HESI PSYCH MENTAL HEALTH TEST BANK
2026 ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
⩥ 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.
Answer: 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.
,⩥ 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. Answer: ANS: A
Sleepwalking, amnesia, and multiple personalities are examples of
detaching emotional 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
disorganization. (D) is reexperiencing a psychologically terrifying or
distressing event that is outside the usual range of human experience
such as war or rape.
⩥ 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. ". Answer:
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 unless symptoms become severe. The client should
continue symptom management strategies (D) to prevent hospitalization.
⩥ 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..
Answer: 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 (C) is difficult. (D) is
likely to increase manic behaviors, such as mood swings and acting-out
behaviors.
⩥ A client on the psychiatric unit seeks out a particular nurse and
imitates her mannerisms. Which defense mechanism does the nurse
recognize in this client?
A.Sublimation
B.Identification
C.Introjection
D.Repression. Answer: ANS: B
Identification (B) is an attempt to be like someone or emulate the
personality traits of another. (A) is substituting an unacceptable feeling
for one that is more socially acceptable. (C) is incorporating the values
or qualities of an admired person or group into one's own ego structure.
(D) is the involuntary exclusion of painful thoughts or memories from
one's awareness.
⩥ A client begins taking an atypical antipsychotic medication. The nurse
must provide informed consent and education about common medication
side effects. Which client education will be most important?
A.Maintain a balanced diet and adequate exercise.
2026 ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
⩥ 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.
Answer: 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.
,⩥ 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. Answer: ANS: A
Sleepwalking, amnesia, and multiple personalities are examples of
detaching emotional 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
disorganization. (D) is reexperiencing a psychologically terrifying or
distressing event that is outside the usual range of human experience
such as war or rape.
⩥ 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. ". Answer:
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 unless symptoms become severe. The client should
continue symptom management strategies (D) to prevent hospitalization.
⩥ 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..
Answer: 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 (C) is difficult. (D) is
likely to increase manic behaviors, such as mood swings and acting-out
behaviors.
⩥ A client on the psychiatric unit seeks out a particular nurse and
imitates her mannerisms. Which defense mechanism does the nurse
recognize in this client?
A.Sublimation
B.Identification
C.Introjection
D.Repression. Answer: ANS: B
Identification (B) is an attempt to be like someone or emulate the
personality traits of another. (A) is substituting an unacceptable feeling
for one that is more socially acceptable. (C) is incorporating the values
or qualities of an admired person or group into one's own ego structure.
(D) is the involuntary exclusion of painful thoughts or memories from
one's awareness.
⩥ A client begins taking an atypical antipsychotic medication. The nurse
must provide informed consent and education about common medication
side effects. Which client education will be most important?
A.Maintain a balanced diet and adequate exercise.
