2025 Mental Health HESI Exam New Latest Version
Best Studying Material with Questions from Actual
Past Exam and Correct Answers
The RN is providing care for a client diagnosed with borderline personality disorder who has
self-inflicted lacerations on the abdomen. Which approach should the RN use when changing
this client's dressing?
A. Provide detailed thorough explanations when cleansing wound.
B. Perform the dressing change in a non-judgmental manner.
C. Ask in a non-threatening manner why the client cut own abdomen.
D. Request another staff member assist with the dressing change. ---------- Correct Answer -------
----- B
The nurse is preparing medications for a client with bipolar disorder and notices that the
antipsychotic medication was discontinued several day ago. Which medication should also be
discontinued?
A. Alprazolam (Xanax)
B. Benztropine (Cogentin)
C. Magnesium (Milk of Magneisa)
D. Lithium (Lathotbabs) ---------- Correct Answer ------------ B
A middle-aged adult with major depressive disorder suffer from psychomotor redardation,
hypersomnia, and amotivation. Which intervention is like to be most effective in returning this
client to a normal level of functioning?
A. Encourage the client to exercise.
B. Suggest that the client develop a list of pleasurable activities.
C. Provide education on methods to enhance sleep.
D. Teach the client to develop a plan for daily structured activities. ---------- Correct Answer -----
------- D
A female client engages in repeated checks of door and window locks, behavior that presents her
from arriving on time and interferes with her ability to function effectively. What action should
the nurse take?
A. Discuss checking the time frequently
B. Ask the client why she checks the locks
C. Plan a list of activities to be carried out daily.
D. Determine the type and size of the locks. ----------- Correct Answer ------------- C
(Helps the client to gain recognition of and insight into the anxiety and assists her to learn new
adaptive coping behaviors)
A male client with schizophrenia is demonstrating echolalia, which is becoming annoying to
other clients on the unit. That intervention is best for the nurse to implement?
A. avoid recognizing the behavior.
B. Isolate the client from other clients.
,C. Administer a PRN sedative.
D. Escort the client to his room. ----------- Correct Answer ------------- D
(Echolalia, constantly repeating what others are saying, can become disruptive to a community
environment, so the nurse should direct the client to a private space such as his room)
A young adult male is hospitallizaed due to depression and an attempted suicide attempt. The
client reports that he lost his job and was angry with his employer for firing him when he took an
overdose of pain medications. Which behavior best indicates to the nurse that his condition is
improving?
A. Initiates interactions with other clients.
B. Describes verbally when he is angry
C. Participates in a job search with a social worker.
D. Denies plans to harm himself or others. ----------- Correct Answer ------------- A
(The best indicator of improvement in a client with depression is initiated interaction with others
because such behavior indicates that the client is less withdrawn and more self-directed)
The nurse is completing the admission assessment of an underweight adolescent who is admitted
to a psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of depression. Which finding requires notification to the
healthcare providers
A. Body mass index of 21
B. Potassium level of 2.9 mEq/dl
C. WBC of 10,000 mm3
D. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg. ----------- Correct Answer ------------- B
( The nurse should inform the healthcare provider of potassium level of 2.9 mEq/dl, which could
be caused by electrolyte imbalance)
A male client with a long history of alcohol dependency arrives in the Emergency department
describing the feeling of bugs crawling on his body. His blood pressure is 170/102, pulse rate is
110 beats/ min, and his blood alcohol level is 0 mg/dl. Which prescription should the nurse
administer?
A. Haloperidol (Hadol)
B. Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
C. Lorazapam (Ativan)
D. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) ---------- Correct Answer ------------ C
While sitting in the day room of the mental health unit, a male adolescent avoids eye contact,
looks at the floor, and talks softly when interacting verbally with the RN. The two trade places,
and the RN demonstrates the client's behaviors. What is the main goal of this therapeutic
technique?
A. Initiate a non-threatening conversation with the client.
B. Dialog about the ineffectiveness of his interactions.
C. Allow the client to identify the way he interacts.
D. Discuss the client's feelings when he responds. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ C
An antidepressant medication is prescribed for a client who reports sleeping only 4 hours in the
past 2 days and weight loss of 9 lbs within the last month. Which client goal is most important to
,achieve within the first three days of treatment?
