6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
HESI RN MENTAL HEALTH EXAM PREP QUESTIONS AND
KNOWLEDGE REVIEW (HESI SAUNDERS NCLEX RN
COMPREHENSIVE TEST REVIEW 2025-2026 \COMPLETE
EXAM WITH QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS \VERIFIED ANSWER
What is the most 1. The self and a desire to help
important tool a nurse
brings to the The nurse brings to a therapeutic relationship the
therapeutic nurse-client understanding of self and basic principles of therapeutic
relationship? communication; this is the unique aspect of the helping
relationship. Knowledge of psychopathology, advanced
1. The self and a desire to help communication skills, and years of experience in the
2. Knowledge of field all support the psychotherapeutic management
psychopathology model, but none is the most important tool used by the
3. Advanced communication
nurse in a therapeutic
skills
relationship.
4. Years of experience in
psychiatric nursing
Which addictive drug may 2. Hallucinogens
cause the
dependent user to think that Hallucinogens affect various parts of the brain, altering
he or she has the ability to perception and thinking; a
fly? chronic user of these drugs may think he or she has the
ability to fly. Use of the other drugs has other results.
1. Cocaine Chronic overdose of cocaine may lead to
2. Hallucinogens cardiorespiratory distress and seizures. Amphetamines
3. Amphetamines strongly stimulate the central nervous system
4. Opioid analgesics and may induce hallucinations and paranoia. Acute
opioid overdose may cause severe respiratory
depression, pinpoint pupils, and stupor or coma.
1/168
,6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
Two 20-year-old female 3. By adopting a matter-of-fact, nonjudgmental attitude
clients on the psychiatric and setting limits on the behavior
unit have become very
much attached to each Everyone has the right to his or her sexual orientation
other and are found in bed and preferences, but limits must be set on acting-out
together. They become behavior on a psychiatric unit. Helping clients deal with
angry and their sexuality in a more appropriate manner is more
sarcastic when the nurse therapeutic than continuous separation by the staff.
asks one of them to return Punishment is inappropriate.
to her own bed. How can
the
nurse best address this
situation?
1. By asking the health care
provider to
transfer one of the clients to
another unit
2. By limiting their privileges
for several
days because their behavior is
undesirable
3. By adopting a matter-of-fact,
nonjudgmental attitude and
setting limits on the
behavior
4. By supervising them
carefully and
separating them when
possible throughout the day
and always at night
A client with newly 3. "Tell me about your concerns right now."
diagnosed multiple
myeloma asks, "How long The response "Tell me about your concerns right
do you think I now" encourages the client to review facts and
have to live?" What is the provides an opportunity to talk about feelings. The
most appropriate response response "Let me ask your primary healthcare provider
by the nurse? for you" suggests the nurse does not want to discuss the
subject; it abdicates the nurse's responsibility to explore
1. "Let me ask your the issue with the client. Although it is an empathic
2/168
,6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
primary healthcare answer, the response "I can understand why you are
provider for you." worried" does not encourage the client to explore
2. "I can understand why you
are worried." feelings; it may increase anxiety. Although the
3. "Tell me about your statement "It depends on whether the tumor has
concerns right now." spread" is true, the response does not encourage the
4. "It depends on whether client to examine feelings.
the tumor has spread."
A client with cancer is told 2. Denial
by a health care provider
that the cancer has The client has difficulty accepting the inevitability of
metastasized to other death and attempts to deny the reality of it. In the
organs and is untreatable. anger stage the client strikes out with statements such
The as "Why me?" and "How could God do this to me?" The
client tells the nurse, "I think client is angry at life and is still angrier to be removed
they made a mistake. I don't from it by death. In the bargaining stage the client
think I have cancer. I feel attempts to
too good to be dying." bargain for more time; the reality of death is no longer
Which stage of grief does denied, but the client tries to manipulate and extend
the nurse conclude that the remaining time. In the acceptance stage the client
the accepts the inevitability of death and quietly awaits
client is experiencing? it.
1. Anger
2. Denial
3. Bargaining
4. Acceptance
3/168
, 6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
A client with schizophrenia is 3. Take a dose as soon as possible, up to 2 hours before the next
taking dose.
benztropine (Cogentin) in
conjunction with an Taking a dose as soon as possible is the advised
antipsychotic. The client intervention when a dose is missed; interruption of the
tells a nurse, "Sometimes I medication may precipitate signs of withdrawal such as
forget to take the Cogentin." anxiety
What should the nurse and tachycardia. Taking 2 pills at the next regularly
teach the client to do if scheduled dose will provide an excessive amount of the
this happens again? medication at one time. Notifying the health care
provider about the missed dose immediately is
1. Take 2 pills at the unnecessary. Skipping a dose is not advised if the next
next regularly regularly scheduled dose is due within 2 hours.
scheduled dose.
2. Notify the health care
provider about the missed
dose immediately.
3. Take a dose as soon as
possible, up to 2 hours
before the next dose.
4. Skip the dose, then take the
next
regularly scheduled dose 2
hours early.
A nurse encourages a client 1. Support
to join a self- help group
after being discharged from Members of a self-help group share similar experiences and can
provide valuable
a mental health facility.
understanding and support to one other. Although
What is the purpose of
confrontation and self-awareness may occur, these are
having people work in a
not the primary purposes of self-help groups. Self-help
group?
groups provide an opportunity for people to interact,
not to engage in professional
1. Support
psychotherapy.
