Focus on Mental Health Exam|
HESI-FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADE A+, Exams of Advanced
Education
,A nurse overhears a hospitalized client with mania telling another client, "I'm actually a
journalist writing an article for a magazine — I'm just posing as a person with mental
illness." How should the nurse respond? - answ✔️✔️-Presenting the client with the
actual situation
Rationale: When dealing with a delusional client, it is important for the nurse to state
clearly that the nurse does not share the client's perceptions. All three of the other
options — ignoring the delusion, taking the client to a quiet room, and supporting the
client's denial of illness — do not focus on reality, and they ignore the issue. Presenting
the client with the actual situation helps orient the client to reality.
A client who is hallucinating fearfully says to the nurse, "Please tell that demon to get
out." How should the nurse respond to the client? - answ✔️✔️-"I know you must be
very upset by this, but I don't see a demon."
Rationale: If the client hallucinates, it is best to provide reality-based perceptions and
not negate the client's experience, because this may lead to a regressive struggle with
the client. Giving advice or false reassurance is incorrect because such techniques
indicate that demons actually are present, which feeds into the client's hallucination and
reinforces the client's behavior.
,The mother of a 3-year-old says, "My child hit his teddy bear after being scolded for
picking the neighbors' flowers." Which defense mechanism was the child using? -
answ✔️✔️-Displacement
Rationale: The defense mechanism of displacement involves the discharge of intense
feelings for one person onto a less threatening substitute person or object to satisfy an
impulse. Projection involves attributing an attitude, behavior, or impulse to someone
else, such as that which occurs in blaming or scapegoating. Sublimation is rechanneling
an impulse into a more socially acceptable object. Identification involves modeling
behavior after someone else's.
A client says to the nurse, "Even though my husband and I keep telling them we don't
want to have children, our parents are pressuring us to 'start a family.' What should we
say to them?" Which of the following responses by the nurse is therapeutic? -
answ✔️✔️-"This must be very difficult for both of you."
Rationale: Childless families may elect not to have children or to postpone having them
until they have established themselves occupationally or financially. Telling the client to
tell the parents that the couple can't have children is incorrect because the client is
being encouraged to lie about life decisions rather than helping the parents understand
the couple's choices. Asking how they usually cope with such interference is incorrect
because it indicates that the nurse is judgmental and has decided that the parents are
interfering with the client and spouse. Saying, "Tell them to have more children if they
want them so badly," is incorrect because it is sarcastic and ridicules the situation over
which the client has expressed concerns.
A young adult client says, "I just can't seem to stop snapping at my parents. I know they
work hard to support me, but what do I do when they're so overbearing?" Which
responses by the nurse is therapeutic? - answ✔️✔️-"Have you talked to your parents
about your frustrations?"
, Rationale: The correct response is focused on the client's concerns and encourages the
therapeutic technique of formulating a plan of action. "It's important not to be rude to
your parents" and "You need to be more patient with your parents" are both
nontherapeutic, judgmental responses that do not encourage the client to further
explore her feelings and problem-solve. "Snapping at your parents is childish. How
could you?" is incorrect because it is sarcastic and condescending, which is
nontherapeutic.
A client says, "I have so much trouble caring for my husband's child from his first
marriage. I resent the money we have to pay for child support because we have to
deprive my own child of things. How can I stop feeling this way?" Which response by
the nurse is therapeutic? - answ✔️✔️-"Have you shared your feelings with your
husband?"
Rationale: Remarried individuals often encounter problems as a result of the stressors
they bring into a marriage without prior discussion with the new partner. Bonding
sometimes does always occur when a child is not one's biological offspring. The correct
answer is focused on the client's feelings. "Your child benefits from having a sibling" is
not facilitative. "I wonder why you married him, knowing that he wouldn't desert his
biological child" is incorrect because it prejudges the client. "You need to take a second
job to give your child what you think she deserves" is not open ended, does not facilitate
feelings, and gives advice.
A client says to the nurse, "My wife retired last year from a lucrative law practice, and
I'm really discouraged. I'll be working until I die, even though I helped pay for her
education." Which response by the nurse is supportive? - answ✔️✔️-"You sound very
troubled by this."
