Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
Mental Health Nursing
1. Cross-tolerance to a drug is a situation in which:
A. One drug can prevent withdrawal symptoms from another drug.
B. One drug can increase the potency of another drug.
C. The client has an allergic reaction to a classification of drugs.
D. One drug can result in a lessened response to another drug.
Answer: D
Rationale: Cross-tolerance occurs when a drug with a similar action ca uses a decreased
response to another drug. A drug that can prevent withdrawal symptoms from another
drug describes cross-dependence. Cross tolerance is not an allergic reaction to a
classification of drugs. A drug that ca n in crease the potency of another drug describes
potentiating effects.
2. The most important role of a nurse in caring for a client with a mental health
disorder is to:
A. Establish trust and rapport.
B. Know Low to solve the client's problems.
C. Set limits with the client.
D. Offer advice.
Answer: A
Rationale: It is extremely important that the nurse establishes trust and rapport. The
nurse should not offer advice; rather, he or she should help the client develop the coping
mechanisms necessary to solve his or her own problems. Setting limits is import ant but
can only be developed after trust and rapport have been established.
3. Contemporary mental health practice is highly collaborative and includes a number of
professional and paraprofessional workers. Which of the following tasks may be
delegated to a nursing assistant in an acute mental health setting?
A. Assessing mental status on admission.
B. Doing a physical examination.
C. Discussing the treatment plan.
D. Checking for sharp objects.
Answer: D
Rationale: A nursing assistant may be assigned to search a client's luggage or room for
potentially harmful objects such as glass or sharp metal. A mental status assessment
,Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
should be conducted by the nurse upon the client's admission. The physical examination
should be completed by a licensed physician. A nurse or physician is responsible for
discussing the treatment plan with the client.
4. When caring for a client diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, the client
verbalizes disapproval of her physical features. In this situation, the nurse
should:
A. Compliment the client on her appearance.
B. Encourage verbalizations about fears and stressful life situations.
C. Agree with the client because that physical feature is awful.
D. Ignore the comment and talk about less threatening issues.
Answer: B
Rationale: Encouraging the client to discuss stressful life situations helps keep the focus
on the underlying issues. The client's preoccupation with a specific physical feature is a
means of not coping with life. Ignoring the client or complimenting the client would not
help this ineffective coping mechanism. The client would not be able to accept the
compliment, and agreeing with her would only strengthen her problem.
5. A voluntary client in a facility decides to leave the unit against medical advice. In an
effort to coerce the client to remain in the hospital, the nurse refuses to return the
client's personal effects. This action is an example of which of the following?
A. Limit setting.
B. Violation of client rights.
C. Slander.
D. Violation of confidentiality.
Answer; B
Rationale: Confining a voluntary client against his or her will is considered a violation
of rights. Slander is oral defamation of character. The nurse has not given out any
information about the client, so confidentiality has not been violated.
6. Upon returning home from college, a young man discovers that his mother has been
diagnosed with cancer. Initially, he responds to the news by stating: "No, I don't
believe it. It can't be true: Which defence mechanism is he using?
A. Suppression.
B. Introjection.
C. Denial.
D. Repression.
,Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
Answer: C
Rationale: Denial is the avoidance of reality by ignoring or refusing to acknowledge
unpleasant incidents. This defence mechanism is used to allay anxiety immediately after a
stressful event. Introjection is an intense form of identification in which a person has
incorporated the values or qualities of another person or group into his or her own ego
structure. Suppression is the conscious analogue of repression; a person intentionally uses
suppression to consciously exclude material from awareness. Repression is the
unconscious exclusion of painful episodes from awareness.
7. A strong therapeutic nurse- person relationship is based on the nurse's:
A. Sound knowledge of psychiatric nursing.
B. Since re desire to help others.
C. Acceptance of others.
D. Sell-awareness and understanding.
Answer: D
Rationale: Although all of the options are desirable, knowledge of oneself is the basis
for building a strong therapeutic nurse-person relationship. Being aware of and
understanding one's personal feelings and behaviours are prerequisites for understanding
and helping clients.
