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DOH Mental Health Nursing Practice Questions
Mental health questions test therapeutic communication, safety and medication side effects across common psychiatric conditions. Below are 5 free sample questions for the DOH Registered Nurse exam, each with the answer and a rationale.
What this topic covers
- Therapeutic vs non-therapeutic communication
- Suicide risk and safety
- Depression and bipolar disorder (lithium)
- Schizophrenia and antipsychotic side effects
- Alcohol withdrawal and delirium tremens
- De-escalation and restraint principles
The full bank has 70 mental health nursing questions, part of 1,500 questions across 16 nursing topics.
Free DOH mental health nursing questions
1. A patient suddenly has a panic attack, with rapid breathing, trembling and fear of dying. What should the nurse do first?
- A. Teach the patient to challenge negative thoughts
- B. Stay with the patient and speak calmly in short, simple sentences
- C. Leave the patient alone so they can calm down
- D. Ask the patient to describe in detail what triggered the attack
Show answer and rationale
During panic, the patient cannot process complex information, so the nurse stays, provides safety and uses short, calm statements. Teaching and exploring triggers are done once anxiety has reduced.
Reference: Varcarolis Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing – anxiety and panic
2. A confused patient with long-term alcohol dependence is prescribed intravenous glucose and thiamine. What should the nurse do?
- A. Give the glucose first to treat confusion quickly
- B. Give only the glucose and withhold thiamine
- C. Give thiamine before the glucose
- D. Delay both until the patient can eat
Show answer and rationale
Giving glucose before thiamine to a thiamine-deficient patient can trigger or worsen Wernicke encephalopathy, so thiamine is given first or at the same time.
Reference: Standard nursing care – Wernicke encephalopathy prevention
3. A severely malnourished patient with anorexia nervosa is starting nutritional rehabilitation. Which blood level is most important to monitor for refeeding syndrome?
- A. Serum amylase
- B. Serum phosphate
- C. Serum albumin
- D. Serum bilirubin
Show answer and rationale
Refeeding shifts phosphate, potassium and magnesium into cells, and a fall in phosphate is the hallmark of refeeding syndrome. It can cause heart failure, dysrhythmias and respiratory failure.
Reference: Standard nursing care – refeeding syndrome
4. Which finding points more towards neuroleptic malignant syndrome than serotonin syndrome?
- A. Myoclonus and hyperreflexia
- B. Onset within hours of a dose increase
- C. Diarrhoea and shivering
- D. Severe "lead-pipe" rigidity developing over several days
Show answer and rationale
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome typically develops over days with lead-pipe rigidity and slowed reflexes. Serotonin syndrome develops rapidly with clonus, hyperreflexia, shivering and diarrhoea.
Reference: Standard nursing pharmacology – NMS and serotonin syndrome
5. A patient who overdosed on heroin wakes up after naloxone and wants to leave the emergency department immediately. Why is continued monitoring necessary?
- A. Naloxone commonly causes severe hypoglycaemia
- B. Naloxone may wear off before the opioid, causing respiratory depression again
- C. Naloxone often causes delayed kidney failure
- D. Naloxone causes addiction if given more than once
Show answer and rationale
Naloxone has a shorter duration of action than many opioids, so sedation and respiratory depression can return once it wears off. The patient needs observation and may need repeated doses.
Reference: Standard nursing pharmacology – naloxone
Study tip
In communication questions, choose the answer that acknowledges feelings and invites the patient to talk, not the one that reassures or gives advice.
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