Saunders NCLEX-RN Mental Health Review Questions
1. 4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?": A client with a diagnosis of
major depression who has attempted suicide says to the nurse "I should have died. I've
always been a failure. Nothing ever goes right for me." Which response demonstrates
therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for"
2. "Why do you see yourself as this failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed"
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
2. 3. "You're having trouble sleeping?": When the community health nurse visits a client
at home, the client states, "I haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which response
by the nurse illustrates a therapeutic communication response to this client?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping too"
3. 1. Using open ended questions and silence: A client experiencing disturbed thought
processes believes that his food is being poisoned. Which communication technique
should the nurse use to encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat.
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition.
4. 1. Denial: A client admitted to a mental health unit for treatment of psychotic behavior
spends hours at the locked exit door shouting "Let me out. There's nothing wrong with me. I
don't belong here." What defense mechanism is the client imple- menting?
1. Denial
2. Projection
3. Regression
4. Rationalization
5. 3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be cured?":
A client diagnosed with terminal cancer says to the nurse, "I'm going to die and I wish my
family would stop hoping for a cure! I get so angry when they carry on like this. After all,
I'm the one who's dying." Which response by the nurse is
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, Saunders NCLEX-RN Mental Health Review Questions
therapeutic?
1. "Have you shared your feelings with your family?"
2. "I think we should talk more about your anger with your family."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be cured?"
4. "You are probably very depressed, which is understandable with such a diagno- sis."
6. 4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment plan.:
On review of the client's record, the nurse notes that the mental health admission was
voluntary. Based on this information, the nurse anticipates which client behavior?
1. Fearfulness regarding treatment measures.
2. Anger and aggressiveness directed toward others.
3. An understanding of the pathology and symptoms of the diagnosis.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment plan.
7. 1. Contact the client's HCP: A client admitted voluntarily for treatment of an anxiety
disorder demands to be released from the hospital. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take immediately?
1. Contact the client's HCP
2. Call the client's family to arrange for transportation.
3. Attempt to persuade the client to stay for "only a few more days."
4. Tell the client that leaving would likely result in an involuntary commitment.
8. : When reviewing the admission assessment, the nurse notes that a client was admitted
to the mental health unit involuntarily. Based on this type of admission, the nurse should
provide which intervention for this client?
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others
2. Assist in completing an application for admission
3. Supply the client with written information about their mental illness
4. Provide an opportunity for the family to discuss why they felt the admission was
needed.
9. : The nurse is preparing a client for the termination phase of the nurse-client
relationship. The nurse prepares to implement which nursing task that is most
appropriate for this phase?
1. Planning short-term goals
2. Making appropriate referrals
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1. 4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?": A client with a diagnosis of
major depression who has attempted suicide says to the nurse "I should have died. I've
always been a failure. Nothing ever goes right for me." Which response demonstrates
therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for"
2. "Why do you see yourself as this failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed"
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?"
2. 3. "You're having trouble sleeping?": When the community health nurse visits a client
at home, the client states, "I haven't slept at all the last couple of nights." Which response
by the nurse illustrates a therapeutic communication response to this client?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping too"
3. 1. Using open ended questions and silence: A client experiencing disturbed thought
processes believes that his food is being poisoned. Which communication technique
should the nurse use to encourage the client to eat?
1. Using open-ended questions and silence
2. Sharing personal preference regarding food choices
3. Documenting reasons why the client does not want to eat.
4. Offering opinions about the necessity of adequate nutrition.
4. 1. Denial: A client admitted to a mental health unit for treatment of psychotic behavior
spends hours at the locked exit door shouting "Let me out. There's nothing wrong with me. I
don't belong here." What defense mechanism is the client imple- menting?
1. Denial
2. Projection
3. Regression
4. Rationalization
5. 3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be cured?":
A client diagnosed with terminal cancer says to the nurse, "I'm going to die and I wish my
family would stop hoping for a cure! I get so angry when they carry on like this. After all,
I'm the one who's dying." Which response by the nurse is
1/9
, Saunders NCLEX-RN Mental Health Review Questions
therapeutic?
1. "Have you shared your feelings with your family?"
2. "I think we should talk more about your anger with your family."
3. "You're feeling angry that your family continues to hope for you to be cured?"
4. "You are probably very depressed, which is understandable with such a diagno- sis."
6. 4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment plan.:
On review of the client's record, the nurse notes that the mental health admission was
voluntary. Based on this information, the nurse anticipates which client behavior?
1. Fearfulness regarding treatment measures.
2. Anger and aggressiveness directed toward others.
3. An understanding of the pathology and symptoms of the diagnosis.
4. A willingness to participate in the planning of the care and treatment plan.
7. 1. Contact the client's HCP: A client admitted voluntarily for treatment of an anxiety
disorder demands to be released from the hospital. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take immediately?
1. Contact the client's HCP
2. Call the client's family to arrange for transportation.
3. Attempt to persuade the client to stay for "only a few more days."
4. Tell the client that leaving would likely result in an involuntary commitment.
8. : When reviewing the admission assessment, the nurse notes that a client was admitted
to the mental health unit involuntarily. Based on this type of admission, the nurse should
provide which intervention for this client?
1. Monitor closely for harm to self or others
2. Assist in completing an application for admission
3. Supply the client with written information about their mental illness
4. Provide an opportunity for the family to discuss why they felt the admission was
needed.
9. : The nurse is preparing a client for the termination phase of the nurse-client
relationship. The nurse prepares to implement which nursing task that is most
appropriate for this phase?
1. Planning short-term goals
2. Making appropriate referrals
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