©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
NURS 525 Psych Exam 1 Questions With
Correct Answers
Mental Health is... - answer✔state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in
productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to
change and to cope with challenges
Mental Disorders are... - answer✔health conditions that are characterized by alterations in
thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress and/or impaired functioning
Mental Illness is... - answer✔term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders
Dorothea Dix - answer✔-former school teacher
-believed society was obligated to those with mental illness, moral tx of the mentally ill
-instrumental in opening 32 state hospitals, advocated shelter, nutritious food, and warm
clothing
-believed mental illness was curable - openly challenged 19th century perceptions of mental
health
Linda Richards - answer✔-first American psych nurse
-developed better nursing care in psych hospitals
-"the mentally sick should be at least as well cared for as the physically sick"
Hildegard Peplau - answer✔-"Mother of Psych Nursing"
-evolved role of psych nursing
-based clinical competence on interpersonal techniques and use of nursing process
Therapeutic Milieu - answer✔A safe and secure structured environment that facilitates the
therapeutic interaction between clients and members of the professional team.
1|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Transference - answer✔an unconscious response OF PATIENTS in which they experience
feelings and attitudes toward the nurse that were originally associated with significant figures
in their lives that may be positive or negative
Counter transference - answer✔an emotional response OF THE NURSE that is generated by the
patient's qualities that stimulate emotions based on their own personal experience that results
in behavior based that is not appropriate to the therapeutic relationship
Relationship Phases - answer✔1. Pre-interaction
2. Orientation
3. Working
4. Termination
Relationship Phases - Pre-interaction phase - answer✔prep for the encounter
Relationship Phases - Orientation Phase - answer✔what the encounter will be focused on/what
will hopefully be achieved
-create environment of trust and support
-agree on nature of the problem; assessment
-set goals
-establish a contract for intervention, expectations, and responsibilities
Relationship Phases - Working Phase - answer✔-develop skills, evaluate progress
-explore stressors
-promote the development of insight - link them to perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and actions
-translate the insights into action and change in behavior
Relationship Phases - Termination Phase - answer✔-summarize and highlight progress
-process loss
-bridge to next provider
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - answer✔-contains descriptions,
sx, and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders
-authoritative guide on diagnosis
2|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
-first published in 1952
-published by American Psychiatric Association
-provides classification and listing of officially recognized disorders
Mental Status Exam (MSE) - answer✔-part of psych interview
-psych equivalent to physical exam
-explores all areas of mental fx
-provides snapshot of the patient's mental status
-data gathered throughout the interview
-most info does not require direct questioning
MSE Components - answer✔1. Appearance & Behavior
2. Motor Activity
3. Speech
4. Mood
5. Affect
6. Thought Content
7. Thought Process
8. Perceptual Disturbances
9. Cognition
10. Abstract Thinking
11. Insight
12. Judgment
Delusions - answer✔fixed, false beliefs that cannot be corrected by logic and are not consistent
with culture and education of the patient
Hallucinations - answer✔false sensory perception experienced without stimulus; usually
experienced as oriented in the outside world and not within the mind as imagination
3|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Loose Associations - answer✔lack of a logical relationship between thoughts and ideas that
renders speech and thought inexact, vague, diffuse, and unfocused
Circumstantial - answer✔thought and speech associated with excessive and unnecessary detail
that is usually relevant to a question, and an answer is eventually provided
Tangenital - answer✔similar to circumstantial but the person never returns to the central point
and never answers the original question
Neologisms - answer✔new word or words created by the patient, often a blend of other words;
words may only have meaning to the patient
Perserveration - answer✔repeating the last word of the sentence (Ex. Nurse says, "it's time for
lunch" Patient: "lunch, lunch, lunch")
Word Salad - answer✔random words or phrases linked together in an often unintelligible
manner
Thought Broadcasting - answer✔belief that one's thoughts are being aired to the outside world
Thought Insertion - answer✔belief that thoughts are being placed in one's head by outside
people or influences
Depersonalization - answer✔the feeling of having lost self-identity & that things around the
person are different, strange, or unreal
Hypochrondriasis - answer✔somatic overconcern with and morbid attention to details of body
functioning
Ideas of Reference - answer✔incorrect interpretation of casual incidents and external events as
having direct personal references
Magical Thinking - answer✔irrational belief that one's thoughts, actions, or words will cause or
prevent a specific consequence in some way that defies commonly understood laws of causality
(Ex. I must feed the squirrels each morning or the house will burn)
Nihilistic - answer✔thoughts of nonexistence and hopelessness
Obsession - answer✔an idea, emotion, or impulse that repetitively and insistently forces itself
into consciousness although it is unwelcome
Phobia - answer✔a morbid fear associated with extreme anxiety
Insight - answer✔patient's awareness of themselves and their condition
4|Page
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
NURS 525 Psych Exam 1 Questions With
Correct Answers
Mental Health is... - answer✔state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in
productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to
change and to cope with challenges
Mental Disorders are... - answer✔health conditions that are characterized by alterations in
thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress and/or impaired functioning
Mental Illness is... - answer✔term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders
Dorothea Dix - answer✔-former school teacher
-believed society was obligated to those with mental illness, moral tx of the mentally ill
-instrumental in opening 32 state hospitals, advocated shelter, nutritious food, and warm
clothing
-believed mental illness was curable - openly challenged 19th century perceptions of mental
health
Linda Richards - answer✔-first American psych nurse
-developed better nursing care in psych hospitals
-"the mentally sick should be at least as well cared for as the physically sick"
Hildegard Peplau - answer✔-"Mother of Psych Nursing"
-evolved role of psych nursing
-based clinical competence on interpersonal techniques and use of nursing process
Therapeutic Milieu - answer✔A safe and secure structured environment that facilitates the
therapeutic interaction between clients and members of the professional team.
