Chapter 01: Mental Health and Mental Illness

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A staff nurse completes orientation to a psychiatric unit. This nurse may expect an advanced practice nurse

to perform which additional intervention?

a. Conduct mental health assessments. c. Establish therapeutic relationships.

b. Prescribe psychotropic medication. d. Individualize nursing care plans.

ANS: B

In most states, prescriptive privileges are granted to masters-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken

special courses on prescribing medication. The nurse prepared at the basic level is permitted to perform mental

health assessments, establish relationships, and provide individualized care planning.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

REF: 15 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation

MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment

2. When a nursing student expresses concerns about how mental health nurses lose all their nursing skills, the

best response by the mental health nurse is:

a. Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient ratios must

be better because of the nature of the patients problems.

b. Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve

multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations.

c. Thats a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring equipment and

manage complex intravenous therapies.

d. Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical nurses do. That appeals to me.

ANS: B

The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing, though there

is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients with medical as well as mental health

problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in

psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not

just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and suffering.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

REF: 10 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation

MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment

3. When a new bill introduced in Congress reduces funding for care of persons with mental illness, a group of

Test Bank - Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (8th Edition) 2

nurses writes letters to their elected representatives in opposition to the legislation. Which role have the nurses

fulfilled?

a. Recovery c. Advocacy

b. Attending d. Evidence-based practice

ANS: C

An advocate defends or asserts anothers cause, particularly when the other person lacks the ability to do that

for self. Examples of individual advocacy include helping patients understand their rights or make decisions. On a community scale, advocacy includes political activity, public speaking, and publication in the interest of

improving the human condition. Since funding is necessary to deliver quality programming for persons with

mental illness, the letter- writing campaign advocates for that cause on behalf of patients who are unable to

articulate their own needs.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

REF: 16 TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation

MSC: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment

4. Which comment best indicates that a patient perceived the nurse was caring? My nurse:

a. always asks me which type of juice I want to help me swallow my medication.

b. explained my treatment plan to me and asked for my ideas about how to make it better.

c. spends time listening to me talk about my problems. That helps me feel like I am not alone.

d. told me that if I take all the medicines the doctor prescribes, then I will get discharged sooner.

ANS: C

Caring evidences empathetic understanding as well as competency. It helps change pain and suffering into a

shared experience, creating a human connection that alleviates feelings of isolation. The distracters give

examples of statements that demonstrate advocacy or giving advice.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

REF: 7 TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation

MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity

5. Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness? The

patient:

a. reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety.

b. reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.

c. is able to describe the difference between as if and for real.

Test Bank - Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (8th Edition) 3

d. perceives difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.

ANS: B

The correct response describes a mood alteration, which reflects mental illness. The distracters describe

behaviors that are mentally healthy or within the usual scope of human experience.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

REF: 2 TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment

MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity

6. Which finding best indicates that the goal Demonstrate mentally healthy behavior was achieved? A patient:

a. sees self as capable of achieving ideals and meeting demands.

b. behaves without considering the consequences of personal actions.

c. aggressively meets own needs without considering the rights of others.

d. seeks help from others when assuming responsibility for major areas of own life.

ANS: A

The correct response describes an adaptive, healthy behavior. The distracters describe maladaptive behaviors.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

REF: 2 TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation

MSC: Client Needs: Psychosocial Integrity

7. A nurse encounters an unfamiliar psychiatric disorder on a new patients admission form. Which resource

should the nurse consult to determine criteria used to establish this diagnosis?

a. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)

b. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

c. A behavioral health reference manual

d. Wikipedia

ANS: B

The DSM-5 gives the criteria used to diagnose each mental disorder. The distracters may not contain diagnostic

criteria for a psychiatric illness.

PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)