Varcarolis: Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 6th
Edition
Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A new staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional interventions?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Establish therapeutic relationships
c. Individualize nursing care plans
d. Prescribe psychotropic medication
ANS: D
Prescriptive privileges are granted to masters-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is
permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Text Page: 18
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
2. Two nursing students discuss their career plans after graduation. One student wants to
enter psychiatric nursing. The other asks, “Why would you want to be a psychiatric
nurse? The only thing they do is talk. You’ll lose all your skills.” Select the best
response.
a. “Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients’ problems.”
b. “Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to
, solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations.”
c. “I think I will be good in the mental health field. I did not like clinical rotations in
school, so I do not want to continue them after I graduate.”
d. “Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.”
ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help
patients with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective
these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have
increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just
documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering is as real as physical.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 7-8
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
3. A new bill introduced in Congress would reduce funding for care of persons with
mental illness. Groups of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in
opposition to the legislation. Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Advocacy
b. Attending
c. Recovery
d. Evidence-based practice
ANS: A
An advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks
the ability to do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping patients
understand their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes
political activity, public speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human
condition. Since funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with
mental illness, the letter-writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients
who are unable to articulate their own needs.
,DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 20-21
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
4. An informal group of patients discusses their perceptions of nursing care. Which
comment best indicates a patient perceived the nurse was caring? “My nurse:
a. always asks me which type of juice I want to help me swallow my medication.”
b. explained my treatment plan to me and asked for my ideas about how to make it
better.”
c. told me that if I take all the medicines the doctor prescribes, then I will get
discharged soon.”
d. spends time listening to me talk about my problems. That helps me feel like I’m not
alone.”
ANS: D
Caring evidences empathetic understanding as well as competency. It helps change pain and
suffering into a shared experience, creating a human connection that alleviates feelings of
isolation. The distracters give examples of statements that demonstrate advocacy or giving
advice.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 15-17
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
5. Which finding best indicates that a patient has a mental illness? The patient:
a. responds to rules, routines, and customs of a group.
b. reports mood is consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless.
c. performs tasks attempted within the limits set by own abilities.
d. is able to see the difference between the “as if” and the “for real.”
, ANS: B
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which further reflects mental illness. The
distracters describe mentally healthy behaviors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 4-7
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
6. Which finding best indicates that the goal “Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior” was
achieved? A patient:
a. sees self as approaching ideals and capable of meeting demands.
b. seeks others to assume responsibility for major areas of own life.
c. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
d. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
ANS: A
The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The distracters describe
maladaptive behaviors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Page: 3
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
7. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient’s admission
form. To determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis, the nurse should consult
which resource?
a. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
b. A nursing diagnosis handbook
c. A psychiatric nursing textbook
d. A behavioral health reference manual
Edition
Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A new staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an
advanced practice nurse to perform which additional interventions?
a. Conduct mental health assessments
b. Establish therapeutic relationships
c. Individualize nursing care plans
d. Prescribe psychotropic medication
ANS: D
Prescriptive privileges are granted to masters-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken
special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is
permitted to perform mental health assessments, establish relationships, and provide
individualized care planning.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Text Page: 18
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
2. Two nursing students discuss their career plans after graduation. One student wants to
enter psychiatric nursing. The other asks, “Why would you want to be a psychiatric
nurse? The only thing they do is talk. You’ll lose all your skills.” Select the best
response.
a. “Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-
patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients’ problems.”
b. “Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to
, solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations.”
c. “I think I will be good in the mental health field. I did not like clinical rotations in
school, so I do not want to continue them after I graduate.”
d. “Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-
surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.”
ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical
nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help
patients with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective
these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have
increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just
documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering is as real as physical.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 7-8
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
3. A new bill introduced in Congress would reduce funding for care of persons with
mental illness. Groups of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in
opposition to the legislation. Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Advocacy
b. Attending
c. Recovery
d. Evidence-based practice
ANS: A
An advocate defends or asserts another’s cause, particularly when the other person lacks
the ability to do that for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping patients
understand their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes
political activity, public speaking, and publication in the interest of improving the human
condition. Since funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with
mental illness, the letter-writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients
who are unable to articulate their own needs.
,DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 20-21
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
4. An informal group of patients discusses their perceptions of nursing care. Which
comment best indicates a patient perceived the nurse was caring? “My nurse:
a. always asks me which type of juice I want to help me swallow my medication.”
b. explained my treatment plan to me and asked for my ideas about how to make it
better.”
c. told me that if I take all the medicines the doctor prescribes, then I will get
discharged soon.”
d. spends time listening to me talk about my problems. That helps me feel like I’m not
alone.”
ANS: D
Caring evidences empathetic understanding as well as competency. It helps change pain and
suffering into a shared experience, creating a human connection that alleviates feelings of
isolation. The distracters give examples of statements that demonstrate advocacy or giving
advice.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 15-17
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
5. Which finding best indicates that a patient has a mental illness? The patient:
a. responds to rules, routines, and customs of a group.
b. reports mood is consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless.
c. performs tasks attempted within the limits set by own abilities.
d. is able to see the difference between the “as if” and the “for real.”
, ANS: B
The correct response describes a mood alteration, which further reflects mental illness. The
distracters describe mentally healthy behaviors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Pages: 4-7
TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
6. Which finding best indicates that the goal “Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior” was
achieved? A patient:
a. sees self as approaching ideals and capable of meeting demands.
b. seeks others to assume responsibility for major areas of own life.
c. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
d. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
ANS: A
The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The distracters describe
maladaptive behaviors.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Text Page: 3
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity
7. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient’s admission
form. To determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis, the nurse should consult
which resource?
a. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
b. A nursing diagnosis handbook
c. A psychiatric nursing textbook
d. A behavioral health reference manual
