RN Mental Health Online Practice 2026 a

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Sample questions from RN Mental Health Online Practice 2026 a

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.A client in an outpatient clinic says, "My family would be better off without me." Which response by the nurse is most therapeutic?

   • A."Are you thinking about killing yourself?"
   • B."You have a lot to live for, so try to focus on the positive."
   • C."I know exactly how you feel; my family has had problems too."
   • D."Why do you think your family would be better off without you?"

   Rationale: Asking directly about suicide is therapeutic and helps assess immediate safety; it does not increase suicidal thoughts. Focusing on the positive can minimize the client's distress, asking why may sound judgmental, and sharing personal experiences shifts attention away from the client. When a client makes a statement suggesting hopelessness, assess suicidal thoughts directly.

2. 2.During a home visit, a client with schizophrenia says, "The neighbors implanted a transmitter in my wall to monitor me." Which response should the nurse make?

   • A."You are mistaken; your neighbors cannot monitor you through a wall."
   • B."I will ask your neighbors to explain why they installed it."
   • C."What did you do that made your neighbors want to monitor you?"
   • D."That sounds frightening. I do not hear a transmitter, but I can see that you feel watched."

   Rationale: The nurse acknowledges the client's fear without agreeing with or reinforcing the delusion, and presents reality in a nonconfrontational way. Telling the client they are mistaken can provoke defensiveness, asking what the client did implies blame, and contacting neighbors as if the delusion were true reinforces it. Acknowledge the emotion while neutrally stating the nurse's perception of reality.

3. 3.Refer to the client's chart. Which responses should the nurse use when the client reports hearing a voice that is not present? Select all that apply.

   • A."You seem frightened. Would you like to sit with me in a quieter area?"
   • B."What is the voice saying to you right now?"
   • C."I do not hear a voice, but I understand that you hear one."
   • D."The voice is probably your neighbor trying to frighten you."
   • E."There is no voice, so stop talking about it."

   Rationale: Stating that the nurse does not hear the voice presents reality without dismissing the client's experience, and asking what it says assesses content and potential safety concerns. Offering a quieter area and supportive presence addresses distress; attributing the voice to a neighbor reinforces a possible delusion, while telling the client to stop is dismissive. Assess hallucination content and respond to the client's feelings without validating the hallucination.

4. 4.At change of shift, a client with anxiety says, "I cannot catch my breath, and something terrible is going to happen." The client's oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. Which response is best initially?

   • A."I will leave you alone until you feel calmer."
   • B."Tell me what happened just before you started feeling this way."
   • C."There is nothing wrong with your breathing, so you can relax."
   • D."You should take slow breaths and stop thinking about frightening things."

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A parent of a 4-year-old in a community clinic says, "I feel like a terrible parent because I get so angry when my child has tantrums." Which response best uses reflection?

   • A."What does your partner think about your parenting?"
   • B."All parents become angry sometimes, so do not worry about it."
   • C."You feel guilty about how you react to the tantrums."
   • D."You should use a time-out every time your child has a tantrum."

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.