nurse is
appropriate?
a. "You really need to follow the rules of the unit and get out of bed."
b. "If you do not get out of bed, you will not receive your meal."
c. "I will help you sit up and get your slippers on."
d. "You should rest in bed until you feel able to take part in unit activities."
2. A nurse on an acute care mental health unit is caring for a client who has
generalized anxiety disorder. The client received an upsetting telephone call and is
now rapidly pacing the corridors of the unit. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
a. Walk with the client at a gradually slowing pace.
b. Allow the client to pace alone until physically tired.
c. Ask a small group of other clients to walk with the client.
d. Calmly instruct the client to stop pacing and sit in the dayroom.
3. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client about manifestations of lithium
toxicity. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. vomiting and diarrhea
b. increased flatulence
c. loss of appetite
d. increased urination
4. A nurse on the mental health unit is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder
and comes to the nurse's station at 0300 demanding to see the provider. Which of
the following responses should the nurse make?
a. "Go back to your room, and I'll try to get in touch with your provider in the
morning."
b. "You seem to be very upset about something. Tell me about it."
c. "Why don't you wait to speak to your provider in the morning?"
d. "Everything will be okay until morning. You can speak with your provider then."
,Mental Health Final
5. A nurse is talking with a client who has schizophrenia. Suddenly the client states,
“I'm frightened. Do you hear that? The voices are telling me to do terrible things.”
Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate?
a. “You need to tell the voices to leave you alone.”
b. “You need to understand that there are no voices.”
c. “What are the voices telling you to do?”
d. “Why do you think you are hearing the voices?”
6. A nurse on an inpatient unit is caring for a client who has major depressive
disorder. The nurse observes an improvement in the client's grooming when the
client comes to breakfast. Which of the following statements should the nurse
make?
a. "You look very nice after your bathe."
b. "You should do that more often. You look great!"
c. "Everyone feels better after showering."
d. "Why are you so dressed up? Is it a special occasion?"
7. A nurse is assisting with an admission assessment for a client who has vegetative
signs of depression. Which of the following is an appropriate intervention to
recommend including in the plan of care?
a. Discourage rest only at bedtime.
b. Instruct family to avoid visiting during mealtimes.
c. Offer frequent, low-calorie snacks.
d. Developing a structured routine for the client to follow.
8. A nurse is assisting with the admission of an older adult who is confused. Which
of the following statements by the client's partner indicates that the client may be
experiencing delirium?
a. "Her behavior changed so quickly, I wasn't sure what was happening."
b. "She became very withdrawn and extremely sad."
c. "Her speech was slow and repetitious."
d. "She's been making up stories the past few weeks."
9. A nurse is collecting data for a client who has schizophrenia. The client states that
he hears voices telling him to do “bad things.” The nurse should recognize this
finding as which of the following?
,Mental Health Final
a. command hallucination
b. gustatory hallucination
c. automatic obedience
d. negativism
10. A nurse is making a home visit for a 16-year-old adolescent who attempted
suicide. Which of the following behaviors should alert the nurse that the adolescent
still has suicidal intent?
a. Telling his parents that he doesn't want to talk about the attempt
b. Stating that he wants to be with his peers more than with his parents
c. Preferring to eat his meals while watching TV
d. Planning to give his CD collection to his girlfriend
11. A nurse is caring for a 20-year-old college student who has a 2-year history of
bulimia nervosa. She tells the nurse, "I know my eating binges and vomiting are not
normal, but I cannot do anything about them." Which of the following is a
therapeutic response by the nurse?
a. "It seems like you are feeling helpless about this behavior."
b. "Do you have any idea why you do this?”
c. "I'm proud of you for recognizing that this behavior is not normal."
d. "You should stop because you need to. You are destroying your health."
12. A nurse is caring for a client with whom he has developed a therapeutic
relationship and who will be discharged later in the day. The client thanks the nurse
for his help during the hospitalization. Which of the following responses should the
nurse make?
a. "Aren't you excited about being discharged today?"
b. "How do you feel about being discharged?"
c. "I will send you a note in a few weeks."
d. "I know you will do well living out in the community."
13. A nurse is caring for a client with has schizophrenia and is taking haloperidol.
The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
a. increased salivation
b. serotonin syndrome
c. tardive dyskinesia
, Mental Health Final
d. increased menstrual bleeding
14. A nurse is reinforcing teaching about valproate with a client who has a bipolar
disorder. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. "Thyroid function tests must be performed every 6 months."
b. "A pretreatment electroencephalogram (EEG) will be performed."
c. "Liver function tests must be monitored regularly."
d. "A white blood count must be monitored weekly."
15. A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has dementia. Which
of the following interventions is appropriate to include in the plan of care?
a. Provide a cognitively stimulating environment.
b. Rotate staff to prevent caregiver role strain.
c. Limit the client's choices for daily activities.
d. Use confrontation to manage negative behavior.
16. A nurse is caring for a client who is threatening to commit suicide. Which of the
following questions should the nurse ask?
a. "How will you carry out your plan?"
b. "What happened to you in the past to make you so desperate?"
c. "Why do you feel depressed enough to end your life?"
d. "What will you accomplish by taking your life?"
17. A nurse is collecting data on a client who is experiencing chronic stress. Which
of the following is an expected finding?
a. hypotension
b. viral infection
c. increased energy
d. increased cognitive awareness
18. A nurse in an acute care mental health facility is contributing to the plan of care
for a client who is newly diagnosed with schizophrenia and is verbalizing paranoid
delusions. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the
plan?
a. Schedule a variety of competitive, stimulating group activities for the client.
