Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing:
Saunders NCLEX Review Exam
Questions With Correct Answers
A client with a diagnosis of 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 by the nurse demon- strates therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?" - CORRECT ANSWER-4
Rationale: Responding to the feelings expressed by a client is an effective therapeutic
communication technique. The correct option is an example of the use of restating. The
remaining options block communication because they minimize the cli- ent's experience
and do not facilitate exploration of the client's expressed feelings. In addition, use of the
word why is nontherapeutic.
The 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 demonstrates thera- peutic communication?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes I have trouble sleeping too." - CORRECT ANSWER-3
, Rationale: The correct option uses the therapeutic communica- tion technique of
restatement. Although restatement is a tech- nique that has a prompting component to
it, it repeats the client's major theme, which assists the nurse to obtain a more specific
perception of the problem from the client. The remain- ing options are not therapeutic
responses since none encourages the client to expand on the problem. Offering
personal experi- ences moves the focus away from the client and onto the nurse.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER-1
Rationale: Open-ended questions and silence are strategies used to encourage clients
to discuss their problems. Sharing personal food preferences is not a client-centered
intervention. The remaining options are not helpful to the client because they do not
encourage the client to express feelings. The nurse should not offer opinions and
should encourage the client to identify the reasons for the behavior.
The nurse should plan which goals of the termina- tion stage of group development?
Select all that apply.
1. The group evaluates the experience.
2. The real work of the group is accomplished.
3. Group interaction involves superficial conversation.
4. Group members become acquainted with one another.
Saunders NCLEX Review Exam
Questions With Correct Answers
A client with a diagnosis of 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 by the nurse demon- strates therapeutic communication?
1. "You have everything to live for."
2. "Why do you see yourself as a failure?"
3. "Feeling like this is all part of being depressed."
4. "You've been feeling like a failure for a while?" - CORRECT ANSWER-4
Rationale: Responding to the feelings expressed by a client is an effective therapeutic
communication technique. The correct option is an example of the use of restating. The
remaining options block communication because they minimize the cli- ent's experience
and do not facilitate exploration of the client's expressed feelings. In addition, use of the
word why is nontherapeutic.
The 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 demonstrates thera- peutic communication?
1. "I see."
2. "Really?"
3. "You're having difficulty sleeping?"
4. "Sometimes I have trouble sleeping too." - CORRECT ANSWER-3
, Rationale: The correct option uses the therapeutic communica- tion technique of
restatement. Although restatement is a tech- nique that has a prompting component to
it, it repeats the client's major theme, which assists the nurse to obtain a more specific
perception of the problem from the client. The remain- ing options are not therapeutic
responses since none encourages the client to expand on the problem. Offering
personal experi- ences moves the focus away from the client and onto the nurse.
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 - CORRECT ANSWER-1
Rationale: Open-ended questions and silence are strategies used to encourage clients
to discuss their problems. Sharing personal food preferences is not a client-centered
intervention. The remaining options are not helpful to the client because they do not
encourage the client to express feelings. The nurse should not offer opinions and
should encourage the client to identify the reasons for the behavior.
The nurse should plan which goals of the termina- tion stage of group development?
Select all that apply.
1. The group evaluates the experience.
2. The real work of the group is accomplished.
3. Group interaction involves superficial conversation.
4. Group members become acquainted with one another.
