WGU D449 PSYCHIATRIC AND MENTAL
HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE EXAM 2
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2025
1. A client with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations.
What is the nurse’s priority intervention?
• Encourage social interaction
• Provide reality-based activities
- Ask the client what the voices are saying
• Administer PRN antipsychotic medication
Understanding the content of hallucinations is critical to assess for suicidal
or homicidal ideation.
2. Which of the following medications is classified as a selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)?
• Amitriptyline
, • Phenelzine
- Sertraline
• Bupropion
Sertraline is an SSRI commonly used to treat depression and anxiety
disorders.
3. A client with bipolar disorder is experiencing mania. What should the
nurse prioritize?
- Provide a quiet, low-stimulation environment
• Encourage group therapy
• Teach relaxation techniques
• Offer complex activities
A quiet, low-stimulation environment reduces escalation and supports
mood stabilization.
4. A nurse suspects a client is experiencing serotonin syndrome. Which
symptom supports this?
• Bradycardia
• Hypothermia
- Muscle rigidity and confusion
• Hypotension
Serotonin syndrome presents with neuromuscular abnormalities, mental
status changes, and autonomic instability.
, 5. A client states, “I feel like life isn’t worth living anymore.” What is the
nurse’s best initial response?
- "Can you tell me more about how you're feeling?"
• "Try to think positively."
• "You have so much to live for."
• "This will pass eventually."
Open-ended questions encourage the client to express their feelings and
help assess suicide risk.
6. Which behavior is most characteristic of borderline personality
disorder?
• Grandiosity
- Fear of abandonment and unstable relationships
• Lack of empathy
• Excessive need for admiration
Individuals with borderline personality disorder often have intense and
unstable relationships with marked fear of abandonment.
7. A client has been prescribed lithium for bipolar disorder. Which
finding requires immediate intervention?
• Increased urination
- Serum lithium level of 1.9 mEq/L
• Mild hand tremors
HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE EXAM 2
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2025
1. A client with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations.
What is the nurse’s priority intervention?
• Encourage social interaction
• Provide reality-based activities
- Ask the client what the voices are saying
• Administer PRN antipsychotic medication
Understanding the content of hallucinations is critical to assess for suicidal
or homicidal ideation.
2. Which of the following medications is classified as a selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)?
• Amitriptyline
, • Phenelzine
- Sertraline
• Bupropion
Sertraline is an SSRI commonly used to treat depression and anxiety
disorders.
3. A client with bipolar disorder is experiencing mania. What should the
nurse prioritize?
- Provide a quiet, low-stimulation environment
• Encourage group therapy
• Teach relaxation techniques
• Offer complex activities
A quiet, low-stimulation environment reduces escalation and supports
mood stabilization.
4. A nurse suspects a client is experiencing serotonin syndrome. Which
symptom supports this?
• Bradycardia
• Hypothermia
- Muscle rigidity and confusion
• Hypotension
Serotonin syndrome presents with neuromuscular abnormalities, mental
status changes, and autonomic instability.
, 5. A client states, “I feel like life isn’t worth living anymore.” What is the
nurse’s best initial response?
- "Can you tell me more about how you're feeling?"
• "Try to think positively."
• "You have so much to live for."
• "This will pass eventually."
Open-ended questions encourage the client to express their feelings and
help assess suicide risk.
6. Which behavior is most characteristic of borderline personality
disorder?
• Grandiosity
- Fear of abandonment and unstable relationships
• Lack of empathy
• Excessive need for admiration
Individuals with borderline personality disorder often have intense and
unstable relationships with marked fear of abandonment.
7. A client has been prescribed lithium for bipolar disorder. Which
finding requires immediate intervention?
• Increased urination
- Serum lithium level of 1.9 mEq/L
• Mild hand tremors
