Mental Health EAQs Exam Questions
And Verified Answers || Complete
Exam Questions || 100% Pass
\,What is the basic therapeutic tool used by the nurse to foster a client's psychologic coping?
1. self
2. milieu
3. helping process
4. client's intellect - Answer-✔1. self
The self is often the most important tool available to the nurse to help a client cope; to be
therapeutic, the nurse must be present, actively listening, and attentive. The environment is
important, but it is not the most basic tool. The nurse first must use the self before the helping
process can begin. The client's intellect is not generally a therapeutic tool used by the nurse.
\.A client is admitted to the emergency department after ingesting a tricyclic antidepressant in
an amount 30 times the daily recommended dose. What is the immediate treatment
anticipated by the nurse?
1. Administration of physostigmine as soon as possible
2. Closer monitoring to prevent further suicidal attempts
3. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal and support of physiologic function
4. IV administration of an anticholinergic in response to changes in vital signs - Answer-✔3.
Gastric Lavage
,Gastric lavage with charcoal may help decrease the level of tricyclic antidepressant overdose.
Supportive measures such as mechanical ventilation may be needed until the medical crisis
passes. Physostigmine salicylate was used in the past to promote improvement in
consciousness. Now its use is contraindicated because it can cause bradycardia, asystole, and
seizures in clients with tricyclic antidepressant toxicity. Prevention of suicidal behavior is always
advantageous; however, in this case immediate emergency intervention is necessary. The
acetylcholine level is depressed as a result of the tricyclic antidepressant; anticholinergics are
most effective in managing the side effects of antipsychotic and neuroleptic drugs, not tricyclic
antidepressant drugs.
\.An older depressed person at an independent living facility constantly complains about her
health problems to anyone who will listen. One day the client says, "I'm not going to any more
activities. All these old crabby people do is talk about their problems." What defense
mechanism does the nurse conclude that the client is using?
1. Projection
2. Introjection
3. somatization
3. Rationalization - Answer-✔1. Projection
The client is assigning to others those feelings and emotions that are unacceptable to herself.
Introjection is treating something outside the self as if it is inside the self. Somatization is the
unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom that has no organic cause.
Rationalization is the use of a socially acceptable logical explanation to justify personally
unacceptable material.
\.A nurse is assessing a client for the use of defense mechanisms. In the presence of which
defense mechanism does the client express emotional conflicts through motor, sensory, or
somatic disabilities?
,1. Projection
2. Conversion
3. Dissociation
4. Compensation - Answer-✔2. Conversion
The defense mechanism is called conversion because the individual reduces emotional anxiety
to a physical disability. Projection occurs when people assign their own unacceptable thoughts
and feelings to others. With dissociation there is separation of certain mental processes from
consciousness as though they belonged to another; a dissociative reaction is expressed as
amnesia, fugue, multiple personality, aimless running, depersonalization, sleepwalking, and
other behaviors. Compensation is a mechanism used to make up for a lack in one area by
emphasizing capabilities in another.
\.A client has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Which behavior supports
this diagnosis?
1. Making huge efforts to avoid "any kind of bug or spider"
2. Experiencing flashbacks to an event that involved a sexual attack
3. Spending hours each day worrying about something "bad happening"
4. Becoming suddenly tachycardic and diaphoretic for no apparent reason - Answer-✔3.
Spending hours each day worrying about something "bad happening"
Using worrying as a coping mechanism is a behavior characteristic of GAD. Experiencing an
accelerated heart rate and perfuse sweating for no apparent reason is consistent with a panic
attack. Avoiding bugs and spiders would indicate a phobia. Flashbacks to traumatic events are
characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
\.A mother and her three young children arrive at the mental health clinic. The woman says that
she is seeking help in leaving her husband. She reports that he has been beating her for years
but just started hitting the children. What is the best initial action by the nurse?
, 1. Arranging for a staff member to watch the children so the mother and nurse can talk
2. Calling a facility where the mother and her children will be safe until the crisis is resolved
3. Determining whether the mother is ambivalent about this decision before making permanent
plans
4. Suggesting that the mother and her husband return for couples counseling so the marriage
can be saved - Answer-✔1. answer
This emotionally charged topic should be discussed with the client in a confidential session;
after the nurse has assessed the situation, the woman and the nurse can plan the family's
future. Although a safe facility may be called, a determination of the client's ambivalence may
be made, and couples counseling may be recommended eventually, all three actions are
premature if a thorough assessment of the situation has not been made.
\.The nurse is scheduled to be the co-leader of a therapy group being formed in the mental
health clinic. When planning for the first meeting, it is of primary importance that the nurse
consider what?
1. Number of clients in the group
2. Needs of the clients being included
3. Diagnoses of the clients being included
4. Socioeconomic status of the clients in the group - Answer-✔2. answer
When planning a group, the nurse must ensure that clients have similar needs to promote
relationships and interactions; diverse needs do not foster group process. Although important,
the number of clients is not a primary consideration. Behavior and needs, rather than
diagnoses, are of primary importance. The socioeconomic status of the clients in the group has
little effect on group process.
