HESI-Focus on Mental Health Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified

HESI-Focus on Mental Health Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified A client with schizophrenia hears voices commanding harm to others. What is the nurse’s priority action? Ensure the client and environment are safe. A client with depression refuses meals. What is the nurse’s best action? Offer small, frequent, high-calorie foods the client can tolerate. A client experiencing a panic attack states, “I feel like I’m going to die.” What should the nurse do first? Stay with the client and use a calm, reassuring presence. A client taking lithium reports nausea, tremors, and unsteady gait. What should the nurse suspect? Signs of lithium toxicity. 2 A client says, “The FBI has placed cameras in my room.” What is the most therapeutic nursing response? “I understand this feels real for you, but I do not see any cameras.” A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder spends hours checking locks. What is the best nursing approach? Allow the ritual but gradually set reasonable time limits. A client with PTSD reports frequent flashbacks. What is the nurse’s priority intervention? Assist the client to use grounding techniques. A client in alcohol withdrawal suddenly becomes confused and agitated. What should the nurse suspect? Delirium tremens. A client with bipolar disorder is overly talkative, restless, and distractible. What phase is the client experiencing? A manic episode. 3 A client with anorexia nervosa has a heart rate of 40 beats per minute. What is the priority action? Notify the healthcare provider immediately. A client with depression states, “I have no purpose to live.” What should the nurse do first? Assess the client’s risk of suicide. A client prescribed clozapine develops a fever and sore throat. What is the nurse’s priority intervention? Obtain a white blood cell count. A client in a psychiatric unit suddenly becomes physically aggressive. What is the nurse’s first action? Ensure the safety of all clients and staff. A client with generalized anxiety disorder reports constant restlessness. What intervention should the nurse use? Teach deep breathing and relaxation exercises. 4 A client with schizophrenia is mute and maintains rigid posture for long periods. What condition is suspected? Catatonia. A client prescribed sertraline states, “I feel better after three days. I don’t need this anymore.” What is the nurse’s best response? “It may take several weeks for the full effect. Do not stop taking it suddenly.” A client with borderline personality disorder tells one nurse, “You are the only good nurse here.” What behavior is this? Splitting. A client with depression refuses to participate in group therapy. What is the most therapeutic nursing action? Sit quietly with the client to convey presence. A client reports muscle stiffness, high fever, and confusion after starting haloperidol. What complication should the nurse suspect? Neuroleptic malignant syndrome. 5 A client taking fluoxetine reports difficulty with sexual functioning. What should the nurse recognize? This is a common side effect of SSRIs. A client states, “I feel bugs crawling under my skin.” What type of hallucination is this? Tactile hallucination.