8. The nurse documents that "the client describes her husband's abuse in an
emotionless tone and with a flat" facial expression.” This assessment is document the
client's:
A. Mood.
B. Affect.
C. Feelings.
D. Blocking.
Answer: B
Rationale: Affect refers to a person's emotional expression (in this case, the manner in
which the client talks about her experiences). Feelings are emotional states or
perceptions. Blocking is the interruption of thoughts. Moods are prolonged emotional
states expressed by the affect.
9. Dina, a client in a n outpatient mental health clinic, asks the nurse, "Do you think I
should leave my husband?" The nurse responds to Dina by saying, "You aren't sure if
you should leave your husband?" which therapeutic technique is the nurse using in this
situation?
A. Offering a general lead.
, Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
B. Reflecting.
C. Reframing.
D. Referencing.
Answer: B
Rationale: Reflection is correct because the nurse is referring feelings back to the client
to explore. Reframing is offering a new way to look at a situation. The nurse's response
is specific and is not offering a general lead .
10. Reading someone else's mail, using personal possessions without asking
permission, and touching other people without their permission are all examples of:
A. Manipulation.
B. Antisocial behaviour.
C. Poor boundaries.
D. Passive-aggressive behaviour.
Answer: C
Rationale: The described behaviours indicate poor personal boundaries, which is the
inability to differentiate between oneself and others. Poor boundaries are symptoms of
antisocial and passive-aggressive behaviour. Manipulation is an attempt to control
another person.
11. A client in an acute care setting tells the nurse. "I don't think I can face going home
tomorrow." The nurse's response. "Do you want to talk more about it?" is an example
of which of the following techniques?
A. Restating.
B. Exploring.
C. Making observations.
D. Presenting reality.
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is using the technique of exploring because she is willing to delve
further into the client's concern. She is not presenting reality, making observations, or
simply restating. Rather, the nurse is encouraging the client to explore his or her feelings.
12. A woman reports to her family doctor that she has become increasingly afraid of
riding in elevators. One day, she experiences palpitations, shortness of breath,
dizziness, and trembling while in the elevator at her office building. Her physician can
find no physiologic basis for these symptoms and refers her to a psychiatric clinical
nurse
Mental Health Nursing
1. Cross-tolerance to a drug is a situation in which:
A. One drug can prevent withdrawal symptoms from another drug.
B. One drug can increase the potency of another drug.
C. The client has an allergic reaction to a classification of drugs.
D. One drug can result in a lessened response to another drug.
Answer: D
Rationale: Cross-tolerance occurs when a drug with a similar action ca uses a decreased
response to another drug. A drug that can prevent withdrawal symptoms from another
drug describes cross-dependence. Cross tolerance is not an allergic reaction to a
classification of drugs. A drug that ca n in crease the potency of another drug describes
potentiating effects.
2. The most important role of a nurse in caring for a client with a mental health
disorder is to:
A. Establish trust and rapport.
B. Know Low to solve the client's problems.
C. Set limits with the client.
D. Offer advice.
Answer: A
Rationale: It is extremely important that the nurse establishes trust and rapport. The
nurse should not offer advice; rather, he or she should help the client develop the coping
mechanisms necessary to solve his or her own problems. Setting limits is import ant but
can only be developed after trust and rapport have been established.
3. Contemporary mental health practice is highly collaborative and includes a number of
professional and paraprofessional workers. Which of the following tasks may be
delegated to a nursing assistant in an acute mental health setting?
A. Assessing mental status on admission.
B. Doing a physical examination.
C. Discussing the treatment plan.
D. Checking for sharp objects.
Answer: D
Rationale: A nursing assistant may be assigned to search a client's luggage or room for
potentially harmful objects such as glass or sharp metal. A mental status assessment
,Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
should be conducted by the nurse upon the client's admission. The physical examination
should be completed by a licensed physician. A nurse or physician is responsible for
discussing the treatment plan with the client.
4. When caring for a client diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, the client
verbalizes disapproval of her physical features. In this situation, the nurse
should:
A. Compliment the client on her appearance.
B. Encourage verbalizations about fears and stressful life situations.
C. Agree with the client because that physical feature is awful.
D. Ignore the comment and talk about less threatening issues.
Answer: B
Rationale: Encouraging the client to discuss stressful life situations helps keep the focus
on the underlying issues. The client's preoccupation with a specific physical feature is a
means of not coping with life. Ignoring the client or complimenting the client would not
help this ineffective coping mechanism. The client would not be able to accept the
compliment, and agreeing with her would only strengthen her problem.
