ATI RN
Mental Health HESI Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 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 2 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.
Question 3 of 5
Warrens college roommate actively resists going out with friends whenever they invite him. He says he cant stand to be around other people and confides to Warren They wouldnt like me anyway. Which disorder is Warrens roommate likely suffering from?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Warren's roommate's reluctance to go out with friends and belief that others wouldn't like him suggest social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. People with social anxiety disorder have an intense fear of social situations and interactions, often due to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, or humiliation. They may avoid social gatherings or endure them with extreme discomfort. The roommate's belief that others wouldn't like him is also a common feature of social anxiety, as individuals with this disorder often have negative self-beliefs and worry excessively about judgment from others. Agoraphobia involves fear of situations or places that may be difficult to escape or get help in, Mysophobia is fear of germs or contamination, and Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks which are not mentioned in the scenario.
Question 4 of 5
A college student has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Which of the following symptoms should a campus nurse expect this client to exhibit? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is working with a client diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. What predominant symptoms should a nurse expect to assess?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In somatic symptom disorder, the predominant symptoms that a nurse should expect to assess involve disproportionate and persistent thoughts about the seriousness of one's physical symptoms. Individuals with this disorder often have excessive concerns about their health and strong beliefs that they have a serious medical condition despite reassurances from healthcare providers. These individuals may frequently seek medical evaluations and treatments for their symptoms, even when there is no clear medical explanation for their complaints. It is important for the nurse to assess and address these cognitive factors and provide appropriate support and interventions to help the client manage their symptoms.