ATI RN
Proctored ATI Mental Health Questions
Question 1 of 5
Which technique will best communicate to a patient that the nurse is interested in listening?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Restating a feeling or thought the patient has expressed. This technique, known as reflective listening, shows active listening and empathy towards the patient. By restating the patient's feelings or thoughts, the nurse demonstrates understanding and encourages further communication. This approach validates the patient's emotions and promotes a therapeutic relationship.
Choice B (Asking a direct question) may come off as interrogative and can feel less empathetic.
Choice C (Making a judgment) can be perceived as dismissive or critical, hindering open communication.
Choice D (Saying "I understand what you're saying") may seem insincere unless followed by specific examples of understanding.
Question 2 of 5
April, a 10-year-old admitted to inpatient pediatric care, has been getting more and more wound up and is losing self-control in the day room. Time-out does not appear to be an effective tool for April to engage in self-reflection. April's mother admits to putting her in time-out up to 20 times a day. The nurse recognizes that:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because the scenario indicates that time-out is no longer effective for April. The fact that April's mother puts her in time-out up to 20 times a day suggests overuse, leading to desensitization. This renders time-out ineffective as a therapeutic tool. April's increasing agitation and lack of self-control despite time-outs indicate the need for a different approach.
Choices A and C are incorrect because they assume time-out is still effective, which contradicts the scenario.
Choice D is incorrect as seclusion and restraint should only be considered as a last resort due to ethical and safety concerns.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is preparing to assess a client with a paranoid personality trait. The nurse integrates knowledge of this condition, anticipating that the client's affect and behavior will most likely be which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Angry and hostile. Individuals with paranoid personality traits often exhibit suspiciousness, mistrust, and a tendency to interpret others' actions as hostile or malevolent. This can lead to feelings of anger and hostility towards others. This affect and behavior align with the characteristics commonly seen in individuals with paranoid personality traits.
Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because paranoid individuals are not typically flirtatious, seductive, fearful, anxious, friendly, or open in their interactions due to their underlying suspicious and mistrustful nature.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse makes a home visit to a family caring for a client with Alzheimer's disease. The client's wife tells the nurse that she hasn't been out of the house for more than 2 weeks because her sister has been unable to help her care for the client. Which nursing diagnosis would the nurse identify as the priority?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Caregiver Role Strain related to social isolation. The priority nursing diagnosis addresses the wife's current state of distress due to social isolation, which can impact her ability to provide care for the client. This diagnosis directly addresses her feelings of being overwhelmed and unable to fulfill her caregiving role effectively. In contrast, option A focuses on family coping, which is secondary to the wife's immediate need for support. Option B is not as relevant since it does not address the wife's emotional and psychological stress. Option D refers to the client's emotional state rather than the wife's, making it less of a priority in this scenario.
Question 5 of 5
The impulse control spectrum can begin in childhood and continue on into adulthood, often morphing into criminal behaviors. Working with patients diagnosed with these disorders, the best examples of expressed emotion by the nursing staff are:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Low to prevent emotional reactions. When working with patients with impulse control disorders, it is crucial for nursing staff to maintain low expressed emotion levels to prevent triggering emotional reactions in the patients. High emotional expression can exacerbate the patients' symptoms and lead to escalated behaviors. Matching the patient's emotions (
B) can also be risky as it may inadvertently validate or reinforce maladaptive behaviors. Being flat (
C) without any emotional output can be perceived as cold and uncaring, hindering the therapeutic relationship. High expression (
D) may overwhelm the patient and hinder therapeutic progress.
Therefore, maintaining low emotional reactions is the most effective approach to support patients with impulse control disorders.