ATI RN
Nursing Mental Health Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 9
A child and the child's family visit a psychiatric outpatient setting because the parent is concerned about the child's behavior at school. The child scores 65 on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. The nurse interprets this finding as which of the following?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: The child can be treated effectively as an outpatient. A GAF score of 65 indicates mild symptoms and the child is able to function adequately in most areas. The child does not require inpatient therapy (choice A) as the symptoms are not severe. There is no indication of homicidal thoughts (choice B) based on the GAF score. While the child may be struggling in some areas, the score suggests that they are functioning relatively well overall and can benefit from outpatient treatment (choice D).
Question 2 of 9
A patient who is hospitalized with depression tells the nurse, 'I don't want to take the medication because I'm afraid I'll become suicidal.' Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because it demonstrates the nurse's understanding of the patient's concerns and addresses the issue of suicidal ideation directly. By asking about suicidal thoughts, the nurse can assess the patient's risk and provide appropriate interventions. Choice B is incorrect as it dismisses the patient's fear without addressing the underlying problem. Choice C is incorrect as it validates the patient's refusal without addressing the safety concern. Choice D is incorrect as it compares the patient to another individual and does not address the specific issue of suicidal thoughts.
Question 3 of 9
A patient begins a new program to assist with building social skills. In which part of the plan of care should a nurse record the item, "Encourage patient to attend one psychoeducational group daily"?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rationale: 1. Implementation involves carrying out the plan of care. 2. Encouraging the patient to attend a group aligns with implementing the intervention. 3. Implementation focuses on executing specific interventions to achieve desired outcomes. 4. Assessment (A) is about gathering data, analysis (B) is about identifying problems, and evaluation (D) is about assessing the effectiveness of interventions.
Question 4 of 9
The plan of care for a client diagnosed with depression includes cognitive interventions. The nurse would expect to assist with which of the following?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Thought stopping. Cognitive interventions for depression aim to challenge and change negative thought patterns. Thought stopping is a technique used to interrupt and replace negative thoughts with more positive or neutral ones. This helps the client break the cycle of negative thinking associated with depression. A: Social skills training focuses on improving interpersonal interactions, not directly addressing cognitive distortions. B: Activity scheduling involves planning and engaging in activities to increase positive experiences, but it does not directly target cognitive distortions. D: Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving relationships and communication skills, rather than directly addressing cognitive distortions.
Question 5 of 9
A nurse in a provider's office is interviewing a client who is requesting an oral contraceptive. Which of the following findings in the client's history is a contraindication to using combination oral contraceptives?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Impaired liver function. Impaired liver function is a contraindication to using combination oral contraceptives due to the liver's role in metabolizing the hormones in the contraceptives. Impaired liver function can affect the metabolism of these hormones, leading to potential complications. A: Thyroid disease is not a contraindication to using combination oral contraceptives as it does not directly impact the metabolism of the hormones. B: Allergy to penicillin is not relevant to the use of oral contraceptives as they do not contain penicillin. D: Abnormal blood glucose levels are not a direct contraindication to using combination oral contraceptives unless the levels are severely uncontrolled, which would be an indication for further evaluation but not an absolute contraindication.
Question 6 of 9
An older patient tells the nurse that she is becoming more forgetful. The nurse explains to the patient that this is most likely related to which of the following?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Medications. Older patients commonly experience medication side effects that can cause memory issues. Medications like sedatives, antihistamines, and benzodiazepines can impair memory. This is a logical explanation as the patient's forgetfulness could be a result of medication-induced cognitive impairment. Explanation for other choices: A: Anxiety - While anxiety can affect memory, it is less likely to be the primary cause of cognitive decline in an older patient. B: Organic brain syndrome - This term is broad and not specific enough to pinpoint the cause of the forgetfulness in this scenario. C: Plaques in the brain tissue - Plaques are commonly associated with conditions like Alzheimer's disease, but there is no indication in the question that this patient's forgetfulness is due to this specific pathology.
Question 7 of 9
A child and the child's family visit a psychiatric outpatient setting because the parent is concerned about the child's behavior at school. The child scores 65 on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. The nurse interprets this finding as which of the following?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: The child can be treated effectively as an outpatient. A GAF score of 65 indicates mild symptoms and the child is able to function adequately in most areas. The child does not require inpatient therapy (choice A) as the symptoms are not severe. There is no indication of homicidal thoughts (choice B) based on the GAF score. While the child may be struggling in some areas, the score suggests that they are functioning relatively well overall and can benefit from outpatient treatment (choice D).
Question 8 of 9
When a nurse uses therapeutic communication with a withdrawn patient who has major depression, an effective method of managing the silence is to:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Use the technique of making observations. This is effective because it acknowledges the patient's silence and encourages them to open up without pressuring them to respond. By making observations, the nurse can reflect back what they see, hear, or sense, prompting the patient to share more. A: Meditating does not actively engage the patient or encourage communication. B: Asking questions may overwhelm the withdrawn patient and further discourage them from opening up. D: Simply sitting quietly and leaving when the patient falls asleep does not actively support the patient in engaging in therapeutic communication.
Question 9 of 9
As part of a class activity, nursing students are engaged in a small group discussion about the epidemiology of mental illness. Which statement best explains the importance of epidemiology in understanding the impact of mental disorders?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because epidemiology focuses on studying the patterns of occurrence and distribution of health-related events, including mental disorders. By analyzing factors such as prevalence, incidence, and risk factors, epidemiology helps identify trends and patterns in the occurrence of mental illnesses within populations. Understanding these patterns can lead to the development of effective prevention strategies and interventions. Choice B is incorrect because epidemiology primarily deals with population-level data and does not specifically explain neurophysiological mechanisms causing mental disorders. Choice C is incorrect as epidemiology is concerned with patterns and distribution of diseases, not theoretical explanations. Choice D is incorrect as epidemiology does not predict individual outcomes for specific clients.