ATI RN
Mental Health Nursing ATI Exam Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient is fearful of riding on elevators. The therapist first rides an escalator with the patient. The therapist and patient then stand in an elevator with the door open for 5 minutes and later with the elevator door closed for 5 minutes. Which technique has the therapist used?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Systematic desensitization. This technique involves exposing the patient gradually to the feared stimulus (elevator) in a controlled manner to reduce fear response. By starting with riding an escalator and then gradually progressing to standing in an elevator with the door open and closed, the therapist is helping the patient build up tolerance and reduce fear through systematic exposure. A: Classic psychoanalytic therapy focuses on exploring unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences, not directly addressing phobias through systematic exposure. C: Rational emotive therapy involves challenging irrational beliefs and is not focused on exposure to feared stimuli. D: Biofeedback involves monitoring and controlling physiological responses, not directly addressing phobias through exposure.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse, client, and family meet to discuss the client's discharge. During the meeting, the client speaks and makes eye contact only with family. From a cultural perspective, how might the nurse interpret this behavior?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: The client has respect for members of the health-care team. Rationale: 1. In some cultures, making direct eye contact with authority figures, like healthcare professionals, can be seen as a sign of respect. 2. By making eye contact only with the family, the client might be showing deference and respect towards the healthcare team. 3. This behavior suggests that the client values the input and presence of the healthcare team in the decision-making process. 4. Choices A, B, and C do not align with the behavior described and are not supported by the cultural perspective of respect and communication.
Question 3 of 5
After teaching a class about the biochemical theories associated with panic disorder, the instructor determines a need for additional teaching when the students identify which neurotransmitter as being implicated?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Dopamine. In the context of panic disorder, serotonin and norepinephrine are typically implicated due to their roles in regulating mood and anxiety. GABA is involved in inhibiting neurotransmission, thus helping to reduce anxiety. Dopamine, however, is not directly associated with panic disorder and its dysregulation is more commonly linked to disorders like schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, if students identify dopamine as being implicated in panic disorder, it indicates a need for additional teaching to correct this misconception and emphasize the roles of serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA instead.
Question 4 of 5
During assessment, a patient tells the nurse that he follows Buddhist beliefs. The nurse would integrate understanding of which of the following when developing the patient's plan of care?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Step 1: Buddhism teaches that desire is the root cause of suffering (dukkha). Step 2: By understanding this core belief, the nurse can tailor the care plan to address the patient's desires and potential sources of suffering. Step 3: Integrating this understanding will help the nurse support the patient in reducing attachments and finding inner peace. Step 4: Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not align with Buddhist beliefs and principles, which emphasize the cessation of desires and ego rather than self-indulgence, present unhappiness, or salvation through faith and humility.
Question 5 of 5
A client is admitted to the mental health unit because she was found trying to inject diluted feces into her hospitalized child's intravenous line. The client has a history of similar attempts of harming the child. The nurse would most likely suspect which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. This is a form of abuse where the caregiver fabricates or induces illness in someone under their care to gain attention or sympathy. In this scenario, the client's repeated attempts to harm the child for attention align with this syndrome. The other options do not fit the situation: A (Schizoid personality traits) doesn't involve intentional harm, C (Functional neurologic symptoms) is not related to fabricating illness in another, and D (Borderline personality disorder) doesn't typically involve this specific type of behavior.