NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Mental Health Questions Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A client with schizophrenia exhibits loose associations. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Redirecting to a single topic helps organize the client's thoughts, improving communication.
Question 2 of 5
A client with dementia who prefers to stay in his room has been brought to the dayroom. After 10 minutes, the client becomes agitated and retreats to his room again. The nurse decides to assess the conditions in the dayroom. Which is the most likely occurrence that is disturbing to this client?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Conflicting stimuli, such as a relaxation tape and a crime show on TV, can overwhelm a client with dementia, causing agitation due to difficulty processing multiple inputs.
Question 3 of 5
A soldier is stationed in Iraq on his second tour of duty. His division was notified of the date they will be deployed to Afghanistan. As this date approaches, he is showing signs of excess anxiety and irritability and inability to sleep at night because of nightmares of IED (improvised explosive devices) tragedies, all leading to poor work performance. He is admitted to the base hospital for an evaluation. The admitting nurse should take the following actions in order of priority from first to last?
Order the Items
Source Container
Correct Answer: C, A, D, B
Rationale: The order is: 1) Remove weapons for safety (
C). 2) Remind him feelings are typical to normalize symptoms (
A). 3) Acknowledge injustices and offer empathy to build rapport (
D). 4) Ask about experiences to explore trauma (
B). Safety is the priority, followed by support and exploration.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is reviewing the laboratory report with the client's lithium level taken that morning prior to administering the 5 p.m. dose of lithium. The lithium level is 1.8 mEq/L. The nurse should:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A lithium level of 1.8 mEq/L is above the therapeutic range (0.6–1.2 mEq/L), indicating potential toxicity, so the dose should be held and the physician notified.
Question 5 of 5
At the admission interview, the father of a 4-year-old boy with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) says to the nurse, 'I know that my wife or I must have caused this disease.' Which of the following is the nurse's best response?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: This response provides accurate information, alleviating guilt while addressing the genetic component of ADHD.