ATI RN
Mental Health HESI Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A high school student has learned that she cannot graduate. Her boyfriend will be attending a college out of state that she planned to also attend. She is admitted to a psychiatric unit after overdosing on Tylenol. Which is the correctly written priority nursing diagnosis for this client?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this scenario, the client's overdose on Tylenol indicates a serious risk for self-directed violence. The client's feelings of hopelessness, as evidenced by the overdose and inability to graduate, also support the nursing diagnosis of "Risk for self-directed violence." This diagnosis takes priority over other potential diagnoses because the client's physical safety is at immediate risk. Addressing and managing the risk for self-directed violence should be the primary focus of care for this client in the psychiatric unit.
Question 2 of 5
A client has a history of excessive fear of water. What is the term that a nurse should use to describe this specific phobia, and under what subtype is this phobia identified?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Aquaphobia is the term used to describe an intense fear or phobia of water. It is considered a natural environment type of phobia because it involves a fear of natural elements or situations, such as bodies of water like oceans, lakes, or pools. People with aquaphobia may experience extreme anxiety or panic when near water or even at the thought of being in water. This fear is often irrational and can significantly impact a person's daily life and activities involving water.
Question 3 of 5
Arthur, who is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, reports to the nurse that he cant stop thinking about all the potentially life threatening germs in the environment. What is the most accurate way for the nurse to document this symptom?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The most accurate way for the nurse to document Arthur's symptom is "Patient is expressing an obsession with germs." Obsessions are recurring and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are intrusive and unwanted, causing marked anxiety or distress. In this case, Arthur cannot stop thinking about potentially life-threatening germs in the environment, which aligns with the definition of an obsession. Compulsions, on the other hand, are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. Delusions involve false beliefs that are firmly maintained despite being contradicted by reality, which does not apply in this scenario. Arachnophobia is an irrational fear of spiders and not relevant to Arthur's concerns about germs.
Question 4 of 5
A client is experiencing a severe panic attack. Which nursing intervention would meet this clients immediate need?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When a client is experiencing a severe panic attack, the most immediate need is to provide support and reassurance. Staying with the client and offering comfort can help reduce feelings of anxiety and provide a sense of safety. This intervention helps establish a therapeutic nurse-client relationship and promotes a sense of security for the client during a vulnerable and distressing time. It is essential for the nurse to remain present, calm, and supportive to help the client manage the panic attack effectively.
Question 5 of 5
A client diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder spends hours bathing and grooming. During a one-on-one interaction, the client discusses the rituals in detail but avoids any feelings that the rituals generate. Which defense mechanism should the nurse identify?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Intellectualization is a defense mechanism where the individual avoids uncomfortable emotions by focusing on excessive thinking, analyzing, or rationalizing a situation instead of addressing the associated feelings. In this scenario, the client with obsessive-compulsive disorder discussing the rituals in detail but avoiding any feelings that the rituals generate is demonstrating intellectualization. By focusing solely on the details and processes of the rituals, the client is detaching from the emotions that may be driving these behaviors, thereby protecting themselves from confronting and dealing with the underlying emotional distress.