1.The nurse is preparing to conduct a mental status examination with a patient.

Which areas
will the nurse include when assessing the patient's appearance and behavior? (Select all
that apply.)
A) Level of consciousness
B) Posture
C) Articulation of words
D) Facial expressions
E) Orientation

2.What will the nurse use to assess a patient's attention? (Select all that apply.)
A) Number list
B) Calculations
C) Serial 7s
D) Proverbs
E) Spelling backward

3.During a health history, a patient tells the nurse about having pain that has lasted for
longer than 6 weeks. What action should the nurse make at this time?
A) Begin high-yield screening questions.
B) Conduct a mental health screening.
C) Document the information.
D) Ask what medication is used for relief.

4.A patient tells the nurse not to bother with an assessment since the patient's symptoms are
hopeless. This information will cause the nurse to use which type of assessment?
A) Mental health screening
B) Appearance and behavior
C) Thought and perceptions
D) High-yield screening questions

5.During a health history, the nurse notes that an older patient answers common questions
inappropriately. What should the nurse assess to obtain more information about this
finding?
A) Mood
B) Thought processes
C) Aphasia
D) Abstract thinking

6.While conducting a mental status history, the nurse notes that the patient is articulate,
makes spontaneous comments, and speaks at a normal rate. For which section of the
history is this information important?
A) Appearance and behavior
B) Mood
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C) Thoughts and perceptions
D) Speech and language

7.An older patient is demonstrating mental status changes. Which question would the nurse
use for a mini-mental state examination of this patient?
A) What is the date?
B) What are the parts of a watch?
C) Do you think that life is not worth living?
D) What do you think is wrong?

8.When conducting a mental health examination, for what should the nurse carefully assess
as signs of depression in an older, recently widowed patient? (Select all that apply.)
A) Sleep disorder
B) Difficulty making decisions
C) Anhedonia
D) Family violence
E) Firearms in the home

9.A patient is concerned that the spouse is planning to commit suicide. What can the nurse
respond to this patient?
A) People who commit suicide do not regularly see a physician.
B) Two-thirds of attempted suicides are unsuccessful.
C) A chronic illness is the most reliable indicator for a suicide attempt.
D) Firearms in the home and substance abuse are risk factors.

10.The nurse is documenting the findings from a mental status examination. After stating the
patient's appearance and behavior, what should the nurse document next?
A) Loss of short-term memory
B) Appears sad
C) Articulate
D) Feeling that doctors are drug pushers

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Answer Key

1.A, B, D
2.A, C, E
3.B
4.D
5.C
6.D
7.A
8.A, B, C
9.D
10.C

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