ATI RN
Mental Health Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
How would a nurse differentiate a client diagnosed with a social phobia from a client diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder (SPD)?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The key difference between a client diagnosed with social phobia and a client diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder (SPD) lies in their patterns of avoiding interactions. Clients with social phobia typically avoid interactions only in social settings where they fear judgment or negative evaluation. On the other hand, clients with SPD tend to avoid interactions in all areas of life, not just limited to social settings. This fundamental difference in the scope of avoidance behavior helps nurses differentiate between the two diagnoses.
Question 2 of 5
A college student is unable to take a final examination because of severe test anxiety. Instead of studying, the student relieves stress by attending a movie. Which priority nursing diagnosis should a campus nurse assign for this client?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nursing diagnosis of "Altered coping R/T anxiety" is the most suitable option for the college student in this scenario. The student's coping mechanism of avoiding the final examination due to severe test anxiety and choosing to attend a movie instead indicates an ineffective way of dealing with stress and anxiety. The altered coping mechanism is evident in the student's inability to face the source of anxiety (the exam) and resorting to avoidance behavior. By identifying and addressing the altered coping pattern, the nurse can help the student develop more effective coping strategies to manage and reduce anxiety in future challenging situations. Noncompliance, ineffective role performance, and powerlessness are not the primary issues in this case compared to the altered coping mechanism resulting from anxiety.
Question 3 of 5
A client is newly diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and spends 45 minutes folding clothes and rearranging them in drawers. Which nursing intervention would best address this clients problem?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The most appropriate nursing intervention to address the client's obsessive-compulsive behavior of folding clothes and rearranging them in drawers for an extended period is to discuss the anxiety-provoking triggers that precipitate the ritualistic behaviors. By identifying and understanding the triggers that lead to the compulsive behavior, the client and the healthcare team can work on more effective coping strategies and interventions to manage the anxiety and reduce the compulsive behaviors. This approach focuses on addressing the root cause of the behavior rather than just attempting to distract or control the client's actions. Additionally, this intervention promotes communication, self-awareness, and collaborative problem-solving between the client and the healthcare team to promote long-term management of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Question 4 of 5
A client has the following symptoms: preoccupation with imagined defect, verbalizations that are out of proportion to actual physical abnormalities, and numerous visits to plastic surgeons to seek relief. Which nursing diagnosis would best describe the problems evidenced by these symptoms?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The symptoms described in the client, such as preoccupation with imagined defect, verbalizations out of proportion to actual physical abnormalities, and numerous visits to plastic surgeons, are indicative of a disturbed body image. The client's perception of their physical appearance is distorted, leading to a preoccupation with perceived flaws and seeking multiple interventions to alleviate this distress. The nursing diagnosis of Disturbed body image is appropriate in this case as it reflects the client's altered self-perception and negative feelings related to their physical appearance. Ineffective coping, complicated grieving, and panic anxiety may also be present but are not the primary concern based on the symptoms provided.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is discussing treatment options with a client whose life has been negatively impacted by claustrophobia. The nurse would expect which of the following behavioral therapies to be most commonly used in the treatment of phobias? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.