2023 VATI Mental Health Online Practice Exam A &
B New Latest Version Updated 2025 with All
Questions and Answers
The nurse awakens a client on the inpatient psychiatric unit for breakfast. The client replies, "Do
you realize it's Sunday? I've worked hard here all week and this is my day of rest. I'll get up at
11:30." Which would be the nurse's best response? ----------- Correct Answer ----------- -Let me
know if you change your mind...
A nurse is caring for four clients who are displaying the use of defense mechanisms. Which of
the following clients should the nurse identify as using a maladaptive defense mechanism?
a. a client who has multiple sclerosis stops taking her medication and says her diagnosis is wrong
b. an adolescent client who has difficulty with reading becomes a star athlete.
c. a client admires a high school principal who separated two students who were having a fight
d. a client who has a gambling disorder volunteers in a head start program ----------- Correct
Answer ---------- a. a client who has multiple sclerosis stops taking her medication and says her
diagnosis is wrong
-Suppression is the blocking of thoughts or feelings that a client finds unacceptable. Denying the
presence of an illness is a maladaptive use of a defense mechanism
A nurse is participating in group therapy for clients who have major depressive disorder. Which
of the following topics should the nurse include in the orientation phase of group therapy?
a. confidentiality
b. developing goals
c. problem solving
d. identifying the roles of group members ----------- Correct Answer ---------- a. confidentiality
-The nurse should establish the expectations of confidentiality during the orientation phase of
group therapy
A nurse is assisting in the morning hygiene care of a client who is cognitively impaired. Which
of the following statements should the nurse make?
a. "Let me help you get your toothbrush."
b. "Do you want to take a bath or brush your teeth first?"
c. "Do you need help brushing your teeth?"
d. "Let me inspect the inside of your mouth to see if your teeth are clean." ----------- Correct
Answer ---------- a. "Let me help you get your toothbrush."
-A client who is cognitively impaired needs guidance in performing ADLs and should be given
one simple task at a time
A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia and a prescription for haloperidol. The nurse
should identify that which of the following findings indicates a potential need for a PRN dose of
benztropine?
a. sore throat
b. increased mental confusion
,c. urinary retention
d. shuffling gait ----------- Correct Answer ---------- d. shuffling gait
-The nurse should identify that a shuffling gait can b indicative of the presence of
pseudoparkinsonism, which can be treated with a PRN dose of benztropine
A nurse is caring for a client who states that she does not want to go to physical therapy after
having a below-the-knee amputation. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
a. "Are you afraid that physical therapy will hurt?"
b. "What are your feelings about going to physical therapy?"
c. "I know you'll make the right decision about going to physical therapy."
d. "You will feel better after going to physical therapy." ----------- Correct Answer ---------- b.
"What are your feelings about going to physical therapy?"
-The nurse should ask the client open-ended questions because they are therapeutic and allow the
client to further discuss her feelings.
A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who has an anxiety disorder. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse recommend be included in the plan?
a. help the client to identify situations that trigger his anxiety.
b. change the subject when the client has anxious feelings.
c. give detailed explanations of available activities
d. encourage the client to determine his own daily schedules ----------- Correct Answer ----------
a. help the client to identify situations that trigger his anxiety.
-The nurse should assist the client in identifying trigger situations to interrupt anxiety escalation
in the future
A nurse is collecting data from a client who is experiencing severe anxiety. Which of the
following manifestations should the nurse expect?
a. increased salivation
b. sighing
c. bradycardia
d. urinary retention ----------- Correct Answer ---------- b. sighing
-The nurse should identify that a client who has severe anxiety can display respiratory
manifestations, including sighing, constriction of the chest, and dyspnea
A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Which of
the following actions should the nurse take prior to the procedure? ---------- Correct Answer ------
---- Administer atropine sulfate IM.
A nurse is collecting data from a client who has bipolar disorder and a history of mania. Which
of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication that the client is relapsing? ---
------- Correct Answer ---------- Pressured speech
The nurse should identify that rapid or pressured speech, provocative behavior, and insomnia are
indications of potential relapse in a client who has bipolar disorder and a history of mania.
