ATI RN
ATI Proctored Mental Health Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is performing an admission assessment. The patient complains that it has been taking larger and larger amounts of medication to get the desired effect. Based on this information, the nurse interprets this as suggesting which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B:
Tolerance.
Tolerance refers to the body's reduced response to a drug over time, necessitating higher doses to achieve the same effect. In this scenario, the patient needing larger amounts of medication to achieve the desired effect indicates tolerance development. Desensitization (
A) refers to reduced response due to receptor downregulation. Therapeutic index (
C) is the ratio of a drug's effective dose to its toxic dose.
Toxicity (
D) is the harmful effects of a drug at excessive doses.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is pulled from a medical/surgical floor to the psychiatric unit. Which of the following clients would the nurse manager assign to this nurse? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because a nurse with a background in medical/surgical care would likely have experience managing chronically depressed clients, who may require a more general medical approach.
Choices B, C, and D involve more specialized psychiatric care, such as managing active psychosis, paranoid thinking, or personality disorders, which may require specific psychiatric training and interventions beyond the nurse's medical/surgical expertise.
Therefore, assigning a nurse to care for a chronically depressed client aligns with their skill set and minimizes the risk of inadequate care or potential harm to clients with more acute psychiatric needs.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse caring for a withdrawn, suspicious patient recognizes development of feelings of anger toward the patient. The nurse should
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because discussing the anger with a clinician during a supervisory session allows the nurse to process and understand their emotions in a professional setting. This approach promotes self-awareness, reflection, and potential strategies for managing emotions constructively.
Choice A (suppressing anger) can lead to unresolved feelings impacting patient care.
Choice B (expressing anger openly) can harm the therapeutic relationship.
Choice C (asking to reassign the patient) avoids addressing the underlying issue and may not be feasible in all situations.
Question 4 of 5
Marco, age 83, has dementia and difficulty feeding himself despite the fact that there is nothing wrong with his motor functions. Which term should the nurse use to document this finding?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Apraxia. Apraxia is the inability to perform purposeful movements despite the absence of motor or sensory impairment. In this case, Marco is experiencing difficulty feeding himself despite intact motor functions, indicating apraxia.
A: Aphasia is the loss of ability to understand or express speech, which is not the case here.
C: Agnosia is the inability to recognize objects or people, which is not relevant to Marco's situation.
D: Disinhibition anergia is not a recognized term in the context of this question.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is assessing a group of patients on an inpatient psychiatric unit. The patient's history for which of the following would the nurse identify as the strongest indicator of risk for violence?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D, violent behavior. This is the strongest indicator of risk for violence because past behavior is a significant predictor of future behavior. Patients with a history of violent behavior are more likely to exhibit violent tendencies in the future. Assessing for this history allows the nurse to implement appropriate interventions to prevent harm to self or others.
Incorrect
Choices:
A: Panic disorder - Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks and is not directly associated with an increased risk of violence.
B: Problematic anxiety - While anxiety can contribute to agitation and irritability, it is not as strong of an indicator for violence compared to a history of violent behavior.
C: Somatoform disorder - Somatoform disorder involves physical symptoms with no identifiable medical cause and is not typically associated with an increased risk of violence.