HESI MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A |STUDY TO PASS
1. At the first meeting of a group of older adults at a daycare center for the elderly, the nurse asks one
of the members what kinds of things she would like to do with the group. The older woman shrugs her
shoulders and says, "You tell me, you're the leader." What is the best response for the nurse to make?
A "Yes, I am the leader today. Would you like to be the leader tomorrow?"
B "Yes, I will be leading this group. What would you like to accomplish during this time?"
C "Yes, I have been assigned to be the leader of this group. I will be here for the next six weeks."
D "Yes, I am the leader. You seem angry about not being the leader yourself." - ANSWERS -B
Over a period of several weeks, one male participant of a socialization group at a community day care
center for the elderly monopolizes most of the group's time and interrupts others when they are talking.
What is the best action for the nurse to take in this situation?
A Talk to the client outside the group about his behavior during group meetings.
B Remind the client to allow others in the group a chance to talk.
C Allow the group to handle the problem. Correct
D Ask the client to join another group. - ANSWERS -C
An 86-year-old female client with Alzheimer's disease is wandering the busy halls of the extended care
facility and asks the nurse, "Where should I stand for the parade?" Which response is best for the nurse
to provide?
A "Anywhere you want to stand as long as you do not get hurt by those in the parade."
B "You are confused because of all the activity in the hall. There is no parade."
C "Let's go back to the activity room and see what is going on in there."
D "Remember I told you that this is a nursing home and I am your nurse." - ANSWERS -C.
Physical examination of a 6-year-old reveals several bite marks in various locations on his body. X-ray
examination reveals healed fractures of the ribs. The mother tells the nurse that her child is always
having accidents. Which initial response by the nurse is most appropriate?
A "I need to inform the healthcare provider about your child's tendency to be accident prone."
,B "Tell me more specifically about your child's accidents."
C "I must report these injuries to the authorities because they do not seem accidental."
D "Boys this age always seem to require more supervision and can be quite accident prone." - ANSWERS
-B
A child is brought to the emergency room with a broken arm. Because of other injuries, the nurse
suspects the child may be a victim of abuse. When the nurse tries to give the child an injection, the
child's mother becomes very loud and shouts, "I won't leave my son! Don't you touch him! You'll hurt
my child!" What is the best interpretation of the mother's statements? The mother is
A regressing to an earlier behavior pattern.
B sublimating her anger.
C projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
D suppressing her fear. - ANSWERS -C
.
A 38-year-old female client is admitted with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. When her tray is
brought to her, she refuses to eat and tells the nurse, "I know you are trying to poison me with that
food." Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?
A "I'll leave your tray here. I am available if you need anything else."
B "You're not being poisoned. Why do you think someone is trying to poison you?"
C "No one on this unit has ever died from poisoning. You're safe here."
D "I will talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of changing your diet." - ANSWERS -A.
A 25-year-old female client has been particularly restless and the nurse finds her trying to leave the
psychiatric unit. She tells the nurse, "Please let me go! I must leave because the secret police are after
me." Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A "No one is after you, you're safe here."
B "You'll feel better after you have rested."
C "I know you must feel lonely and frightened."
"Come with me to your room and I will sit with you." - ANSWERS -D.
. A 45-year-old male client tells the nurse that he used to believe that he was Jesus Christ, but now he
knows he is not. Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A "Did you really believe you were Jesus Christ?"
B "I think you're getting well."
C "Others have had similar thoughts when under stress."
, "Why did you think you were Jesus Christ?" - ANSWERS -c
. A nurse working in the emergency room of a children's hospital admits a child whose injuries could
have resulted from abuse. Which statement most accurately describes the nurse's responsibility in cases
of suspected child abuse?
A The nurse should obtain objective data such as x-rays before reporting suspicions to the authorities.
B The nurse should confirm any suspicions of child abuse with the healthcare provider before reporting
to the authorities.
C The nurse should report any case of suspected child abuse to the nurse in charge.
D The nurse should note in the client's record any suspicions of child abuse so that a history of such
suspicions can be tracked. - ANSWERS -C
. A client who is being treated with lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder develops diarrhea, vomiting,
and drowsiness. What action should the nurse take?
A Notify the healthcare provider immediately and prepare for administration of an antidote.
B Notify the healthcare provider of the symptoms prior to the next administration of the drug.
C Record the symptoms as normal side effects and continue administration of the prescribed dosage.
D Hold the medication and refuse to administer additional amounts of the drug. - ANSWERS -B
A client on the psychiatric unit appears to imitate a certain nurse on the unit. The client seeks out this
particular nurse and imitates the nurse's mannerisms. The nurse knows that the client is using which
defense mechanism?
A Sublimation.
B Identification.
C Introjection.
D Repression. - ANSWERS -B
A client, who is on a 30-day commitment to a drug rehabilitation unit, asks the nurse if he can go for a
walk on the grounds of the treatment center. When he is told that his privileges do not include walking
on the grounds, the client becomes verbally abusive. Which approach will the nurse take?
A Call a staff member to escort the client to his room.
B Tell the client to talk to his healthcare provider about his privileges.
C Remind the client of the unit rules.
Ignore the client's inappropriate behavior. - ANSWERS -D
The nurse is planning the care for a 32-year-old male client with acute depression. Which nursing
intervention would be best in helping this client deal with his depression?