A nurse is reinforcing teaching about food that contains tyramine with a client who has a
prescription for phenelzine. Which of the following foods should the nurse instruct the client to
The licensed practical nurse is assisting the registered nurse in admitting a client with an
exacerbation of schizophrenia and knows that which signs/symptoms displayed by the client are
considered positive symptoms? Select all that apply. ----------- Correct Answer ----------- -
Hallucinations
-Delusions
-Neologisms
The nurse is caring for a client with an eating disorder and knows that which signs/symptoms
indicate that the client is dealing with anorexia nervosa? Select all that apply. ----------- Correct
Answer ----------- -Lanugo
-Amenorrhea
The nurse caring for a client who has been diagnosed with stage 3 Alzheimer's disease should
expect to observe which behaviors in this client? Select all that apply. ----------- Correct Answer -
---------- -Misplacing a valuable object
-Difficulty coming up with the right word
The nurse is educating a community group about risk factors for suicide and knows a member
needs further teaching when which criteria are chosen as risk factors? Select all that apply. -------
---- Correct Answer ----------- -Age less than 32 years
-Practicing a religion
-Married over 10 years
A licensed practical nurse (LPN) is caring for a client with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The
LPN observes behaviors indicative of paranoia and reports these observations to the registered
nurse (RN). The LPN assists the RN in developing a plan of care for the client and suggests
inclusion of which intervention in the plan of care? ----------- Correct Answer ----------- Avoid
joking or laughing in the presence of the client.
During a conversation with a depressed client on a psychiatric unit, the client says to the nurse,
"My family would be better off without me." The nurse should make which therapeutic response
to the client? ----------- Correct Answer ----------- You sound very upset. Are you thinking...
An adolescent who has been reported for drawing sexually explicit scenes in her school
textbooks says to the psychiatric nurse, "I just felt like it." Which response is therapeutic for the
nurse to make in order to assess abuse-related symptoms? ----------- Correct Answer ----------- I
am concerned about you. Are you...
A client with a potential for violence is exhibiting agitated behavior. The client is using
aggressive gestures and making belligerent comments to the other clients and is pacing
continually in the hallway. The nurse is considering seclusion and restraints for this client even
though staffing is lacking for close supervision and direct observation. Which are some
contraindications to seclusion and restraints without close supervision and observation? Select all
that apply. ----------- Correct Answer ----------- -Severe
, -Extremeley
-Desire for
-Delirium
-Severe drug reactions...
The nurse notices a "paranoid stare" during a conversation with the client diagnosed with
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The client then begins to fidget and gets up to pace around
the room. Which action by the nurse would be most beneficial? ----------- Correct Answer --------
--- Share the observation with the client and help the client recognize his or her feelings.
The nurse on a behavioral health unit is having a therapeutic discussion with a client and
recognizes that which communication techniques would be nontherapeutic? Select all that apply.
----------- Correct Answer ----------- -Minimizing
-Changing
-Asking
The nurse is assigned to assist in the care of a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The nurse should place priority on which action when planning care for this client? -----------
Correct Answer ----------- Establish a trusting nurse-client relationship.
The nurse is caring for a client in the acute manic stage of bipolar disorder and plans to use
which interventions to assist in maintaining a safe environment? Select all that apply. -----------
Correct Answer ----------- -Provide
-Decrease
-Restrict
The nurse is assisting in admitting a client with schizophrenia to an acute-care inpatient
psychiatric unit from the emergency department; however, the client refuses admission. Which
intervention should the nurse implement? ----------- Correct Answer ----------- Help the client
with problem solving.
A client who is experiencing suicidal thoughts says to the nurse, "It just doesn't seem to be worth
it anymore. Why not just end it all?" Which initial nursing response is appropriate? -----------
Correct Answer ----------- "What do you mean by that?"
While discharge planning for a female teenager with anorexia nervosa, the nurse suggests that
the teenager attends a meeting of the local chapter of the National Association of Anorexia
Nervosa and Associated Disorders. Which responses by the teenager indicate that she will likely
be compliant with this suggestion? Select all that apply. ----------- Correct Answer ----------- -I'm
going to do whatever...
-I'll go and participate...
A client on the mental health unit is exhibiting distancing and does not speak to his/her family or
visitors. Which are some other adverse relationship patterns? Select all that apply. -----------
Correct Answer ----------- -Cutoffs
-Conflict
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller qualityexamshut. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $27.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