2. Confrontation
3. Psychotherapy
4. Self-awareness
4/168
HESI RN MENTAL HEALTH EXAM PREP QUESTIONS AND
KNOWLEDGE REVIEW (HESI SAUNDERS NCLEX RN
COMPREHENSIVE TEST REVIEW 2025-2026 \COMPLETE
EXAM WITH QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS \VERIFIED ANSWER
What is the most 1. The self and a desire to help
important tool a nurse
brings to the The nurse brings to a therapeutic relationship the
therapeutic nurse-client understanding of self and basic principles of therapeutic
relationship? communication; this is the unique aspect of the helping
relationship. Knowledge of psychopathology, advanced
1. The self and a desire to help communication skills, and years of experience in the
2. Knowledge of field all support the psychotherapeutic management
psychopathology model, but none is the most important tool used by the
3. Advanced communication
nurse in a therapeutic
skills
relationship.
4. Years of experience in
psychiatric nursing
Which addictive drug may 2. Hallucinogens
cause the
dependent user to think that Hallucinogens affect various parts of the brain, altering
he or she has the ability to perception and thinking; a
fly? chronic user of these drugs may think he or she has the
ability to fly. Use of the other drugs has other results.
1. Cocaine Chronic overdose of cocaine may lead to
2. Hallucinogens cardiorespiratory distress and seizures. Amphetamines
3. Amphetamines strongly stimulate the central nervous system
4. Opioid analgesics and may induce hallucinations and paranoia. Acute
opioid overdose may cause severe respiratory
depression, pinpoint pupils, and stupor or coma.
1/168
,6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
Two 20-year-old female 3. By adopting a matter-of-fact, nonjudgmental attitude
clients on the psychiatric and setting limits on the behavior
unit have become very
much attached to each Everyone has the right to his or her sexual orientation
other and are found in bed and preferences, but limits must be set on acting-out
together. They become behavior on a psychiatric unit. Helping clients deal with
angry and their sexuality in a more appropriate manner is more
sarcastic when the nurse therapeutic than continuous separation by the staff.
asks one of them to return Punishment is inappropriate.
to her own bed. How can
the
nurse best address this
situation?
1. By asking the health care
provider to
transfer one of the clients to
another unit
2. By limiting their privileges
for several
days because their behavior is
undesirable
3. By adopting a matter-of-fact,
nonjudgmental attitude and
setting limits on the
behavior
4. By supervising them
carefully and
separating them when
possible throughout the day
and always at night
A client with newly 3. "Tell me about your concerns right now."
diagnosed multiple
myeloma asks, "How long The response "Tell me about your concerns right
do you think I now" encourages the client to review facts and
have to live?" What is the provides an opportunity to talk about feelings. The
most appropriate response response "Let me ask your primary healthcare provider
by the nurse? for you" suggests the nurse does not want to discuss the
subject; it abdicates the nurse's responsibility to explore
1. "Let me ask your the issue with the client. Although it is an empathic
2/168
,6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
primary healthcare answer, the response "I can understand why you are
provider for you." worried" does not encourage the client to explore
2. "I can understand why you
are worried." feelings; it may increase anxiety. Although the
3. "Tell me about your statement "It depends on whether the tumor has
concerns right now." spread" is true, the response does not encourage the
4. "It depends on whether client to examine feelings.
the tumor has spread."
A client with cancer is told 2. Denial
by a health care provider
that the cancer has The client has difficulty accepting the inevitability of
metastasized to other death and attempts to deny the reality of it. In the
organs and is untreatable. anger stage the client strikes out with statements such
The as "Why me?" and "How could God do this to me?" The
client tells the nurse, "I think client is angry at life and is still angrier to be removed
they made a mistake. I don't from it by death. In the bargaining stage the client
think I have cancer. I feel attempts to
too good to be dying." bargain for more time; the reality of death is no longer
Which stage of grief does denied, but the client tries to manipulate and extend
the nurse conclude that the remaining time. In the acceptance stage the client
the accepts the inevitability of death and quietly awaits
client is experiencing? it.
1. Anger
2. Denial
3. Bargaining
4. Acceptance
3/168
, 6/3/25, 7:04 AM HESI RN Mental Health Exam Prep Questions & Knowledge Review
A client with schizophrenia is 3. Take a dose as soon as possible, up to 2 hours before the next
taking dose.
benztropine (Cogentin) in
conjunction with an Taking a dose as soon as possible is the advised
antipsychotic. The client intervention when a dose is missed; interruption of the
tells a nurse, "Sometimes I medication may precipitate signs of withdrawal such as
forget to take the Cogentin." anxiety
What should the nurse and tachycardia. Taking 2 pills at the next regularly
teach the client to do if scheduled dose will provide an excessive amount of the
this happens again? medication at one time. Notifying the health care
provider about the missed dose immediately is
1. Take 2 pills at the unnecessary. Skipping a dose is not advised if the next
next regularly regularly scheduled dose is due within 2 hours.
scheduled dose.
2. Notify the health care
provider about the missed
dose immediately.
3. Take a dose as soon as
possible, up to 2 hours
before the next dose.
4. Skip the dose, then take the
next
regularly scheduled dose 2
hours early.
A nurse encourages a client 1. Support
to join a self- help group
after being discharged from Members of a self-help group share similar experiences and can
provide valuable
a mental health facility.
understanding and support to one other. Although
What is the purpose of
confrontation and self-awareness may occur, these are
having people work in a
not the primary purposes of self-help groups. Self-help
group?
groups provide an opportunity for people to interact,
not to engage in professional
1. Support
psychotherapy.
2. Confrontation
3. Psychotherapy
4. Self-awareness
4/168
