ATI RN
Nursing Mental Health Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 9
Which belief will best support a nurse's efforts to provide patient advocacy during a multidisciplinary patient care planning session?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Assessment findings in mental illness reflect a person's cultural patterns. This belief supports patient advocacy by recognizing the influence of culture on mental health. Step 1: Understanding cultural patterns helps nurses provide individualized care. Step 2: Cultural considerations impact assessment accuracy and treatment effectiveness. Step 3: Advocating for patients requires recognizing and respecting cultural differences in mental health. Other choices are incorrect because they oversimplify cultural influences on mental illness or make unsubstantiated claims about cross-cultural disorders.
Question 2 of 9
A group of nursing students is reviewing information about cognitive processes and the development of mental disorders. The students demonstrate a need for additional review when they identify which of the following as being involved?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Compliments. The other choices (A: Cognitive triad, B: Cognitive distortions, C: Schema) are all related to cognitive processes and the development of mental disorders, but compliments are not. Cognitive triad refers to negative thoughts about self, world, and future; cognitive distortions are irrational thought patterns; and schema are ingrained beliefs that influence perception. Compliments, in contrast, are positive statements that boost self-esteem and are not typically associated with cognitive processes leading to mental disorders. Therefore, the nursing students need additional review on this topic.
Question 3 of 9
A client is brought into the emergency department because he was involved in an automobile accident. His blood alcohol level (BAL) is 0.10 mg %. Based on this finding, the nurse would expect to assess which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Difficulty with coordination. A BAL of 0.10 mg % indicates the client is legally intoxicated. Alcohol affects the cerebellum, impairing coordination and balance. Stupor (B) suggests a higher level of intoxication. Emotional lability (C) refers to rapid and exaggerated changes in mood, which is not directly related to BAL. Ataxia (D) is a lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements, which is more severe than difficulty with coordination.
Question 4 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 5 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 6 of 9
Which belief will best support a nurse's efforts to provide patient advocacy during a multidisciplinary patient care planning session?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Assessment findings in mental illness reflect a person's cultural patterns. This belief supports patient advocacy by recognizing the influence of culture on mental health. Step 1: Understanding cultural patterns helps nurses provide individualized care. Step 2: Cultural considerations impact assessment accuracy and treatment effectiveness. Step 3: Advocating for patients requires recognizing and respecting cultural differences in mental health. Other choices are incorrect because they oversimplify cultural influences on mental illness or make unsubstantiated claims about cross-cultural disorders.
Question 7 of 9
Which person is at the highest risk for suicide?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because this individual exhibits multiple risk factors for suicide: alcohol dependence, hopelessness, impulsivity, recent rejection, and access to a gun. These factors increase the immediate risk of suicide due to the combination of emotional distress and means to carry out the act. Choice A has a plan but lacks the impulsivity and immediate means. Choice B has a history of suicide attempts but lacks the current impulsivity and availability of means. Choice D expresses a desire for death but lacks the impulsivity and immediate access to means.
Question 8 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 9 of 9
A patient undergoing diagnostic tests says, "Nothing is wrong with me except a stubborn chest col" The spouse reports the patient smokes, coughs daily, lost 15 pounds, and is easily fatigue Which defense mechanism is the patient using?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Denial. This defense mechanism involves refusing to acknowledge a stressful situation or reality. In this case, the patient is denying their serious health issues by attributing it to just a "stubborn chest cold." The patient's symptoms of smoking, daily coughing, weight loss, and fatigue indicate a more significant health concern that is being downplayed through denial. A: Displacement involves redirecting emotions from the original source to a less threatening target, not applicable here. B: Regression involves reverting to an earlier stage of development in the face of stress, not relevant to the scenario. C: Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to others, not demonstrated in this situation. In summary, denial is the most appropriate defense mechanism as it aligns with the patient's refusal to acknowledge the seriousness of their health issues.