Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Exam Questions and Answers, Exams of Nursing

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NUR 448,325, 3500 PrepU PSYCHIATRIC AND MENTAL HEALTH NURSING EXAM BANK NEWEST 2025 (MARKING SCHEME)

An elderly patient pays all the household bills because she fears that her family will make her live elsewhere if she doesn't "help out." The nurse assesses the situation as which of the following? a. Neglect b. Physical violence c. Psychological abuse d. Economic abuse - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. Economic abuse A child diagnosed with autism will demonstrate impaired development in which of the following? a. Adhering to routines b. Playing with other children c. Swallowing and chewing d. Eye-hand coordination - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. Playing with other children Not criminally responsible under Canadian Criminal Code is determined by which factors? a. If the accused has a mental illness. b. If the accused is unable to judge the nature of the crime. c. If the accused has just cause for the crime. d. If the accused can sustain socially acceptable behaviour for 30 days. - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. If the accused is unable to judge the nature of the crime.

When a patient is encouraged to talk with others who have had similar problems, the nurse is suggesting what type of group? a. Cognitive-behavioural group b. Time-limited group c. Support group d. Milieu group - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---c. Support group True or false: Narcan (Naloxone) is a synthetic opioid - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---False. Naloxone reverses the effects of synthetic opioids (i.e. morphine or heroin) What is quetiapine (Seroquel)? - -- CORRECT ANSWER --- Atypical antipsychotic. An antagonist of dopamine and serotonin What is clozapine (Clozaril)? - -- CORRECT ANSWER --- Atypical antipsychotic. An antagonist of dopamine and serotonin What is aripiprazole (Abilify)? - -- CORRECT ANSWER --- Atypical antipsychotic. An antagonist of dopamine and serotonin What is olanzapine (Zyprexa)? - -- CORRECT ANSWER --- Atypical antipsychotic. An antagonist of dopamine and serotonin

What influenced de-institutionalization in Canadian mental healthcare? - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---Influenced by developments in psychopharmacology, concerns about civil rights of people with mental illness, cost containment, and research revealing negative impacts of institutionalization. What are side effects of anti-cholinergic medications? - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---Dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention. What are symptoms of serotonin syndrome? - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---Cognitive (confusion, agitation), autonomic (hypothermia, diaphoresis, hypertension), and somatic (increased reflexes, rigidity, and tremors). What kind of medications are citalopram (Celexa), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Cipralex/Lexapro)? - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---SSRIs Which statement best describes the DSM-5? a. It is a medical psychiatric assessment system. b. It is a compendium of treatment modalities. c. It offers a complete list of nursing diagnoses. d. It suggests common interventions for mental disorder - -

• CORRECT ANSWER ---a. It is a medical psychiatric assessment system.

Asylum-based training programs began in the late 1800s in Canada. What was the rationale for initiating psychiatric nursing training? a. There were greater needs for custodial care b. Changes in treatment approaches meant greater needs for nursing care and assistance c. The early feminist movement advocated for career training for women and girls d. The moral treatment era meant that early psychotherapy strategies were desired in asylum settings - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. Changes in treatment approaches meant greater needs for nursing care and assistance. A cognitive therapist would help a patient restructure the thought "I am stupid!" to... a. "What I did was stupid." b. "I am not as smart as others." c. "Things usually go wrong for me." d. "Things like this should not happen to anyone. - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. "What I did was stupid." Treatment of mental illnesses with psychotropic drugs is directed at which of the following? a. Altering brain neurochemistry b. Correcting brain anatomical defects c. Regulating social behaviours

d. Staff provide frequent and ongoing negative feedback to patients. - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. It provides for the patient's safety and comfort. Which attribute would be least helpful for a community mental health nurse to have? a. Autonomy b. Reactive manner c. Non-judgemental attitude d. Ability to cross service systems - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. Reactive manner Which ethical principle refers to the individual's right to make his or her own decisions? a. Beneficence b. Autonomy c. Veracity d. Fidelity - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. Autonomy The mental status examination aids in the collection of what type of data? a. Covert b. Physical c. Objective d. Subjective - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---c. Objective

Which of the following is an example of an action that is acceptable in a social relationship but not in a therapeutic relationship? a. Giving advice b. Listening actively c. Clarifying feelings d. Giving positive regard - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. Giving advice To help a patient develop his or her resources, the nurse must first be aware of which of the following? a. The patient's strengths b. Negative transferences c. Counter-transferences d. Resistances - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. The patient's strengths One of the possible sources of boundary violations is placing the focus on which of the following? a. Meeting the nurse's needs b. Identifying patient disturbances c. Assessing the patient's ego strength d. Assessing the patient's weaknesses - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. Meeting the nurse's needs What therapeutic communication technique is the nurse using by asking a newly admitted patient, "Can you tell me

b. A recurrent, persistent thought or impulse. c. An intense irrational fear of an object or situation. d. A recurrent behaviour performed in the same manner. - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. A recurrent, persistent thought or impulse. Which of the following is the primary purpose of performing a physical examination before beginning treatment for any anxiety disorder? a. Protect the nurse legally b. Establish the nursing diagnosis of priority c. Obtain information about the patient's psychosocial background d. Determine whether the anxiety is primary or secondary in origin - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. Determine whether the anxiety is primary or secondary in origin Which of the following is an important question to ask during the assessment of a patient diagnosed with anxiety disorder? a. "How often do you hear voices?" b. "Have you ever considered suicide?" c. "How long has your memory been bad?" d. "Do your thoughts always seem jumbled?" - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. "Have you ever considered suicide?"

