HESI RN Mental Health Exam 2026-2027 Test
Bank: 300 A+ Graded Questions & Verified
Answers to Pass First Try (New Edition)
A married male client with three children has lost his job and states
that he feels useless. He is tearful, upset, and embarrassed. What is
an appropriate objective of care for this client?
1. Limiting tearfulness
2. Increasing self-esteem
3. Controlling feelings of sadness
4. Promoting acceptance by others......ANSWER.......2. Increasing self-
esteem
The loss of a job can precipitate negative feelings about the self
and decrease self-esteem. Feelings should be expressed, not
limited; attempting to decrease a client's crying often ends up
worsening it. Crying is not necessarily an expression of
sadness; other feelings are involved. The focus should be on the
client's self-acceptance, not acceptance by others.
A 44-year-old client has been unable to function since her husband
asked for a divorce 2 weeks ago. She is brought to the crisis
intervention center by a friend. What type of crisis is this situation?
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1. Social
2. Situational
3. Maturational
4. Developmental......ANSWER.......2. Situational
Situational crises involve an unanticipated loss, such as a
divorce, that is threatening to the client. Social crises involve
multiple losses such as those occurring during major disasters.
Maturational crises occur in response to stress experienced as
one struggles with developmental tasks. Developmental
(maturational) crises are associated with developmental tasks;
divorce is not a developmental task.
A resident in a nursing home recently immigrated to the United
States from Italy. How does the nurse plan to provide emotional
support?
1. By offering choices consistent with the client's heritage
2. By ensuring that the client understands American beliefs
3. By assisting the client in adjusting to the American culture
4. By correcting the client's misconceptions about appropriate
health practices......ANSWER.......1. By offering choices consistent with
the client's heritage
Adherence to a plan of care is enhanced by the nurse's
providing choices consistent with the client's cultural beliefs
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and practices. The nurse's cultural or personal beliefs and
biases should not influence or interfere with the
implementation of appropriate care. Helping the client adjust
to the American culture is not the priority at this time; care
should be adapted to the client's needs and culture. The
person's cultural practices should not be addressed unless they
are detrimental to the person's health.
A nurse should reassess an older adult client's needs and current
plan of care when the client's behavior indicates the development of
what symptom?
1. Confusion
2. Hypochondriasis
3. Additional complaints
4. Increased socialization......ANSWER.......1. Confusion
The development of confusion indicates that the client's ability
to maintain equilibrium has not been achieved and that further
disequilibrium is occurring. Hypochondriasis and additional
complaints do not indicate that the plan needs to be changed
unless the client's history demonstrates no prior use of these
defenses. Increased socialization is a positive response to the
plan of care that does not require reassessment.
An injured child is brought to the emergency department by the
parents. While interviewing the parents, the nurse begins to suspect
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child abuse. Which parental behaviors might support this
conclusion? Select all that apply.
1. Demonstrating concern for the injured child
2. Focusing on the child's role in sustaining the injury
3. Changing the story of how the child sustained the injury
4. Asking questions about the injury and the child's prognosis
5. Giving an explanation of how the injury occurred that is not
consistent with the injury......ANSWER.......2. Focusing on the child's
role in sustaining the injury
3. Changing the story of how the child sustained the injury
5. Giving an explanation of how the injury occurred that is not
consistent with the injury
The child is often made the scapegoat in the situation; the
parents blame the child because they have unrealistic
expectations of the child. Discrepancies or inconsistencies in
the history result from attempts to present a story that is not
based in fact. Discrepancies between the parental explanation
for the child's injuries and the physical findings or
discrepancies in the history that each parent gives are common
because the information that is being provided is not based in
fact. Abusive parents usually do not ask questions about the
injury or prognosis and demonstrate little or no interest in
their child's well-being.