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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

Mental Health Nursing Quiz: Check Your Core Knowledge

Quick, free psychiatric nursing quiz with instant results and answer explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Kustaman HadiUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art style nurse holding brain and clipboard quiz icons mental health theories on sky blue background

Use this mental health nursing quiz to check key concepts in assessment, safety, and therapeutic communication, then review answers to learn fast. For more exam-style practice, try the rn learning system mental health final. Brush up on therapy basics with a cbt quiz, or widen your foundation with a psychology quiz.

Which component is NOT part of a standard mental status examination (MSE)?
Judgment and insight
Fund of knowledge
Thought content
Cranial nerve II visual field mapping
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A patient says, "The TV is sending me secret codes." What is the most therapeutic initial response?
Why would the TV pick you for codes?
I do not see messages, but I can tell this feels real to you. Can we talk about what you are feeling right now?
We will turn off the TV so the codes stop.
That is not true; the TV cannot send codes.
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Which medication is first-line for acute panic attacks in an emergency setting when nonpharmacologic methods fail?
Propranolol
Lorazepam
Buspirone
Sertraline
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Which side effect requires immediate medical evaluation when a patient is taking clozapine?
Mild sialorrhea
Fever and sore throat
Increased appetite
Constipation
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Which of the following most strongly indicates a high acute suicide risk?
A specific plan with available means
History of anxiety disorder
Recent initiation of antidepressant therapy
Chronic insomnia
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In motivational interviewing, which response best aligns with the technique of rolling with resistance?
Provide immediate advice and a change plan
Reflect ambivalence and invite the patient to explore pros and cons
Warn of consequences to elicit compliance
Confront inconsistencies directly to prompt change
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Which sign most clearly differentiates neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) from serotonin syndrome?
Autonomic instability
Hyperthermia
Lead-pipe rigidity with markedly elevated CK
Altered mental status
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Which laboratory test must be monitored regularly for a patient taking valproate for mood stabilization?
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Serum calcium
Serum creatinine
Liver function tests and platelets
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Which communication technique is most therapeutic for a highly anxious patient with rapid speech?
Match the patient's speech rate to build rapport
Ask multiple-choice questions to speed up responses
Avoid silence to prevent escalation
Use short, simple sentences in a calm, low-tone voice
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Which intervention is priority during alcohol withdrawal with a CIWA-Ar score indicating moderate to severe withdrawal?
Encourage intense exercise to reduce tremors
Administer as-needed benzodiazepines per protocol
Start antipsychotics to prevent hallucinations
Restrict fluids to prevent hyponatremia
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Which nursing action is correct for a patient on clozapine who is admitted to a smoke-free hospital?
No monitoring changes are needed
Expect clozapine levels to decrease due to nicotine patch
Reduce clozapine due to nicotine patch induction
Monitor for increased clozapine levels because cigarette smoke induction will stop
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Which intervention is appropriate for akathisia caused by antipsychotics?
Increase antipsychotic dose
Administer flumazenil
Add propranolol as first-line
Start lithium
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Which statement best describes duty to warn/protect consistent with Tarasoff principles?
Confidentiality always overrides threats
Providers may need to breach confidentiality to protect identifiable victims from credible threats
It applies only to inpatient units
Only law enforcement can act on threats
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Which lab value indicates holding clozapine and notifying the prescriber in the general population?
ANC 900/µL
ANC 5000/µL
ANC 1400/µL
ANC 2600/µL
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Which is the most appropriate first action when you suspect elder abuse in a dependent adult?
Discharge the patient to reduce risk
Ensure immediate safety and follow mandatory reporting laws
Wait for proof before reporting
Confront the suspected abuser immediately on the unit
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Which is the best nursing action when a patient refuses an antipsychotic but lacks decision-making capacity and is a danger to self?
Call family to persuade the patient to comply
Force medication without legal process
Discharge the patient AMA
Follow emergency medication protocols and obtain appropriate legal authorization
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Which finding most strongly indicates refeeding syndrome risk in a patient with severe malnutrition?
Elevated creatinine
Hypermagnesemia after feeds
Hyperkalemia on admission
Hypophosphatemia after initiation of nutrition
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Which intervention is most appropriate for a patient with severe catatonia?
Intensive psychoeducation sessions
Frequent group therapy
Administer lorazepam challenge and consider ECT if needed
High-dose stimulants
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Which strategy best prevents and manages staff splitting on a psychiatric unit?
Assign conflicting limits to test adherence
Allow individual staff to make exceptions as needed
Let the most liked staff make all decisions
Hold regular team meetings for consistent communication and unified plans
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Which action is appropriate when a patient with opioid use disorder is in moderate withdrawal per COWS?
Initiate buprenorphine per protocol when COWS threshold is met and monitor
Give full agonist opioids PRN indefinitely
Withhold all medications to avoid dependence
Administer naltrexone immediately
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Psychiatric Nursing Fundamentals -

    Through targeted psychiatric nursing questions, you'll grasp essential mental health nursing concepts that form the foundation of patient care.

  2. Differentiate Levels of Prevention in Mental Health -

    Identify and distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies to enhance psychiatric nursing interventions.

  3. Recall Key Psychological Theories -

    Apply knowledge of major theories such as Freud's psychoanalysis and Skinner's behaviorism to answer mental health nursing questions effectively.

  4. Analyze Clinical Scenarios -

    Use critical thinking skills to interpret patient case studies and respond accurately to psychiatric nursing quiz items.

  5. Evaluate Your Quiz Performance -

    Assess your strengths and identify areas for improvement in psychiatric nursing fundamentals with instant quiz feedback.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Mental Status Examination (MSE) -

    The MSE is the backbone of psychiatric nursing questions, guiding your observations of appearance, behavior, speech, mood, thought processes, cognition, and insight (APA, DSM-5). Practicing a standardized approach helps you spot subtle changes - note if speech is pressured or affect is flat. Use the "ABCT" mnemonic (Appearance, Behavior, Cognition, Thought) to structure your assessment quickly.

  2. Levels of Prevention in Mental Health -

    Understanding primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention is key for mental health nursing questions and tailored care (CDC). Primary prevention promotes resilience through community education, secondary focuses on early detection like suicide risk screening, and tertiary aims to reduce relapse with ongoing support. Remember "P-E-T" (Prevent, Evaluate, Treat) to keep interventions clear in crisis planning.

  3. Therapeutic Communication Techniques -

    Effective communication is tested frequently in psychiatric nursing trivia - practice the SOLER mnemonic: Sit squarely, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye contact, Relax (Egan, 2014). Mirroring, open-ended questions, and reflective listening foster trust during anxiety-provoking assessments. Role-play scenarios to build confidence before tackling real-world mental health nursing questions.

  4. Key Psychological Theories -

    Freud's structural model (id, ego, superego), Erikson's eight psychosocial stages, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs often pop up on quizzes (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2018). For defense mechanisms, try the "DR P Frued" mnemonic: Denial, Repression, Projection, etc. Linking theory to case examples (e.g., regression under stress) cements your recall.

  5. Psychopharmacology Basics -

    Know major drug classes - SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, antipsychotics - and their side-effect profiles for mental health nursing questions (NIMH). For instance, watch for serotonin syndrome with SSRIs and EPS with first-generation antipsychotics. A quick chart outlining onset, black-box warnings, and key labs (e.g., lithium levels) can be your go-to study aid.

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