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS GRADED
A |STUDY TO PASS
1. At the first meeting of a group of older adults at a daycare center for the elderly, the nurse asks one
of the members what kinds of things she would like to do with the group. The older woman shrugs her
shoulders and says, "You tell me, you're the leader." What is the best response for the nurse to make?
A "Yes, I am the leader today. Would you like to be the leader tomorrow?"
B "Yes, I will be leading this group. What would you like to accomplish during this time?"
C "Yes, I have been assigned to be the leader of this group. I will be here for the next six weeks."
D "Yes, I am the leader. You seem angry about not being the leader yourself." - ANSWERS -B
Over a period of several weeks, one male participant of a socialization group at a community day care
center for the elderly monopolizes most of the group's time and interrupts others when they are talking.
What is the best action for the nurse to take in this situation?
A Talk to the client outside the group about his behavior during group meetings.
B Remind the client to allow others in the group a chance to talk.
C Allow the group to handle the problem. Correct
D Ask the client to join another group. - ANSWERS -C
An 86-year-old female client with Alzheimer's disease is wandering the busy halls of the extended care
facility and asks the nurse, "Where should I stand for the parade?" Which response is best for the nurse
to provide?
A "Anywhere you want to stand as long as you do not get hurt by those in the parade."
B "You are confused because of all the activity in the hall. There is no parade."
C "Let's go back to the activity room and see what is going on in there."
D "Remember I told you that this is a nursing home and I am your nurse." - ANSWERS -C.
Physical examination of a 6-year-old reveals several bite marks in various locations on his body. X-ray
examination reveals healed fractures of the ribs. The mother tells the nurse that her child is always
having accidents. Which initial response by the nurse is most appropriate?
A "I need to inform the healthcare provider about your child's tendency to be accident prone."
,B "Tell me more specifically about your child's accidents."
C "I must report these injuries to the authorities because they do not seem accidental."
D "Boys this age always seem to require more supervision and can be quite accident prone." - ANSWERS
-B
A child is brought to the emergency room with a broken arm. Because of other injuries, the nurse
suspects the child may be a victim of abuse. When the nurse tries to give the child an injection, the
child's mother becomes very loud and shouts, "I won't leave my son! Don't you touch him! You'll hurt
my child!" What is the best interpretation of the mother's statements? The mother is
A regressing to an earlier behavior pattern.
B sublimating her anger.
C projecting her feelings onto the nurse.
D suppressing her fear. - ANSWERS -C
.
A 38-year-old female client is admitted with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. When her tray is
brought to her, she refuses to eat and tells the nurse, "I know you are trying to poison me with that
food." Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?
A "I'll leave your tray here. I am available if you need anything else."
B "You're not being poisoned. Why do you think someone is trying to poison you?"
C "No one on this unit has ever died from poisoning. You're safe here."
D "I will talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of changing your diet." - ANSWERS -A.
A 25-year-old female client has been particularly restless and the nurse finds her trying to leave the
psychiatric unit. She tells the nurse, "Please let me go! I must leave because the secret police are after
me." Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A "No one is after you, you're safe here."
B "You'll feel better after you have rested."
C "I know you must feel lonely and frightened."
"Come with me to your room and I will sit with you." - ANSWERS -D.
. A 45-year-old male client tells the nurse that he used to believe that he was Jesus Christ, but now he
knows he is not. Which response is best for the nurse to make?
A "Did you really believe you were Jesus Christ?"
B "I think you're getting well."
C "Others have had similar thoughts when under stress."
, "Why did you think you were Jesus Christ?" - ANSWERS -c
. A nurse working in the emergency room of a children's hospital admits a child whose injuries could
have resulted from abuse. Which statement most accurately describes the nurse's responsibility in cases
of suspected child abuse?
A The nurse should obtain objective data such as x-rays before reporting suspicions to the authorities.
B The nurse should confirm any suspicions of child abuse with the healthcare provider before reporting
to the authorities.
C The nurse should report any case of suspected child abuse to the nurse in charge.
D The nurse should note in the client's record any suspicions of child abuse so that a history of such
suspicions can be tracked. - ANSWERS -C
. A client who is being treated with lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder develops diarrhea, vomiting,
and drowsiness. What action should the nurse take?
A Notify the healthcare provider immediately and prepare for administration of an antidote.
B Notify the healthcare provider of the symptoms prior to the next administration of the drug.
C Record the symptoms as normal side effects and continue administration of the prescribed dosage.
D Hold the medication and refuse to administer additional amounts of the drug. - ANSWERS -B
A client on the psychiatric unit appears to imitate a certain nurse on the unit. The client seeks out this
particular nurse and imitates the nurse's mannerisms. The nurse knows that the client is using which
defense mechanism?
A Sublimation.
B Identification.
C Introjection.
D Repression. - ANSWERS -B
A client, who is on a 30-day commitment to a drug rehabilitation unit, asks the nurse if he can go for a
walk on the grounds of the treatment center. When he is told that his privileges do not include walking
on the grounds, the client becomes verbally abusive. Which approach will the nurse take?
A Call a staff member to escort the client to his room.
B Tell the client to talk to his healthcare provider about his privileges.
C Remind the client of the unit rules.
Ignore the client's inappropriate behavior. - ANSWERS -D
The nurse is planning the care for a 32-year-old male client with acute depression. Which nursing
intervention would be best in helping this client deal with his depression?
