Below are sample questions from this exam to help you understand the content and format.
Q1: A team of nurses wants to integrate evidence-based practice into a facility's clinical pathways. Which step should the team implement first?
Answer Choices:
A. Ask questions to identify clinical problems.
B. Acquire findings from published literature.
C. Apply the research findings to clinical practice.
D. Assess the performance of clinical practices.
Correct Answer: Ask questions to identify clinical problems.
Rationale:
The first step in evidence-based practice (EBP) is to formulate a clinical question that identifies a specific problem or need. This is often done using a structured format like PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). Without clearly identifying the problem, the subsequent steps of acquiring, appraising, and applying evidence cannot be effectively executed.
Q2: A nurse assesses a newly admitted patient diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Which statement is an example of "attending"?
Answer Choices:
A. You will feel better after we get some antidepressant medication started for you.
B. I'd like to sit with you for a while, so you may feel more comfortable talking with me.
C. We all have stress in life. Being in a psychiatric hospital is not the end of the world.
D. Tell me why you felt you had to be hospitalized to receive treatment for your depression.
Correct Answer: I'd like to sit with you for a while, so you may feel more comfortable talking with me.
Rationale:
“Attending” in therapeutic communication refers to being physically present and emotionally available to the client. Sitting with the patient shows empathy and a willingness to connect without pressuring them to talk. It builds trust and comfort, which are foundational to therapeutic relationships.
Q3: In the shift-change report, a nurse criticizes a patient who wears extremely heavy makeup. Which comment by the nurse who receives the report best demonstrates advocacy?
Answer Choices:
A. ''This is a psychiatric hospital, so we expect our patients to behave bizarrely."
B. ''Let's all show acceptance of this patient by wearing lots of makeup too."
C. ''Our patients need our help to learn behaviors that will help them get along in society."
D. ''Your comments are inconsiderate and inappropriate. Keep the report objective.''
Correct Answer: ''Your comments are inconsiderate and inappropriate. Keep the report objective.''
Rationale:
Advocacy involves standing up for the patient’s dignity and ensuring nonjudgmental, respectful care. This response addresses the inappropriateness directly while reinforcing professionalism and objectivity in clinical handoffs.
Q4: When assessing patients at a mental health clinic, our judgement about their current level of functioning should be made on the basis of
Answer Choices:
A. A continuum from mentally healthy to mentally unhealthy.
B. The degree to which an individual appears logical and rational.
C. The degree of conformity of the individual to society's norms.
D. The rate of both their intellectual and emotional growth.
Correct Answer: A continuum from mentally healthy to mentally unhealthy.
Rationale:
Mental health exists on a continuum, with individuals shifting back and forth depending on stressors, coping mechanisms, and support systems. Assessing a patient’s current functioning on this continuum allows nurses to provide more individualized and holistic care.
Q5: As part of a class activity, nursing students are engaged in a small group discussion about the epidemiology of mental illness. Which statement best explains the importance of epidemiology in understanding the impact of mental disorders?
Answer Choices:
A. Epidemiology provides a thorough theoretical explanation of why specific mental disorders occur.
B. Epidemiology helps explain research findings about the neurophysiology that causes mental disorders.
C. Epidemiology is the study of patterns of disease distribution and determinants of health within populations.
D. Epidemiology predicts when a specific psychiatric client will recover from a specific mental disorder.
Correct Answer: Epidemiology is the study of patterns of disease distribution and determinants of health within populations.
Rationale:
Epidemiology helps public health professionals and clinicians understand how often disorders occur in different groups, which factors increase risk, and how to allocate resources effectively. This data guides prevention, early detection, and intervention strategies.
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