5. A voluntary client in a facility decides to leave the unit against medical advice. In an
effort to coerce the client to remain in the hospital, the nurse refuses to return the
client's personal effects. This action is an example of which of the following?
A. Limit setting.
B. Violation of client rights.
C. Slander.
D. Violation of confidentiality.
Answer; B
Rationale: Confining a voluntary client against his or her will is considered a violation
of rights. Slander is oral defamation of character. The nurse has not given out any
information about the client, so confidentiality has not been violated.
6. Upon returning home from college, a young man discovers that his mother has been
diagnosed with cancer. Initially, he responds to the news by stating: "No, I don't
believe it. It can't be true: Which defence mechanism is he using?
A. Suppression.
B. Introjection.
C. Denial.
D. Repression.
,Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
Answer: C
Rationale: Denial is the avoidance of reality by ignoring or refusing to acknowledge
unpleasant incidents. This defence mechanism is used to allay anxiety immediately after a
stressful event. Introjection is an intense form of identification in which a person has
incorporated the values or qualities of another person or group into his or her own ego
structure. Suppression is the conscious analogue of repression; a person intentionally uses
suppression to consciously exclude material from awareness. Repression is the
unconscious exclusion of painful episodes from awareness.
7. A strong therapeutic nurse- person relationship is based on the nurse's:
A. Sound knowledge of psychiatric nursing.
B. Since re desire to help others.
C. Acceptance of others.
D. Sell-awareness and understanding.
Answer: D
Rationale: Although all of the options are desirable, knowledge of oneself is the basis
for building a strong therapeutic nurse-person relationship. Being aware of and
understanding one's personal feelings and behaviours are prerequisites for understanding
and helping clients.
8. The nurse documents that "the client describes her husband's abuse in an
emotionless tone and with a flat" facial expression.” This assessment is document the
client's:
A. Mood.
B. Affect.
C. Feelings.
D. Blocking.
Answer: B
Rationale: Affect refers to a person's emotional expression (in this case, the manner in
which the client talks about her experiences). Feelings are emotional states or
perceptions. Blocking is the interruption of thoughts. Moods are prolonged emotional
states expressed by the affect.
9. Dina, a client in a n outpatient mental health clinic, asks the nurse, "Do you think I
should leave my husband?" The nurse responds to Dina by saying, "You aren't sure if
you should leave your husband?" which therapeutic technique is the nurse using in this
situation?
A. Offering a general lead.
, Mental_Health_Nursing.doc
B. Reflecting.
C. Reframing.
D. Referencing.
Answer: B
Rationale: Reflection is correct because the nurse is referring feelings back to the client
to explore. Reframing is offering a new way to look at a situation. The nurse's response
is specific and is not offering a general lead .
10. Reading someone else's mail, using personal possessions without asking
permission, and touching other people without their permission are all examples of:
A. Manipulation.
B. Antisocial behaviour.
C. Poor boundaries.
D. Passive-aggressive behaviour.
Answer: C
Rationale: The described behaviours indicate poor personal boundaries, which is the
inability to differentiate between oneself and others. Poor boundaries are symptoms of
antisocial and passive-aggressive behaviour. Manipulation is an attempt to control
another person.
11. A client in an acute care setting tells the nurse. "I don't think I can face going home
tomorrow." The nurse's response. "Do you want to talk more about it?" is an example
of which of the following techniques?
A. Restating.
B. Exploring.
C. Making observations.
D. Presenting reality.
Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse is using the technique of exploring because she is willing to delve
further into the client's concern. She is not presenting reality, making observations, or
simply restating. Rather, the nurse is encouraging the client to explore his or her feelings.
12. A woman reports to her family doctor that she has become increasingly afraid of
riding in elevators. One day, she experiences palpitations, shortness of breath,
dizziness, and trembling while in the elevator at her office building. Her physician can
find no physiologic basis for these symptoms and refers her to a psychiatric clinical
nurse