Inability to leave one's home because of avoidance of severe anxiety suggests which of the following anxiety disorders? a. Panic attacks with agoraphobia b. Obsessive-compulsive disorder c. Post-traumatic stress response d. Generalized anxiety disorder - -- CORRECT ANSWER --

• a. Panic attacks with agoraphobia A new psychiatric nursing assistant mentions to the nurse, "Depression seems to be a disorder of old people. All the depressed patients on the unit are older than 60 years." Which of the following replies by the nurse clarifies the prevalence of this disorder? a. "That is a good observation. Depression does mostly strike people older than 50 years." b. "Depression is seen in people of all ages, from childhood to old age." c. "Depression is most often seen among the middle adult age group." d. "The age of onset for most depressive episodes is given as 18 years." - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. "Depression is seen in people of all ages, from childhood to old age." When the clinician mentions that a patient has anhedonia, what can the nurse expect about the patient? a. The patient has poor retention of recent events. b. The patient experienced a weight loss from anorexia.

*Cyclothymia is a relatively mild mood disorder. Moods swing between short periods of mild depression and hypomania, an elevated mood. The low and high mood swings never reach the severity or duration of major depressive or full mania episodes. Which behaviour would be most characteristic of a patient during a manic episode? a. Going rapidly from one activity to another b. Taking frequent rest periods and naps during the day c. Being unwilling to leave home to see other people d. Watching others intently and talking little - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. Going rapidly from one activity to another Which of the following would be assessed as a negative symptom of schizophrenia? a. Anhedonia b. Hostility c. Agitation d. Hallucinations - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. Anhedonia Which of the following is a subjective symptom the nurse would expect to note during assessment of a patient with anorexia nervosa? a. Lanugo b. Hypotension c. 25-lb weight loss

d. Fear of gaining weight - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. Fear of gaining weight Which problem is NOT considered a causative agent in delirium? a. Elevated blood urea nitrogen levels b. Infection c. Anticholinergic drugs d. Antibiotic therapy - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. Antibiotic therapy What is the usual progression of Alzheimer's disease? a. A single, short episode followed by years of normal function b. Recurring remissions and exacerbations c. Progressive deterioration d. There is no usual progression - -- CORRECT ANSWER - --c. Progressive deterioration A patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease looks confused when the phone rings and cannot recall many common household objects by name, such as a pencil or glass. The nurse can document this loss of function as which of the following? a. Apraxia b. Agnosia c. Aphasia d. Anhedonia - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. Agnosia

a. The use of a substance beyond acceptable societal norms b. The additive effects achieved by taking two drugs with similar actions c. The signs and symptoms that occur when an addictive substance is withheld d. The need to take larger amounts of a substance to achieve the same effects - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. The need to take larger amounts of a substance to achieve the same effects Benzodiazepines are useful for treating alcohol withdrawal because they do which of the following? a. Block cortisol secretion b. Increase dopamine release c. Decrease serotonin availability d. Exert a calming effect - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---d. Exert a calming effect Which of the following symptoms would signal opioid withdrawal? a. Rhinorrhea, chills, fever, and muscle aches b. Illusions, disorientation, tachycardia, and tremors c. Fatigue, lethargy, sleepiness, and convulsions d. Synesthesia, depersonalization, and hallucinations - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---a. Rhinorrhea, chills, fever, and muscle aches

Which of the following is an example of a somatic symptom disorder? a. Depersonalization b. Dissociative fugue c. Conversion disorder d. Dissociative identity disorder - -- CORRECT ANSWER --

• c. Conversion disorder Which disorder is characterized by the patient's misinterpretation of physical sensations or feelings? a. Somatic disorder b. Factitious disorder c. Illness anxiety disorder d. Conversion disorder - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---c. Illness anxiety disorder Which is the greatest protective factor against the risk of suicide? a. One or more previous suicide attempts b. A sense of responsibility to family, including spouse and children c. Fear of dying d. A cultural belief that suicide is a shameful resolution for a dilemma - -- CORRECT ANSWER ---b. A sense of responsibility to family, including spouse and children Which of the following is a useful assessment tool for nurses in rating suicide risk?