Question

A charge nurse is discussing mental status examinations with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?

A. "To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7."
B. "To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression."
C. "To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence."
D. "To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects."

ATI RN Mental Health Nursing Modules Ch. 1 Application Exercises

Answer 1

The newly licensed nurse's statement that indicates a need for further teaching is option B: 'To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression.'

Step-by-step explanation:

The newly licensed nurse's statement that indicates a need for further teaching is option B: 'To assess affect, I should observe the client's facial expression.'

The correct statement should be, 'To assess affect, I should ask the client about their feelings and mood.' Affect refers to the outward expression of emotions, not just facial expressions.

The other options are correct:

A. 'To assess cognitive ability, I should ask the client to count backward by 7.'

C. 'To assess language ability, I should instruct the client to write a sentence.'

D. 'To assess remote memory, I should have the client repeat a list of objects.'