Mental Health ATI RN

Free preview · Original latest version

Sample questions from Mental Health ATI RN

This material has 60 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.During a home visit, a client whose partner recently died says, "I keep expecting to hear the key in the door. Maybe I should just stop thinking about it." Which response best supports therapeutic communication?

   • A.Would you like me to call a family member so you are not alone?
   • B.What do you miss most about your partner?
   • C.You need to accept that your partner is gone and focus on the future.
   • D.Many people experience denial after a loss; this will pass.

   Rationale: Asking what the client misses most is an open-ended invitation to describe the loss and feelings without imposing an interpretation. Advising the client to accept the death is directive, and predicting that the experience will pass offers false reassurance. Offering to call family may be useful later, but it shifts to problem solving before exploring the client's immediate experience.

2. 2.In an adolescent clinic, a 15-year-old says, "My friends are sharing private messages I sent, and I feel so stupid." Which response is most therapeutic?

   • A.Have you tried blocking everyone involved?
   • B.I am sure your friends did not mean to hurt you.
   • C.That sounds upsetting. What has been the hardest part for you?
   • D.You should stop sending personal messages if you do not want people to share them.

   Rationale: Acknowledging the distress and inviting the adolescent to elaborate conveys empathy and keeps the focus on the client's perspective. Advising the client to stop sending messages is judgmental, while assuming the friends' intentions is unsupported reassurance. Blocking may be an option to discuss after the nurse understands the situation and the client's priorities.

3. 3.Refer to the client's chart. Which responses by the nurse use therapeutic communication with the client experiencing escalating distress? Select all that apply.

   • A.You are safe here, so there is no reason to be afraid.
   • B.I am staying with you. Tell me what feels most frightening right now.
   • C.Why did you wait until now to tell someone you were afraid?
   • D.Let's take one slow breath together; you can tell me more when you are ready.
   • E.I notice your hands are shaking. Would you like to sit with me in this quieter area?

   Rationale: Staying with the client and asking about the immediate fear offers presence and an open invitation to communicate. Naming the observed shaking and offering a quieter area is descriptive and gives the client a concrete choice; guided breathing can help reduce stimulation while preserving the client's control. Saying there is no reason to be afraid minimizes the client's experience, and asking why the client waited can sound blaming.

4. 4.At change of shift, the nurse receives report on four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?

   • A.A client who is pacing and says a voice is commanding them to jump from the second-floor window.
   • B.A client with generalized anxiety who asks to review the discharge instructions again.
   • C.A client with schizophrenia who says, "The voices are annoying," but denies commands and is eating breakfast.
   • D.A client with depression who slept poorly and requests the scheduled morning medication.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.In a long-term care facility, an older adult with moderate dementia repeatedly asks when a deceased spouse will arrive. Which response is best?

   • A.Why do you keep asking about your spouse?
   • B.Your spouse will be here soon; let's get you ready.
   • C.Your spouse died 3 years ago. You need to remember that.
   • D.You are missing your spouse. Tell me about a time you enjoyed together.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.