ATI RN Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Test Bank
2026 | NCLEX-RN MCQs with Correct Answers
1.A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an advanced
practice nurse to perform which additional intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments.
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. Establish therapeutic relationships.
d. Individualize nursing care plans. - Correct answer b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
2.A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical nursing
skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient
ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring
equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical
nurses do. That appeals to me." - Correct answer b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am
challenged by those situations."
3.When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with
mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to
the legislation. Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
,d. Evidence-based practice - Correct answer c. Advocacy
4.A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. Which family
member's comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change." - Correct answer c.
"I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
5.Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental
illness? The patient:
a. reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - Correct answer b.
reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
6.Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved for an adult patient? The patient
a. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
d. seeks help from others when assuming responsibility for major areas of own life. - Correct
answer a. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
7.A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form.
Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
,a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - Correct answer c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
8.A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource
would have the most complete information?
a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) -
Correct answer b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
9.Which individual is demonstrating the highest level of resilience? One who
a. is able to repress stressors.
b. becomes depressed after the death of a spouse.
c. lives in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. takes a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job. - Correct
answer d. takes a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job.
10.Complete this analogy. NANDA: clinical judgment: NIC: _________________
a. patient outcomes
b. nursing actions
c. diagnosis
d. symptoms - Correct answer b. nursing actions
, 11.An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have learned that
what I get out of something is proportional to the effort I put into it." Which number on this
mental health continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness: 1, 2
Mental Health: 3, 4, 5
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5 - Correct answer e. 5
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
a. Epilepsy
b. Schizophrenia
c. Running amok
d. Major depressive disorder - Correct answer c. Running amok
The DSM-V classifies:
a. deviant behaviors.
b. present disability or distress.
c. people with mental disorders.
d. mental disorders people have. - Correct answer d. mental disorders people have.
A citizen at a community health fair asks the nurse, "What is the most prevalent mental disorder
in the United States?" Select the nurse's correct response.
a. Schizophrenia
2026 | NCLEX-RN MCQs with Correct Answers
1.A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an advanced
practice nurse to perform which additional intervention?
a. Conduct mental health assessments.
b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
c. Establish therapeutic relationships.
d. Individualize nursing care plans. - Correct answer b. Prescribe psychotropic medication.
2.A nursing student expresses concerns that mental health nurses "lose all their clinical nursing
skills." Select the best response by the mental health nurse.
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient
ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve
multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring
equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical
nurses do. That appeals to me." - Correct answer b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex
communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am
challenged by those situations."
3.When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons diagnosed with
mental illness, a group of nurses write letters to their elected representatives in opposition to
the legislation. Which role have the nurses fulfilled?
a. Recovery
b. Attending
c. Advocacy
,d. Evidence-based practice - Correct answer c. Advocacy
4.A family has a long history of conflicted relationships among the members. Which family
member's comment best reflects a mentally healthy perspective?
a. "I've made mistakes but everyone else in this family has also."
b. "I remember joy and mutual respect from our early years together."
c. "I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
d. "It's best for me to move away from my family. Things will never change." - Correct answer c.
"I will make some changes in my behavior for the good of the family."
5.Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental
illness? The patient:
a. reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.
b. reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
c. is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
d. perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs. - Correct answer b.
reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.
6.Which finding best indicates that the goal "Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior" was
achieved for an adult patient? The patient
a. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
b. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.
c. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.
d. seeks help from others when assuming responsibility for major areas of own life. - Correct
answer a. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.
7.A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patient's admission form.
Which resource should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?
,a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)
b. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
d. A behavioral health reference manual - Correct answer c. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
8.A nurse wants to find a description of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders. Which resource
would have the most complete information?
a. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
c. The ANA's Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
d. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) -
Correct answer b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
9.Which individual is demonstrating the highest level of resilience? One who
a. is able to repress stressors.
b. becomes depressed after the death of a spouse.
c. lives in a shelter for 2 years after the home is destroyed by fire.
d. takes a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job. - Correct
answer d. takes a temporary job to maintain financial stability after loss of a permanent job.
10.Complete this analogy. NANDA: clinical judgment: NIC: _________________
a. patient outcomes
b. nursing actions
c. diagnosis
d. symptoms - Correct answer b. nursing actions
, 11.An adult says, "Most of the time I'm happy and feel good about myself. I have learned that
what I get out of something is proportional to the effort I put into it." Which number on this
mental health continuum should the nurse select?
Mental Illness: 1, 2
Mental Health: 3, 4, 5
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5 - Correct answer e. 5
Which disorder is an example of a culture-bound syndrome?
a. Epilepsy
b. Schizophrenia
c. Running amok
d. Major depressive disorder - Correct answer c. Running amok
The DSM-V classifies:
a. deviant behaviors.
b. present disability or distress.
c. people with mental disorders.
d. mental disorders people have. - Correct answer d. mental disorders people have.
A citizen at a community health fair asks the nurse, "What is the most prevalent mental disorder
in the United States?" Select the nurse's correct response.
a. Schizophrenia
