HERZING UNIVERSITY HESI MENTAL HEALTH ◉ Which action would the nurse take for a withdrawn client who
suddenly screams, bursts into tears, and runs from the room to the far
EXAM Q&A 2026 STUDY GUIDE FULL end of the hallway?
SOLUTION GRADED A+ A. Walk to the end of the hallway where the client is standing
B. Accept the action as the impulsive behavior of a sick person
C. Ask another client in the dayroom why the client acted in this way
D. Document objectively the incident in the client's record immediately.
◉ Which characteristic of adolescence is exemplified by risk-taking Answer: A. Walk to the end of the hallway where the client is standing
behavior without fear of consequences?
A. Animism
This lets the client know that the nurse is available. It also demonstrates
B. Personal fable an acceptance of the client.
C. Imaginery audience
D. Sense of invulnerability. Answer: D. Sense of invulnerability ◉ Which consistent approach would the nurse use for a client diagnosed
with an antisocial personality disorder?
◉ A client does not take their medication regularly and is depressed. A. Warm and firm without being punitive
Which inference can the nurse make about the client's motivational B. Indifferent and detached but nonjudgemental
level?
C. Confidentiality acquiescent to client demands
A. Not motivated
D. Clearly communicative of personal disapproval. Answer: A. Warm
B. Intrinsically motivated and firm without being punitive
C. Extrinsically motivated with self-determination
D. Extrinsically motivated without self-determination. Answer: A. Not ◉ Which technique would be appropriate for clients who exhibit mild
motivated neurocognitive impairment?
A. Reality orientation
B. Behavioral confrontation
,C. Reflective communication When acceptance is reached. the individual is beginning to withdraw
D. Reminiscence group therapy. Answer: A. Reality orientation from life; communication is simple, concise, and most often nonverbal.
Kubler-Ross' research has shown that at this stage, verbal
communication is typically less important, and touch and presence are
◉ Which characteristic is most essential for the nurse to have in caring most important. The client has moved past the anger, denial, and
for clients with mental health disorders? bargaining stages.
A. Empathy
B. Sympathy ◉ Which action would the nurse take for a client with an obsessive-
compulsive disorder who continually walks up and down the hall,
C. Organization
touching every other and becomes upset if interrupted?
D. Authoritarianism. Answer: A. Empathy
A. Distract the client, which will help the client forget about touching
the chairs.
Empathy - understanding and, to some extent, sharing the emotions of B. Encourage the client to continue touching the chairs as long as the
another- encourages the expression of feelings. Sympathy, or feeling client wants until fatigue sets in
sorry for someone, may further decrease the client's feelings of self-
C. Remove chairs from the hall, thereby relieving the client of the
worth.
necessity of touching every other one
D. Allow the behavior to continue for a specified time, letting the client
◉ Which stage is a terminally ill client displaying by gradually moving help set the time limits to be imposed. Answer: D. Allow the behavior to
towards resolution of feelings about impending death according to continue for a specified time, letting the client help set the time limits to
Kubler-Ross' theory of death and dying? be imposed
A. Anger stage
B. Denial stage ◉ Place the five stages of grievingidentified and described by Elisabeth
C. Bargaining stage Kubler-Ross in order of progression from first to last.
D. Acceptance stage. Answer: D. Acceptance stage 1. Anger
2. Denial
3. Depression
,4. Acceptance ◉ Which response would the nurse make to a client who says, 'I feel so
5. Bargaining. Answer: 2. Denial guilty. None of this makes any sense. Everyone must really think I'm
crazy,' after performing a complex ritual?
1. Anger
A. 'Your behavior is bizarre, but it serves a useful purpose.'
5. Bargaining
B. 'You're concerned about what other people are thinking about you.'
3. Depression
C. 'I am sure people understand that you can't help this behavior right
4. Acceptance now.'
D. 'Guilt serves no useful purpose. It just helps you stay stuck where you
◉ Which assessment finding would the nurse observe in a client with are.'. Answer: B. 'You're concerned about what other people are thinking
bipolar disorder, manic phase? about you.'
A. Constant singing
B. Ritualistic behavior ◉ Which characteristic of clients with antisocial personality disorder
would the nurse consider when planning care?
C. Flat affect
A. Engages in many rituals
D. Apathetic demeanor. Answer: A. Constant singing
B. Is a perfectionist
C. Exhibits lack of empathy for others
◉ Which reason would be likely for a client's anger and acting out when
the nurse interrupts the hand-washing ritual of a client with obsessive- D. Possesses limited communication skills. Answer: C. Exhibits lack of
compulsive disorder? empathy for others
A. Has overwhelming feelings of anxiety
B. Resents the nurse's authoritarian manner ◉ At which stage of Kohlberg's theory does an individual want to fulfill
the expectations of one's immediate group?
C. Is clashing with the nurse's personality
A. Good boy-nice orientation
D. Reflects and aggressive characteristic. Answer: A. Has overwhelming
feelings of anxiety B. Society-maintaining orientation
C. Instrumental relativist orientation
, D. Universal ethical principle orientation. Answer: A. Good boy-nice C. For injuries from touching hot foods
orientation
D. For attempts at eating inedible objects. Answer: D. For attempts at
eating inedible objects
The good boy-good girl orientation stage involves an individual who
wants to win the approval and maintain the expectations of one's
◉ Which period of Piaget's theory covers the prevalence of egocentrism
immediate group. During the society-maintaining orientation stage, an
in adolescents?
individual expands focus from a relationship with others to societal
concerns. The instrumental relativist orientation stage involves a child A. Sensorimotor
who wants to follow parental rules. the universal ethical principle B. Preoperational
orientation stage defines "right" by the decision of conscience according
C. Formal operations
to self-chosen ethical principles.
