HESI MENTAL HEALTH 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔A client diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder becomes violent on a unit.
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?
A. Provide objective evidence that reasons for violence are unwarranted.
B. Initially restrain the client to maintain safety.
C. Use clear, calm, statements and a confident physical stance.
D. Empathize with the client's paranoid perceptions. - ✔✔Answer:
C. Use clear, calm, statements and a confident physical stance.
(First thing you are going to do when a pt becomes violent, you are going to firmly and
calmly let the pt know that they need to calm down. If necessary, restrain pt.)
✔✔A highly emotional client presents at an outpatient clinic appointment wearing
flamboyant attire, spiked heels, and theatrical makeup. Which personality disorder
should a nurse associate with this behavior?
A. Compulsive personality disorder
B. Schizotypal personality disorder
C. Histrionic personality disorder
D. Manic personality disorder - ✔✔Answer:
C. Histrionic personality disorder
(Histrionic are the drama queens, attention seeker. Underlying issue with compulsive
disorder is anxiety. Schizotypal disorder, baseline is psychosis.
Manic disorder are pts who are on level 100 all of the time.)
✔✔A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder brings up a conflict with the
staff in a community meeting and develops a following of clients who unreasonably
demand modification of unit rules. How can the nursing staff best handle this situation?
A. Allow the clients to apply the democratic process when developing unit rules.
B. Maintain consistency of care by open communication to avoid staff manipulation.
C. Allow the client spokesman to verbalize concerns during a unit staff meeting.
D. Maintain unit order by the application of autocratic leadership. - ✔✔Answer:
B. Maintain consistency of care by open communication to avoid staff manipulation.
(borderline personality disorder is very manipulative. They want to cause splitting which
looks like pitting the nurses against each other, or one day you are the best nurse ever
and then the next day you are the worst nurse in the world.)
✔✔Which nursing approach should be utilized to maintain a therapeutic relationship
with a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder?
A. Being firm, consistent, and empathetic while addressing specific client behaviors.
B. Promoting client self-expression by implementing laissez-faire leadership.
C. Using authoritative leadership to help clients learn to conform to society norms.
D. Overlooking inappropriate behaviors to avoid providing secondary gains. -
✔✔Answer:
A. Being firm, consistent, and empathetic while addressing specific client behaviors.
, ✔✔Which adult client should a nurse identify as exhibiting the characteristics of a
dependent personality disorder?
A. A physically healthy client who is dependent on meeting social needs by contact with
15 cats.
B. A physically healthy client who has a history of depending on intense relationships to
meet basic needs.
C. A physically healthy client who lives with parents and depends on public
transportation.
D. A physically healthy client who is serious, inflexible, perfectionistic, and depends on
rules to provide security. - ✔✔Answer:
C. A physically healthy client who lives with parents and depends on public
transportation.
(dependent personality disorder is depending on someone else to take care of them,
submissive attitude. Refuses to take responsibility for anything.)
✔✔During an interview, which client statement to a nurse should indicate a potential
diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder?
A. "I really don't have a problem. My family is inflexible, and every relative is out to get
me."
B. "I am so excited about working with you. Have you noticed my new nail polish: 'Ruby
Red Roses'?"
C. "I spend all my time tending my bees. I know a whole lot of information about bees."
D. "I am getting a message from the beyond that we have been involved in a previous
life." - ✔✔Answer:
D. "I am getting a message from the beyond that we have been involved in a previous
life."
(Schizotypal disorder is a psychosis disorder and they are out of touch with reality.
Displays false beliefs and delusions."
✔✔A nursing instructor is teaching students about clients diagnosed with histrionic
personality disorder and the quality of their relationships. Which student statement
indicates that learning has occurred?
A. Their dramatic style tends to make their interpersonal relationships quite interesting
and fulfilling.
B. Their interpersonal relationships tend to be shallow and fleeting, serving their
dependency needs.
C. They tend to develop few relationships because they are strongly independent but
generally maintain deep affection.
D. They pay particular attention to details, which can frustrate the development of
relationships. - ✔✔Answer:
B. Their interpersonal relationships tend to be shallow and fleeting, serving their
dependency needs.
(Histrionic disorder: attention seekers, will do anything for attention.)
