HESI RN
RN HESI Mental Health 2023 Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A client with depression does not want to communicate with friends, uses television watching as a means of escaping responsibilities, and describes the inability to handle personal circumstances. Which coping strategy should the nurse include in the plan of care?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Focusing on small achievable tasks promotes a sense of accomplishment, counteracting helplessness and supporting behavioral activation for depression. Ventilating emotions may not address avoidance. Reducing effort may worsen helplessness. Shifting attention to others does not directly address depressive symptoms.
Question 2 of 5
A male client with a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder takes lithium carbonate daily. The client informed the school nurse of the desire to live away from home to attend college after graduating in one month. Which information is most important for the nurse to provide the client and his family?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lithium therapy requires regular monitoring of serum levels to ensure therapeutic efficacy and prevent toxicity, especially during transitions like starting college. Therapy and symptom awareness are important but secondary to lithium level monitoring. Independence is a goal but not the primary focus.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is using the CAGE questionnaire as a screening tool for a client who is seeking help because his wife said he had a drinking problem. Which information should the nurse explore in depth with the client based on this screening tool?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The CAGE questionnaire focuses on four key aspects: efforts to Cut down, Annoyance with questions, Guilt about drinking, and Eye-opener use. Exploring these provides insight into potential alcohol problems. Other options include relevant aspects but are not specific to the CAGE questionnaire.
Question 4 of 5
A male client tells the nurse that he has an IQ of 400+ and is a genius and an inventor. He also reports that he is married to a female movie star and thinks that his brother wants a sexual relationship with her. Which is the priority nursing problem for admission to the psychiatric unit?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The client's delusions (e.g., being married to a movie star, brother's intentions) indicate disturbed sensory perception, suggestive of psychosis, which is the priority. Ineffective sexual patterns are not directly indicated. Family coping may be secondary. Impaired environmental interpretation is too broad.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who reports using cocaine several times in the past week. Which observations should the nurse expect on assessment?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Cocaine use typically results in stimulation of the central nervous system, leading to increased heart rate, dilated pupils, and heightened alertness. Bradycardia and bradypnea are not typical, as cocaine causes tachycardia and increased respiratory rate. Hallucinations and delusions are more associated with hallucinogens or psychotic disorders. Lethargy and depression occur during the 'crash' phase, not the immediate effects of cocaine use.