1|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Transference - answer✔an unconscious response OF PATIENTS in which they experience
feelings and attitudes toward the nurse that were originally associated with significant figures
in their lives that may be positive or negative
Counter transference - answer✔an emotional response OF THE NURSE that is generated by the
patient's qualities that stimulate emotions based on their own personal experience that results
in behavior based that is not appropriate to the therapeutic relationship
Relationship Phases - answer✔1. Pre-interaction
2. Orientation
3. Working
4. Termination
Relationship Phases - Pre-interaction phase - answer✔prep for the encounter
Relationship Phases - Orientation Phase - answer✔what the encounter will be focused on/what
will hopefully be achieved
-create environment of trust and support
-agree on nature of the problem; assessment
-set goals
-establish a contract for intervention, expectations, and responsibilities
Relationship Phases - Working Phase - answer✔-develop skills, evaluate progress
-explore stressors
-promote the development of insight - link them to perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and actions
-translate the insights into action and change in behavior
Relationship Phases - Termination Phase - answer✔-summarize and highlight progress
-process loss
-bridge to next provider
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - answer✔-contains descriptions,
sx, and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders
-authoritative guide on diagnosis
2|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
-first published in 1952
-published by American Psychiatric Association
-provides classification and listing of officially recognized disorders
Mental Status Exam (MSE) - answer✔-part of psych interview
-psych equivalent to physical exam
-explores all areas of mental fx
-provides snapshot of the patient's mental status
-data gathered throughout the interview
-most info does not require direct questioning
MSE Components - answer✔1. Appearance & Behavior
2. Motor Activity
3. Speech
4. Mood
5. Affect
6. Thought Content
7. Thought Process
8. Perceptual Disturbances
9. Cognition
10. Abstract Thinking
11. Insight
12. Judgment
Delusions - answer✔fixed, false beliefs that cannot be corrected by logic and are not consistent
with culture and education of the patient
Hallucinations - answer✔false sensory perception experienced without stimulus; usually
experienced as oriented in the outside world and not within the mind as imagination
3|Page
, ©BRIGHTSTARS EXAM SOLUTIONS
11/16/2024 10:16 AM
Loose Associations - answer✔lack of a logical relationship between thoughts and ideas that
renders speech and thought inexact, vague, diffuse, and unfocused
Circumstantial - answer✔thought and speech associated with excessive and unnecessary detail
that is usually relevant to a question, and an answer is eventually provided
Tangenital - answer✔similar to circumstantial but the person never returns to the central point
and never answers the original question
Neologisms - answer✔new word or words created by the patient, often a blend of other words;
words may only have meaning to the patient
Perserveration - answer✔repeating the last word of the sentence (Ex. Nurse says, "it's time for
lunch" Patient: "lunch, lunch, lunch")
Word Salad - answer✔random words or phrases linked together in an often unintelligible
manner
Thought Broadcasting - answer✔belief that one's thoughts are being aired to the outside world
Thought Insertion - answer✔belief that thoughts are being placed in one's head by outside
people or influences
Depersonalization - answer✔the feeling of having lost self-identity & that things around the
person are different, strange, or unreal
Hypochrondriasis - answer✔somatic overconcern with and morbid attention to details of body
functioning
Ideas of Reference - answer✔incorrect interpretation of casual incidents and external events as
having direct personal references
Magical Thinking - answer✔irrational belief that one's thoughts, actions, or words will cause or
prevent a specific consequence in some way that defies commonly understood laws of causality
(Ex. I must feed the squirrels each morning or the house will burn)
Nihilistic - answer✔thoughts of nonexistence and hopelessness
Obsession - answer✔an idea, emotion, or impulse that repetitively and insistently forces itself
into consciousness although it is unwelcome
Phobia - answer✔a morbid fear associated with extreme anxiety
Insight - answer✔patient's awareness of themselves and their condition
4|Page