Rationale: Saying that the situation is unfair is judgmental and does not encourage the
client to express his feelings; nor does "That's such a tough break for you." Suggesting
that the husband approach the spouse for help is incorrect because it prematurely gives
HESI-FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADE A+, Exams of Advanced
Education
,A nurse overhears a hospitalized client with mania telling another client, "I'm actually a
journalist writing an article for a magazine — I'm just posing as a person with mental
illness." How should the nurse respond? - answ✔️✔️-Presenting the client with the
actual situation
Rationale: When dealing with a delusional client, it is important for the nurse to state
clearly that the nurse does not share the client's perceptions. All three of the other
options — ignoring the delusion, taking the client to a quiet room, and supporting the
client's denial of illness — do not focus on reality, and they ignore the issue. Presenting
the client with the actual situation helps orient the client to reality.
A client who is hallucinating fearfully says to the nurse, "Please tell that demon to get
out." How should the nurse respond to the client? - answ✔️✔️-"I know you must be
very upset by this, but I don't see a demon."
Rationale: If the client hallucinates, it is best to provide reality-based perceptions and
not negate the client's experience, because this may lead to a regressive struggle with
the client. Giving advice or false reassurance is incorrect because such techniques
indicate that demons actually are present, which feeds into the client's hallucination and
reinforces the client's behavior.
,The mother of a 3-year-old says, "My child hit his teddy bear after being scolded for
picking the neighbors' flowers." Which defense mechanism was the child using? -
answ✔️✔️-Displacement
Rationale: The defense mechanism of displacement involves the discharge of intense
feelings for one person onto a less threatening substitute person or object to satisfy an
impulse. Projection involves attributing an attitude, behavior, or impulse to someone
else, such as that which occurs in blaming or scapegoating. Sublimation is rechanneling
an impulse into a more socially acceptable object. Identification involves modeling
behavior after someone else's.
A client says to the nurse, "Even though my husband and I keep telling them we don't
want to have children, our parents are pressuring us to 'start a family.' What should we
say to them?" Which of the following responses by the nurse is therapeutic? -
answ✔️✔️-"This must be very difficult for both of you."
Rationale: Childless families may elect not to have children or to postpone having them
until they have established themselves occupationally or financially. Telling the client to
tell the parents that the couple can't have children is incorrect because the client is
being encouraged to lie about life decisions rather than helping the parents understand
the couple's choices. Asking how they usually cope with such interference is incorrect
because it indicates that the nurse is judgmental and has decided that the parents are
interfering with the client and spouse. Saying, "Tell them to have more children if they
want them so badly," is incorrect because it is sarcastic and ridicules the situation over
which the client has expressed concerns.
A young adult client says, "I just can't seem to stop snapping at my parents. I know they
work hard to support me, but what do I do when they're so overbearing?" Which
responses by the nurse is therapeutic? - answ✔️✔️-"Have you talked to your parents
about your frustrations?"
, Rationale: The correct response is focused on the client's concerns and encourages the
therapeutic technique of formulating a plan of action. "It's important not to be rude to
your parents" and "You need to be more patient with your parents" are both
nontherapeutic, judgmental responses that do not encourage the client to further
explore her feelings and problem-solve. "Snapping at your parents is childish. How
could you?" is incorrect because it is sarcastic and condescending, which is
nontherapeutic.
A client says, "I have so much trouble caring for my husband's child from his first
marriage. I resent the money we have to pay for child support because we have to
deprive my own child of things. How can I stop feeling this way?" Which response by
the nurse is therapeutic? - answ✔️✔️-"Have you shared your feelings with your
husband?"
Rationale: Remarried individuals often encounter problems as a result of the stressors
they bring into a marriage without prior discussion with the new partner. Bonding
sometimes does always occur when a child is not one's biological offspring. The correct
answer is focused on the client's feelings. "Your child benefits from having a sibling" is
not facilitative. "I wonder why you married him, knowing that he wouldn't desert his
biological child" is incorrect because it prejudges the client. "You need to take a second
job to give your child what you think she deserves" is not open ended, does not facilitate
feelings, and gives advice.
A client says to the nurse, "My wife retired last year from a lucrative law practice, and
I'm really discouraged. I'll be working until I die, even though I helped pay for her
education." Which response by the nurse is supportive? - answ✔️✔️-"You sound very
troubled by this."
Rationale: Saying that the situation is unfair is judgmental and does not encourage the
client to express his feelings; nor does "That's such a tough break for you." Suggesting
that the husband approach the spouse for help is incorrect because it prematurely gives