And Verified Answers || Complete
Exam Questions || 100% Pass
\,What is the basic therapeutic tool used by the nurse to foster a client's psychologic coping?
1. self
2. milieu
3. helping process
4. client's intellect - Answer-✔1. self
The self is often the most important tool available to the nurse to help a client cope; to be
therapeutic, the nurse must be present, actively listening, and attentive. The environment is
important, but it is not the most basic tool. The nurse first must use the self before the helping
process can begin. The client's intellect is not generally a therapeutic tool used by the nurse.
\.A client is admitted to the emergency department after ingesting a tricyclic antidepressant in
an amount 30 times the daily recommended dose. What is the immediate treatment
anticipated by the nurse?
1. Administration of physostigmine as soon as possible
2. Closer monitoring to prevent further suicidal attempts
3. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal and support of physiologic function
4. IV administration of an anticholinergic in response to changes in vital signs - Answer-✔3.
Gastric Lavage
,Gastric lavage with charcoal may help decrease the level of tricyclic antidepressant overdose.
Supportive measures such as mechanical ventilation may be needed until the medical crisis
passes. Physostigmine salicylate was used in the past to promote improvement in
consciousness. Now its use is contraindicated because it can cause bradycardia, asystole, and
seizures in clients with tricyclic antidepressant toxicity. Prevention of suicidal behavior is always
advantageous; however, in this case immediate emergency intervention is necessary. The
acetylcholine level is depressed as a result of the tricyclic antidepressant; anticholinergics are
most effective in managing the side effects of antipsychotic and neuroleptic drugs, not tricyclic
antidepressant drugs.
\.An older depressed person at an independent living facility constantly complains about her
health problems to anyone who will listen. One day the client says, "I'm not going to any more
activities. All these old crabby people do is talk about their problems." What defense
mechanism does the nurse conclude that the client is using?
1. Projection
2. Introjection
3. somatization
3. Rationalization - Answer-✔1. Projection
The client is assigning to others those feelings and emotions that are unacceptable to herself.
Introjection is treating something outside the self as if it is inside the self. Somatization is the
unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom that has no organic cause.
Rationalization is the use of a socially acceptable logical explanation to justify personally
unacceptable material.
\.A nurse is assessing a client for the use of defense mechanisms. In the presence of which
defense mechanism does the client express emotional conflicts through motor, sensory, or
somatic disabilities?
,1. Projection
2. Conversion
3. Dissociation
4. Compensation - Answer-✔2. Conversion
The defense mechanism is called conversion because the individual reduces emotional anxiety
to a physical disability. Projection occurs when people assign their own unacceptable thoughts
and feelings to others. With dissociation there is separation of certain mental processes from
consciousness as though they belonged to another; a dissociative reaction is expressed as
amnesia, fugue, multiple personality, aimless running, depersonalization, sleepwalking, and
other behaviors. Compensation is a mechanism used to make up for a lack in one area by
emphasizing capabilities in another.
\.A client has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Which behavior supports
this diagnosis?
1. Making huge efforts to avoid "any kind of bug or spider"
2. Experiencing flashbacks to an event that involved a sexual attack
3. Spending hours each day worrying about something "bad happening"
4. Becoming suddenly tachycardic and diaphoretic for no apparent reason - Answer-✔3.
Spending hours each day worrying about something "bad happening"
Using worrying as a coping mechanism is a behavior characteristic of GAD. Experiencing an
accelerated heart rate and perfuse sweating for no apparent reason is consistent with a panic
attack. Avoiding bugs and spiders would indicate a phobia. Flashbacks to traumatic events are
characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
\.A mother and her three young children arrive at the mental health clinic. The woman says that
she is seeking help in leaving her husband. She reports that he has been beating her for years
but just started hitting the children. What is the best initial action by the nurse?
, 1. Arranging for a staff member to watch the children so the mother and nurse can talk
2. Calling a facility where the mother and her children will be safe until the crisis is resolved
3. Determining whether the mother is ambivalent about this decision before making permanent
plans
4. Suggesting that the mother and her husband return for couples counseling so the marriage
can be saved - Answer-✔1. answer
This emotionally charged topic should be discussed with the client in a confidential session;
after the nurse has assessed the situation, the woman and the nurse can plan the family's
future. Although a safe facility may be called, a determination of the client's ambivalence may
be made, and couples counseling may be recommended eventually, all three actions are
premature if a thorough assessment of the situation has not been made.
\.The nurse is scheduled to be the co-leader of a therapy group being formed in the mental
health clinic. When planning for the first meeting, it is of primary importance that the nurse
consider what?
1. Number of clients in the group
2. Needs of the clients being included
3. Diagnoses of the clients being included
4. Socioeconomic status of the clients in the group - Answer-✔2. answer
When planning a group, the nurse must ensure that clients have similar needs to promote
relationships and interactions; diverse needs do not foster group process. Although important,
the number of clients is not a primary consideration. Behavior and needs, rather than
diagnoses, are of primary importance. The socioeconomic status of the clients in the group has
little effect on group process.