A. Meet scheduled appointment with dietitian.
B. Sleep at least 6 hours a night.
C. Understands the purpose of the medication regimen.
D. Describes the reasons for hospitalization. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ B
When preparing to administer to domestic violence screening tool to a female client, which
statement should the RN provide?
A. If your partner is abusing you, I need to ask these questions.
B. State law mandates that I ask if you are a victim of domestic violence.
C. The HCP provider needs to know if you are experiencing any domestic abuse.
D. All clients are screened for domestic abuse because it is common in our society. ----------
Correct Answer ------------ D
A young adult female visits the mental health clinic complaining of diarrhea, headache, and
muscle aches. She is afebrile, denies chills, and all laboratory findings are within normal limits.
During the physical assessment, the client tells the RN that her sister thinks she is neurotic and
calls her a hypochondriac. Which response is best for the RN to provide?
A. Unless your sister has a medical education, ignore her comments.
B. I can hear that your sister comments are over-whelming you.
C. Do you think it's possible that you might be a hypochondriac?
D. Besides your sister's comments, what in your life is troubling you? ---------- Correct Answer --
---------- D
The RN is leading a group on the inpatient psychiatric unit. Which approach should the RN use
during the working phase of group development?
A. Establishing a rapport with group members.
B. Clarifying the nurse's role and clients' responsibilities.
C. Discussing ways to use new coping skills learned.
D. Helping clients identify areas of problem in their lives. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ D
A male client with schizophrenia is demonstrating echolalia, which is becoming annoying to
other clients on the unit. What intervention is best for the RN to implement?
A. Isolate the client from the other clients.
B. AdministerPRNsedative.
C. Avoidrecognizingthebehavior.
D. Escort the client to his room. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ D
A client is admitted for bipolar disorder and alcohol withdrawal, depressive phase. Based on
which assessment finding will the RN withhold the clonidine (Catapres) prescription?
A. Blood pressure readings of 90/62 mmHg to 92/58 mmHg.
B. Pulse rate of 68-78 BPM.
C. Temperature of 99.5-99.7 F.
D. Respiration rate of 24 breaths per minute. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ A
The RN on the evening shift receives report that a client is scheduled for electroconvulsive
, treatment (ECT) in the morning. Which intervention should the Rn implement the evening before
the scheduled ECT?
A. Hold all bedtime medications.
B. Keep the client NPO after mid-night.
C. Implementelopementprecautions.
D. Give the client an enema at bedtime. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ B
A client with Bulimia and depression who is taking phenelzine (Nardil) 90 mg daily is admitted
to an acute care hospital for uncontrolled hypertension. What dietary choices should the RN
instruct the client to avoid?
A. Pan-seared catfish.
B. Peperoni pizza.
C. Deepfriedshrimp.
D. Beef trips with gravy. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ B
A mental health worker is caring for a client with escalating aggressive behavior. Which action
by the mental health worker warrants immediate intervention by the RN?
A. Is attempting the physically restrain the patient.
B. Remains at a distance of 4 feet from the client.
C. Tells the client to go to the quiet area of the unit.
D. Is using a load voice to talk to the client. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ A
A client who recently experienced the death of a significant other arrives at the mental health
center. The client reports loss of interest in usual activities, expresses a wish to be with the
decreased significant other, has been eating very little, and has not slept in several days. Which
client statement is most important for the RN to explore at this time?
A. Not sleeping for several days.
B. Wishing to be with spouse.
C. Lack of interest in usual activities.
D. Eating very little. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ A
A middle aged adult with major depressive disorder suffers from psychomotor retardation,
hypersomnia, and motivation. Which intervention is likely to be most effective in returning this
client to a normal level of functioning?
A. Provide education on methods to enhance sleep.
B. Teach the client to develop a plan for daily structured activities.
C. Suggest that the client develop a list of pleasurable activities.
D. Encourage the client to exercise. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ B
When developing a plan of care for a client admitted to the psychiatric unit following aspiration
of a caustic material related to a suicide attempt, which nursing problem has the highest priority?
A. Impaired comfort.
B. Risk for injury.
C. Ineffective breathing pattern.
D. Ineffective coping. ---------- Correct Answer ------------ C
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