A nurse is caring for a patient with a mental health disorder. Which approach best supports therapeutic care?

Adopt a neutral attitude when providing care

Check on the patient throughout the day for brief interactions

Discuss the patient’s feelings with an authorized individual

Share personal mental health information with the patient

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A reason: A neutral attitude in psychiatric nursing maintains professional boundaries and objectivity, preventing bias or emotional entanglement. This fosters a therapeutic environment, allowing patients to express feelings without judgment, aligning with principles of therapeutic communication and mental health care, making this the correct choice.

Choice B reason: Brief check-ins, while useful, may not provide the depth needed for therapeutic care in mental health settings. Consistent, meaningful engagement is more effective for building trust and addressing complex emotional needs, making this approach less optimal compared to maintaining neutrality.

Choice C reason: Discussing a patient’s feelings with another individual risks breaching confidentiality unless authorized by the patient or legally required. This violates ethical standards in mental health care, which prioritize privacy, making this approach non-therapeutic and incorrect for supporting patient care.

Choice D reason: Sharing personal mental health information blurs professional boundaries, potentially shifting focus from the patient’s needs to the nurse’s experiences. This undermines therapeutic communication and objectivity, risking patient trust and care quality, making this approach inappropriate and incorrect.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Basic-level nurses, such as LPNs or RNs, can teach coping skills, a standard intervention within their scope. This involves education on stress management, aligning with psychiatric nursing roles to support patient and family well-being, making this the correct choice.

Choice B reason: Treating major depressive disorder requires advanced skills, like prescribing or managing complex therapies, which is beyond a basic-level nurse’s scope. This is typically reserved for advanced practice nurses or physicians, making this choice incorrect.

Choice C reason: Prescribing antidepressants is restricted to advanced practice nurses or physicians, not basic-level nurses. This task involves medical decision-making outside the scope of RNs or LPNs, making it unsafe and inappropriate, thus incorrect.

Choice D reason: Assessing suicide risk requires advanced clinical judgment, often reserved for advanced practice nurses or psychiatrists. While basic-level nurses can observe and report, formal assessment exceeds their scope, making this choice incorrect for their role.

A. A health care provider gives a telephone order B. A peer fails to provide patient care due to being under the influence of alcohol C. A team member violates relationship boundaries with a patient D. A medication is prescribed by a licensed health care provider

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: A provider giving a telephone order is a standard practice in healthcare, not inherently requiring reporting unless the order is unsafe. It does not indicate negligence or ethical violations, unlike impaired practice or boundary issues, making it incorrect for mandatory intervention and reporting.

Choice B reason: A peer under the influence of alcohol compromises patient safety due to impaired judgment and coordination, a serious ethical and professional violation. Nurses are obligated to report such behavior to protect patients, aligning with nursing ethics and safety protocols, making this a correct choice.

Choice C reason: Violating relationship boundaries with a patient, such as inappropriate personal interactions, breaches ethical standards and risks patient harm. Nurses must report this to ensure patient safety and maintain professional integrity, aligning with mental health care ethics, making this a correct choice.

Choice D reason: A licensed provider prescribing medication is a routine clinical action, not requiring reporting unless the prescription is unsafe or inappropriate. This choice does not inherently indicate a need for intervention, unlike impaired practice or boundary violations, making it incorrect.

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A nurse is caring for a patient with a mental health disorder. Which approach best supports therapeutic care?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Which tasks are safe and appropriate to be performed by a basic-level nurse for a patient suffering from mental illness?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

In which situations would a nurse have the duty to intervene and report? (Select all that apply)

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A patient tells the nurse, "I don’t think I’ll ever get out of here." Select the nurse’s most therapeutic response.

Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness?

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Transference is best described as which of the following?

Which scenario best depicts a behavioral crisis?

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A nurse is caring for a client who states, "I don’t belong here." Which response is most appropriate?