ATI RN
Mental Health HESI Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse working on an inpatient psychiatric unit is assigned to conduct a 45-minute education group. What should the nurse identify as an appropriate group topic?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse working on an inpatient psychiatric unit should aim to choose a group topic that is relevant and beneficial to the patients in that setting. Stress management is a highly appropriate topic for individuals in a psychiatric unit, as many patients may be experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety. Teaching patients about stress management techniques can empower them with coping skills to better manage their emotions and improve their overall well-being. Dream analysis, creative cooking, and paint by number are not as directly applicable to the needs of patients in a psychiatric unit and may not address their immediate concerns effectively.
Question 2 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 3 of 5
An inpatient client with a known history of violence suddenly begins to pace. Which client behavior should alert a nurse to escalating anger and aggression?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this scenario, the client's pacing behavior, along with the tense facial expression and body language, are indicative of escalating anger and aggression. Pacing is often a sign of restlessness and agitation, while tense facial expressions and body language can signal underlying feelings of anger. It is important for the nurse to recognize these nonverbal cues as potential precursors to aggressive behavior in order to intervene effectively and prevent any escalation of violence. The other options do not directly suggest escalating anger and aggression as clearly as the tense facial expression and body language exhibited by the client.
Question 4 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 5 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.