Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition Test Bank

Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 8th Edition Concepts of Care in Evidence-
Based Practice 8th Edition Morgan Townsend Test Bank

Chapter 1. Mental Health and Mental Illness
Multiple Choice
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing occasional feelings of sadness because of the
recent death of a beloved pet. The clients appetite, sleep patterns, and daily routine have not
changed. How should the nurse interpret the clients behaviors?
1. The clients behaviors demonstrate mental illness in the form of depression.
2. The clients behaviors are extensive, which indicates the presence of mental illness.
3. The clients behaviors are not congruent with cultural norms.
4. The clients behaviors demonstrate no functional impairment, indicating no mental illness.
ANS: 4
Rationale: The nurse should assess that the clients daily functioning is not impaired. The client
who experiences feelings of sadness after the loss of a pet is responding within normal
expectations. Without significant impairment, the clients distress does not indicate a mental
illness.
Cognitive Level: Analysis
Integrated Process: Assessment
2. At what point should the nurse determine that a client is at risk for developing a mental
illness?
1. When thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are not reflective of the DSM-5 criteria.
2. When maladaptive responses to stress are coupled with interference in daily functioning.
3. When a client communicates significant distress.
4. When a client uses defense mechanisms as ego protection.
ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should determine that the client is at risk for mental illness when responses
to stress are maladaptive and interfere with daily functioning. The DSM-5 indicates that in order
to be diagnosed with a mental illness, daily functioning must be significantly impaired. The
clients ability to communicate distress would be considered a positive attribute.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Assessment
3. A nurse is assessing a set of 15-year-old identical twins who respond very differently to stress.
One twin becomes anxious and irritable, and the other withdraws and cries. How should the
nurse explain these different stress responses to the parents?
1. Reactions to stress are relative rather than absolute; individual responses to stress vary.
2. It is abnormal for identical twins to react differently to similar stressors.
3. Identical twins should share the same temperament and respond similarly to stress.
4. Environmental influences to stress weigh more heavily than genetic influences.

ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should explain to the parents that, although the twins have identical DNA,
there are several other factors that affect reactions to stress. Mental health is a state of being that
is relative to the individual client. Environmental influences and temperament can affect stress
reactions.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Implementation
4. Which client should the nurse anticipate to be most receptive to psychiatric treatment?
1. A Jewish, female social worker.
2. A Baptist, homeless male.
3. A Catholic, black male.
4. A Protestant, Swedish business executive.
ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should anticipate that the client of Jewish culture would place a high
importance on preventative health care and would consider mental health as equally important as
physical health. Women are also more likely to seek treatment for mental health problems than
men.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Planning
5. A psychiatric nurse intern states, This clients use of defense mechanisms should be eliminated.
Which is a correct evaluation of this nurses statement?
1. Defense mechanisms can be appropriate responses to stress and need not be eliminated.
2. Defense mechanisms are a maladaptive attempt of the ego to manage anxiety and should
always be eliminated.
3. Defense mechanisms, used by individuals with weak ego integrity, should be discouraged and
not eliminated.
4. Defense mechanisms cause disintegration of the ego and should be fostered and encouraged.
ANS: 1
Rationale: The nurse should determine that defense mechanisms can be appropriate during times
of stress. The client with no defense mechanisms may have a lower tolerance for stress, thus
leading to anxiety disorders. Defense mechanisms should be confronted when they impede the
client from developing healthy coping skills.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Evaluation
6. During an intake assessment, a nurse asks both physiological and psychosocial questions. The
client angrily responds, Im here for my heart, not my head problems. Which is the nurses best
response?
1. Its just a routine part of our assessment. All clients are asked these same questions.
2. Why are you concerned about these types of questions?
3. Psychological factors, like excessive stress, have been found to affect medical conditions.
4. We can skip these questions, if you like. It isnt imperative that we complete this section.

ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should attempt to educate the client on the negative effects of excessive
stress on medical conditions. It is not appropriate to skip physiological and psychosocial
questions, as this would lead to an inaccurate assessment.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Implementation
7. An employee uses the defense mechanism of displacement when the boss openly disagrees
with suggestions. What behavior would be expected from this employee?
1. The employee assertively confronts the boss.
2. The employee leaves the staff meeting to work out in the gym.
3. The employee criticizes a coworker.
4. The employee takes the boss out to lunch.
ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should expect that the client using the defense mechanism displacement
would criticize a coworker after being confronted by the boss. Displacement refers to
transferring feelings from one target to a neutral or less-threatening target.
Cognitive Level: Analysis
Integrated Process: Assessment
8. A fourth-grade boy teases and makes jokes about a cute girl in his class. This behavior should
be identified by a nurse as indicative of which defense mechanism?
1. Displacement
2. Projection
3. Reaction formation
4. Sublimation
ANS: 3
Rationale: The nurse should identify that the boy is using reaction formation as a defense
mechanism. Reaction formation is the attempt to prevent undesirable thoughts from being
expressed by expressing opposite thoughts or behaviors. Displacement refers to transferring
feelings from one target to another. Rationalization refers to making excuses to justify behavior.
Projection refers to the attribution of unacceptable feelings or behaviors to another person.
Sublimation refers to channeling unacceptable drives or impulses into more constructive,
acceptable activities.
Cognitive Level: Application
Integrated Process: Assessment
9. Which nursing statement about the concept of neurosis is most accurate?
1. An individual experiencing neurosis is unaware that he or she is experiencing distress.
2. An individual experiencing neurosis feels helpless to change his or her situation.
3. An individual experiencing neurosis is aware of psychological causes of his or her behavior.
4. An individual experiencing neurosis has a loss of contact with reality.
ANS: 2
Rationale: The nurse should define the concept of neurosis with the following characteristics: