Mental Health Psych HESI Reviewed 50
Questions and Answers Latest 2025 with
rationales Complete GRADED A+
1. At the first meeting of a group at a daycare center for
older adults, the nurse
asks one of the members what kinds of things the client would
like to do with the group. The older adult shrugs and says,
"You tell me. You're the leader." What would be 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?" C."Yes, I have been assigned
to lead this group. I will be here for the next 6 weeks."
D. "Yes, I am the leader.You seem angry about not being the
leader yourself."-
: ANS: B
Anxiety over participation in a group and testing of the
leader characteristically occur in the initial phase of group
dynamics. (B) provides information and refocuses the group to
defining its function. (A) is manipulative bargaining. (C)
does not focus the group on its purpose or task. (D) is
interpreting the client's feelings and is almost
challenging.
,2. A client who is being treated with lithium carbonate for
manic depression begins to develop diarrhea, vomiting, and
drowsiness. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Notify the health care provider immediately and force
fluids.
B. Prior to giving the next dose, notify the health care
provider of these symptoms.
C. Record the symptoms and continue with medication as
prescribed.
D. Hold the medication and refuse to administer additional
doses.: ANS: B
Although these are expected symptoms, the health care
provider should be notified prior to the next administration
of the drug (B). Early side effects of lithium carbonate
(occurring with serum lithium levels below 2 mEq/L)
generally follow a progressive pattern, beginning with
diarrhea, vomiting, drowsiness, and muscular weakness (C). At
higher levels, ataxia, tinnitus, blurred vision, and large
dilute urine output may occur. (A) will lower the lithium
level. (D) is not warranted.
3. A woman brings her 48-year-old husband to the outpatient
psychiatric unit and tells the nurse that he has been
sleepwalking, cannot remember who he is, and exhibits
multiple personalities. These behaviors are often associated
with which condition?
A. Dissociative disorder
,B. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. Panic disorder
D. Posttraumatic stress syndrome: ANS: A
Sleepwalking, amnesia, and multiple personalities are
examples of detaching emo- tional conflict from one's
consciousness (A). (B) is characterized by persistent,
recurrent intrusive thoughts or urges (obsessions) that are
unwilled and cannot be ignored and provoke impulsive acts
(compulsions), such as constant and repeated hand washing.
(C) is an acute attack of anxiety characterized by
personality disor- ganization. (D) is reexperiencing a
psychologically terrifying or distressing event that is
outside the usual range of human experience such as war or
rape.
4. During a home visit, a client with schizophrenia reports
hearing voices that tell the client to walk in the middle of
the street. The nurse records several statements made by the
client. Based on which statement should the nurse determine
that the client needs hospitalization?
A."Sometimes I take an extra one of my pills when I
hear the voices." B."The voices are louder when I
forget to take my medication. " C."No matter what I
do, I cannot make the voices go away. "
D."I just try to tell the voices to stop when they bother me.
": ANS: C
Hospitalization is needed if the client continues to hear
, voices telling the client to do things that can cause self-
harm (C). (A or B) do not require hospitalization un- less
symptoms become severe. The client should continue symptom
management strategies (D) to prevent hospitalization.
5. An adult client who lives in a residential facility is
mentally retarded and has a history of bipolar disorder.
During the past week, the client has refused to wear clothes
and frequently exposes their body to other residents. Which
intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Establish a one-to-one relationship to discuss the
behavior.
B. Redirect the client to physically demanding activities.
C. Encourage the client to verbalize thoughts when acting out.
D. Restrict social interactions with other residents in the
facility.: ANS: B
The client is exhibiting manic behavior related to bipolar
disorder, and the nurse should redirect the client to
activities that are physically demanding (B) so that energy
can be expended in a socially acceptable manner. Psychotic
clients are not capable of (A). When exhibiting acting-out
behavior, the client is distracted and
Questions and Answers Latest 2025 with
rationales Complete GRADED A+
1. At the first meeting of a group at a daycare center for
older adults, the nurse
asks one of the members what kinds of things the client would
like to do with the group. The older adult shrugs and says,
"You tell me. You're the leader." What would be 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?" C."Yes, I have been assigned
to lead this group. I will be here for the next 6 weeks."
D. "Yes, I am the leader.You seem angry about not being the
leader yourself."-
: ANS: B
Anxiety over participation in a group and testing of the
leader characteristically occur in the initial phase of group
dynamics. (B) provides information and refocuses the group to
defining its function. (A) is manipulative bargaining. (C)
does not focus the group on its purpose or task. (D) is
interpreting the client's feelings and is almost
challenging.
,2. A client who is being treated with lithium carbonate for
manic depression begins to develop diarrhea, vomiting, and
drowsiness. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Notify the health care provider immediately and force
fluids.
B. Prior to giving the next dose, notify the health care
provider of these symptoms.
C. Record the symptoms and continue with medication as
prescribed.
D. Hold the medication and refuse to administer additional
doses.: ANS: B
Although these are expected symptoms, the health care
provider should be notified prior to the next administration
of the drug (B). Early side effects of lithium carbonate
(occurring with serum lithium levels below 2 mEq/L)
generally follow a progressive pattern, beginning with
diarrhea, vomiting, drowsiness, and muscular weakness (C). At
higher levels, ataxia, tinnitus, blurred vision, and large
dilute urine output may occur. (A) will lower the lithium
level. (D) is not warranted.
3. A woman brings her 48-year-old husband to the outpatient
psychiatric unit and tells the nurse that he has been
sleepwalking, cannot remember who he is, and exhibits
multiple personalities. These behaviors are often associated
with which condition?
A. Dissociative disorder
,B. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
C. Panic disorder
D. Posttraumatic stress syndrome: ANS: A
Sleepwalking, amnesia, and multiple personalities are
examples of detaching emo- tional conflict from one's
consciousness (A). (B) is characterized by persistent,
recurrent intrusive thoughts or urges (obsessions) that are
unwilled and cannot be ignored and provoke impulsive acts
(compulsions), such as constant and repeated hand washing.
(C) is an acute attack of anxiety characterized by
personality disor- ganization. (D) is reexperiencing a
psychologically terrifying or distressing event that is
outside the usual range of human experience such as war or
rape.
4. During a home visit, a client with schizophrenia reports
hearing voices that tell the client to walk in the middle of
the street. The nurse records several statements made by the
client. Based on which statement should the nurse determine
that the client needs hospitalization?
A."Sometimes I take an extra one of my pills when I
hear the voices." B."The voices are louder when I
forget to take my medication. " C."No matter what I
do, I cannot make the voices go away. "
D."I just try to tell the voices to stop when they bother me.
": ANS: C
Hospitalization is needed if the client continues to hear
, voices telling the client to do things that can cause self-
harm (C). (A or B) do not require hospitalization un- less
symptoms become severe. The client should continue symptom
management strategies (D) to prevent hospitalization.
5. An adult client who lives in a residential facility is
mentally retarded and has a history of bipolar disorder.
During the past week, the client has refused to wear clothes
and frequently exposes their body to other residents. Which
intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Establish a one-to-one relationship to discuss the
behavior.
B. Redirect the client to physically demanding activities.
C. Encourage the client to verbalize thoughts when acting out.
D. Restrict social interactions with other residents in the
facility.: ANS: B
The client is exhibiting manic behavior related to bipolar
disorder, and the nurse should redirect the client to
activities that are physically demanding (B) so that energy
can be expended in a socially acceptable manner. Psychotic
clients are not capable of (A). When exhibiting acting-out
behavior, the client is distracted and