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔A client diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder becomes violent on a unit.
Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?
A. Provide objective evidence that reasons for violence are unwarranted.
B. Initially restrain the client to maintain safety.
C. Use clear, calm, statements and a confident physical stance.
D. Empathize with the client's paranoid perceptions. - ✔✔Answer:
C. Use clear, calm, statements and a confident physical stance.
(First thing you are going to do when a pt becomes violent, you are going to firmly and
calmly let the pt know that they need to calm down. If necessary, restrain pt.)
✔✔A highly emotional client presents at an outpatient clinic appointment wearing
flamboyant attire, spiked heels, and theatrical makeup. Which personality disorder
should a nurse associate with this behavior?
A. Compulsive personality disorder
B. Schizotypal personality disorder
C. Histrionic personality disorder
D. Manic personality disorder - ✔✔Answer:
C. Histrionic personality disorder
(Histrionic are the drama queens, attention seeker. Underlying issue with compulsive
disorder is anxiety. Schizotypal disorder, baseline is psychosis.
Manic disorder are pts who are on level 100 all of the time.)
✔✔A client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder brings up a conflict with the
staff in a community meeting and develops a following of clients who unreasonably
demand modification of unit rules. How can the nursing staff best handle this situation?
A. Allow the clients to apply the democratic process when developing unit rules.
B. Maintain consistency of care by open communication to avoid staff manipulation.
C. Allow the client spokesman to verbalize concerns during a unit staff meeting.
D. Maintain unit order by the application of autocratic leadership. - ✔✔Answer:
B. Maintain consistency of care by open communication to avoid staff manipulation.
(borderline personality disorder is very manipulative. They want to cause splitting which
looks like pitting the nurses against each other, or one day you are the best nurse ever
and then the next day you are the worst nurse in the world.)
✔✔Which nursing approach should be utilized to maintain a therapeutic relationship
with a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder?
A. Being firm, consistent, and empathetic while addressing specific client behaviors.
B. Promoting client self-expression by implementing laissez-faire leadership.
C. Using authoritative leadership to help clients learn to conform to society norms.
D. Overlooking inappropriate behaviors to avoid providing secondary gains. -
✔✔Answer:
A. Being firm, consistent, and empathetic while addressing specific client behaviors.
, ✔✔Which adult client should a nurse identify as exhibiting the characteristics of a
dependent personality disorder?
A. A physically healthy client who is dependent on meeting social needs by contact with
15 cats.
B. A physically healthy client who has a history of depending on intense relationships to
meet basic needs.
C. A physically healthy client who lives with parents and depends on public
transportation.
D. A physically healthy client who is serious, inflexible, perfectionistic, and depends on
rules to provide security. - ✔✔Answer:
C. A physically healthy client who lives with parents and depends on public
transportation.
(dependent personality disorder is depending on someone else to take care of them,
submissive attitude. Refuses to take responsibility for anything.)
✔✔During an interview, which client statement to a nurse should indicate a potential
diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder?
A. "I really don't have a problem. My family is inflexible, and every relative is out to get
me."
B. "I am so excited about working with you. Have you noticed my new nail polish: 'Ruby
Red Roses'?"
C. "I spend all my time tending my bees. I know a whole lot of information about bees."
D. "I am getting a message from the beyond that we have been involved in a previous
life." - ✔✔Answer:
D. "I am getting a message from the beyond that we have been involved in a previous
life."
(Schizotypal disorder is a psychosis disorder and they are out of touch with reality.
Displays false beliefs and delusions."
✔✔A nursing instructor is teaching students about clients diagnosed with histrionic
personality disorder and the quality of their relationships. Which student statement
indicates that learning has occurred?
A. Their dramatic style tends to make their interpersonal relationships quite interesting
and fulfilling.
B. Their interpersonal relationships tend to be shallow and fleeting, serving their
dependency needs.
C. They tend to develop few relationships because they are strongly independent but
generally maintain deep affection.
D. They pay particular attention to details, which can frustrate the development of
relationships. - ✔✔Answer:
B. Their interpersonal relationships tend to be shallow and fleeting, serving their
dependency needs.
(Histrionic disorder: attention seekers, will do anything for attention.)
