ATI LPN
Test Bank for Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice
Chapter 18 : Stress and Mental Health Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse has completed an assessment of a patient who is experiencing significant stress. The assessment revealed intense anger and acting out behaviors along with statements of negative emotions. Which nursing diagnosis would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Intense anger, acting out, and negative emotions indicate ineffective coping, as the patient struggles to manage stress adaptively. Disturbed thought processes, low self-esteem, and hopelessness may be present but are less directly tied to the described behaviors.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is conducting an assessment of a patient?s social network. Which of the following would the nurse assess? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A,B,C,D,E
Rationale: Assessing a social network includes size (
A), benefits (
B), support providers (
C), interconnectedness (
D), and potential service needs (E), as these provide a comprehensive view of the network?s structure and function.
Question 3 of 5
After teaching a group of students about appraisal and the stress response, the instructor determines that additional teaching is needed when the students identify which of the following as part of the primary appraisal?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Primary appraisal involves evaluating the relevance (
A), consistency with values (
B), and personal commitment (
C) to a stressor. Outcome explanation (
D) is part of secondary appraisal, assessing coping options, indicating a need for further teaching.
Question 4 of 5
While leading a student class presentation about general adaptation syndrome and its stages, which of the following would the student describe as the final stage?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In Selye?s general adaptation syndrome, the final stage is exhaustion, where resources are depleted if stress persists. Perception of a threat, coping mechanisms, and physiologic response occur earlier in the alarm and resistance stages.
Question 5 of 5
When describing the concept of allostatic load to a group of students, which of the following would the instructor identify as abnormalities of which of the following as indicative of the overall changes?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Allostatic load reflects cumulative stress effects, often shown through abnormal laboratory test results (e.g., cortisol, inflammatory markers). Nuclear imaging, bone radiographs, and cardiac studies are less directly indicative of stress-related changes.