ELITE COMPREHENSIVE
CRISIS AND DISASTER NURSING IN
PSYCHIATRIC–MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
THEORYPSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
Comprehensive Crisis Suicide and Violence Risk and
Emergency Intervention Strategies
ATI • HESI HIGH-YIELD ADVANCED MASTER REVIEW
Spring Semester Examination May 2026
A patient comes to the crisis clinic after an unexpected job termination. The patient
paces around the room sobbing, cringes when approached, and responds to questions
with only shrugs or monosyllables. Choose the nurse's best initial comment to this
patient.
a.
"Everything is going to be all right. You are here at the clinic, and the staff will keep you
safe."
b.
"I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help you feel better."
c.
"You need to try to stop crying and pacing so we can talk about your problems."
d.
"Let's set some guidelines and goals for your visit here."
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, • ANS: B
• A crisis exists for this patient. The two primary thrusts of crisis
intervention are to provide for the safety of the individual and use
anxiety-reduction techniques to facilitate use of inner resources. The
nurse offers therapeutic presence, which provides caring, ongoing
observation relative to the patient's safety, and interpersonal
reassurance.
A patient being seen in the clinic for superficial cuts on both wrists is pacing and
sobbing. After a few minutes, the patient is calmer. The nurse attempts to determine the
patient's perception of the precipitating event by asking:
a.
"Tell me why you were crying."
b.
"How did your wrists get injured?"
c.
"How can I help you feel more comfortable?"
d.
"What was happening just before you started to feel this way?"
• ANS: D
• A clear definition of the immediate problem provides the best
opportunity to find a solution. Asking about recent upsetting events
permits assessment of the precipitating event. "Why" questions are
non-therapeutic.
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, A patient comes to the crisis center saying, "I'm in a terrible situation. I don't know what
to do." The triage nurse can initially assume that the patient is:
a.
suicidal.
b.
anxious and fearful.
c.
misperceiving reality.
d.
potentially homicidal.
• ANS: B
• Individuals in crisis are universally anxious. They are often frightened
and may be mildly confused. Perceptions are often narrowed with
anxiety.
An adolescent comes to the crisis clinic and reports sexual abuse by an uncle. The
adolescent told both parents about the uncle's behavior, but the parents did not believe
the adolescent. What type of crisis exists?
a.
Maturational
b.
Adventitious
c.
Situational
3|Page
CRISIS AND DISASTER NURSING IN
PSYCHIATRIC–MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE
THEORYPSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
Comprehensive Crisis Suicide and Violence Risk and
Emergency Intervention Strategies
ATI • HESI HIGH-YIELD ADVANCED MASTER REVIEW
Spring Semester Examination May 2026
A patient comes to the crisis clinic after an unexpected job termination. The patient
paces around the room sobbing, cringes when approached, and responds to questions
with only shrugs or monosyllables. Choose the nurse's best initial comment to this
patient.
a.
"Everything is going to be all right. You are here at the clinic, and the staff will keep you
safe."
b.
"I see you are feeling upset. I'm going to stay and talk with you to help you feel better."
c.
"You need to try to stop crying and pacing so we can talk about your problems."
d.
"Let's set some guidelines and goals for your visit here."
1|Page
, • ANS: B
• A crisis exists for this patient. The two primary thrusts of crisis
intervention are to provide for the safety of the individual and use
anxiety-reduction techniques to facilitate use of inner resources. The
nurse offers therapeutic presence, which provides caring, ongoing
observation relative to the patient's safety, and interpersonal
reassurance.
A patient being seen in the clinic for superficial cuts on both wrists is pacing and
sobbing. After a few minutes, the patient is calmer. The nurse attempts to determine the
patient's perception of the precipitating event by asking:
a.
"Tell me why you were crying."
b.
"How did your wrists get injured?"
c.
"How can I help you feel more comfortable?"
d.
"What was happening just before you started to feel this way?"
• ANS: D
• A clear definition of the immediate problem provides the best
opportunity to find a solution. Asking about recent upsetting events
permits assessment of the precipitating event. "Why" questions are
non-therapeutic.
2|Page
, A patient comes to the crisis center saying, "I'm in a terrible situation. I don't know what
to do." The triage nurse can initially assume that the patient is:
a.
suicidal.
b.
anxious and fearful.
c.
misperceiving reality.
d.
potentially homicidal.
• ANS: B
• Individuals in crisis are universally anxious. They are often frightened
and may be mildly confused. Perceptions are often narrowed with
anxiety.
An adolescent comes to the crisis clinic and reports sexual abuse by an uncle. The
adolescent told both parents about the uncle's behavior, but the parents did not believe
the adolescent. What type of crisis exists?
a.
Maturational
b.
Adventitious
c.
Situational
3|Page
