Page 1 of 230
HESI MENTAL HEALTH, PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH PRACTICE EXAM*** QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED
ANSWERS |DOWNLOAD AND PASS | LATEST
EXAM UPDATE 2026/2027
After receiving treatment for anorexia, a student asks the
school nurse for permission to work in the school
cafeteria as part of the school's work study program.
What action should the nurse take?
❖Recommend assignment to the receptionist's office.
B. Suggest that the student work in the athletic
department.
C. Refer the student to a psychiatrist for further
discussion.
D. Determine the parent's opinion of the work assignment
A
,Page 2 of 230
A 72-year-old female client is admitted to the psychiatric
unit with a diagnosis of major depression. Which
statement by the client should be of greatest concern to
the nurse and require further assessment?
❖I will die if my cat dies.
B) I don't feel like eating this morning.
C) I just went to my friend's funeral.
D) Don't you have more important things to do?
Sometimes a client will use an analogy to describe
themselves, and (A) would be an indication for conducting
a suicide assessment. (B) could have a variety of
etiologies, and while further assessment is indicated, this
statement does not indicate potential suicide. Normal
grief process differs from depression, and at this client's
age peer/cohort deaths are more frequent, so (C) would
be within normal limits. (D) is an expression of low self-
esteem typical of depression. (B, C, and D) are examples
of decreased energy and mood levels which would negate
suicide ideation at this time.
❖Correct Answer(s): A
,Page 3 of 230
A 45-year-old female client is admitted to the psychiatric
unit for evaluation. Her husband states that she has been
reluctant to leave home for the last six months. The client
has not gone to work for a month and has been
terminated from her job. She has not left the house since
that time. This client is displaying symptoms of what
condition?
A) Claustrophobia.
B) Acrophobia.
❖C) Agoraphobia.
D) Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Agoraphobia (C) is the fear of crowds or being in an open
place. (A) is the fear of being in closed places. (B) is the
fear of high places. Remember, a phobia is an unrealistic
fear which is associated with severe anxiety. (D) consists
of the development of anxiety symptoms following a life
event that is particularly serious and stressful (war,
witnessing a child killed, etc.) and is experienced with
terror, fear, and helplessness--a phobia is different.
, Page 4 of 230
❖Correct Answer(s): C
The nurse is conducting discharge teaching for a client
with schizophrenia who plans to live in a group home.
Which statement is most indicative of the need for careful
follow-up after discharge?
A) Crickets are a good source of protein.
B) I have not heard any voices for a week.
❖C) Only my belief in God can help me.
D) Sometimes I have a hard time sitting still.
The most frequent cause of increased symptoms in
psychotic clients is non-compliance with the medication
regimen. If clients believe that "God alone" is going to
heal them (C), then they may discontinue their
medication, so (C) would pose the greatest threat to this
client's prognosis. (A) would require further teaching, but
is not as significant a statement as (C). (B) indicates an
improvement in the client's condition. (D) may be a sign
HESI MENTAL HEALTH, PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL
HEALTH PRACTICE EXAM*** QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED
ANSWERS |DOWNLOAD AND PASS | LATEST
EXAM UPDATE 2026/2027
After receiving treatment for anorexia, a student asks the
school nurse for permission to work in the school
cafeteria as part of the school's work study program.
What action should the nurse take?
❖Recommend assignment to the receptionist's office.
B. Suggest that the student work in the athletic
department.
C. Refer the student to a psychiatrist for further
discussion.
D. Determine the parent's opinion of the work assignment
A
,Page 2 of 230
A 72-year-old female client is admitted to the psychiatric
unit with a diagnosis of major depression. Which
statement by the client should be of greatest concern to
the nurse and require further assessment?
❖I will die if my cat dies.
B) I don't feel like eating this morning.
C) I just went to my friend's funeral.
D) Don't you have more important things to do?
Sometimes a client will use an analogy to describe
themselves, and (A) would be an indication for conducting
a suicide assessment. (B) could have a variety of
etiologies, and while further assessment is indicated, this
statement does not indicate potential suicide. Normal
grief process differs from depression, and at this client's
age peer/cohort deaths are more frequent, so (C) would
be within normal limits. (D) is an expression of low self-
esteem typical of depression. (B, C, and D) are examples
of decreased energy and mood levels which would negate
suicide ideation at this time.
❖Correct Answer(s): A
,Page 3 of 230
A 45-year-old female client is admitted to the psychiatric
unit for evaluation. Her husband states that she has been
reluctant to leave home for the last six months. The client
has not gone to work for a month and has been
terminated from her job. She has not left the house since
that time. This client is displaying symptoms of what
condition?
A) Claustrophobia.
B) Acrophobia.
❖C) Agoraphobia.
D) Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Agoraphobia (C) is the fear of crowds or being in an open
place. (A) is the fear of being in closed places. (B) is the
fear of high places. Remember, a phobia is an unrealistic
fear which is associated with severe anxiety. (D) consists
of the development of anxiety symptoms following a life
event that is particularly serious and stressful (war,
witnessing a child killed, etc.) and is experienced with
terror, fear, and helplessness--a phobia is different.
, Page 4 of 230
❖Correct Answer(s): C
The nurse is conducting discharge teaching for a client
with schizophrenia who plans to live in a group home.
Which statement is most indicative of the need for careful
follow-up after discharge?
A) Crickets are a good source of protein.
B) I have not heard any voices for a week.
❖C) Only my belief in God can help me.
D) Sometimes I have a hard time sitting still.
The most frequent cause of increased symptoms in
psychotic clients is non-compliance with the medication
regimen. If clients believe that "God alone" is going to
heal them (C), then they may discontinue their
medication, so (C) would pose the greatest threat to this
client's prognosis. (A) would require further teaching, but
is not as significant a statement as (C). (B) indicates an
improvement in the client's condition. (D) may be a sign