D. Concrete operations. Answer: C. Formal operations
◉ Which side effect would the nurse monitor for in a severely depressed
client who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? ◉ Which explanation, when providing a change-of-shift report, would
the nurse use to describe a client diagnosed with schizophrenia who is
A. Loss of appetite
experiencing opposing emotions simultaneously?
B. Postural hypotension
A. Double bind
C. Total memory loss
B. Ambivalence
D. Confusion immediately after the treatment. Answer: D. Confusion
C. Loose association
immediately after the treatment
D. Inappropriate affect. Answer: B. Ambivalence
◉ A client is diagnosed with Alzheimer disease and is exhibiting
hyperorality. Which parameter would the nurse closely monitor to keep ◉ Which response would the nurse use when a client diagnosed with
this client safe? acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) states, "I'm not worried
because they have a cure for AIDS"?
A. For choking at meal times
A. "Repeated phlebotomies may be able to rid you of the virus."
B. For the presence of mouth ulcers
suddenly screams, bursts into tears, and runs from the room to the far
EXAM Q&A 2026 STUDY GUIDE FULL end of the hallway?
SOLUTION GRADED A+ A. Walk to the end of the hallway where the client is standing
B. Accept the action as the impulsive behavior of a sick person
C. Ask another client in the dayroom why the client acted in this way
D. Document objectively the incident in the client's record immediately.
◉ Which characteristic of adolescence is exemplified by risk-taking Answer: A. Walk to the end of the hallway where the client is standing
behavior without fear of consequences?
A. Animism
This lets the client know that the nurse is available. It also demonstrates
B. Personal fable an acceptance of the client.
C. Imaginery audience
D. Sense of invulnerability. Answer: D. Sense of invulnerability ◉ Which consistent approach would the nurse use for a client diagnosed
with an antisocial personality disorder?
◉ A client does not take their medication regularly and is depressed. A. Warm and firm without being punitive
Which inference can the nurse make about the client's motivational B. Indifferent and detached but nonjudgemental
level?
C. Confidentiality acquiescent to client demands
A. Not motivated
D. Clearly communicative of personal disapproval. Answer: A. Warm
B. Intrinsically motivated and firm without being punitive
C. Extrinsically motivated with self-determination
D. Extrinsically motivated without self-determination. Answer: A. Not ◉ Which technique would be appropriate for clients who exhibit mild
motivated neurocognitive impairment?
A. Reality orientation
B. Behavioral confrontation
,C. Reflective communication When acceptance is reached. the individual is beginning to withdraw
D. Reminiscence group therapy. Answer: A. Reality orientation from life; communication is simple, concise, and most often nonverbal.
Kubler-Ross' research has shown that at this stage, verbal
communication is typically less important, and touch and presence are
◉ Which characteristic is most essential for the nurse to have in caring most important. The client has moved past the anger, denial, and
for clients with mental health disorders? bargaining stages.
A. Empathy
B. Sympathy ◉ Which action would the nurse take for a client with an obsessive-
compulsive disorder who continually walks up and down the hall,
C. Organization
touching every other and becomes upset if interrupted?
D. Authoritarianism. Answer: A. Empathy
A. Distract the client, which will help the client forget about touching
the chairs.
Empathy - understanding and, to some extent, sharing the emotions of B. Encourage the client to continue touching the chairs as long as the
another- encourages the expression of feelings. Sympathy, or feeling client wants until fatigue sets in
sorry for someone, may further decrease the client's feelings of self-
C. Remove chairs from the hall, thereby relieving the client of the
worth.
necessity of touching every other one
D. Allow the behavior to continue for a specified time, letting the client
◉ Which stage is a terminally ill client displaying by gradually moving help set the time limits to be imposed. Answer: D. Allow the behavior to
towards resolution of feelings about impending death according to continue for a specified time, letting the client help set the time limits to
Kubler-Ross' theory of death and dying? be imposed
A. Anger stage
B. Denial stage ◉ Place the five stages of grievingidentified and described by Elisabeth
C. Bargaining stage Kubler-Ross in order of progression from first to last.
D. Acceptance stage. Answer: D. Acceptance stage 1. Anger
2. Denial
3. Depression
,4. Acceptance ◉ Which response would the nurse make to a client who says, 'I feel so
5. Bargaining. Answer: 2. Denial guilty. None of this makes any sense. Everyone must really think I'm
crazy,' after performing a complex ritual?
1. Anger
A. 'Your behavior is bizarre, but it serves a useful purpose.'
5. Bargaining
B. 'You're concerned about what other people are thinking about you.'
3. Depression
C. 'I am sure people understand that you can't help this behavior right
4. Acceptance now.'
D. 'Guilt serves no useful purpose. It just helps you stay stuck where you
◉ Which assessment finding would the nurse observe in a client with are.'. Answer: B. 'You're concerned about what other people are thinking
bipolar disorder, manic phase? about you.'
A. Constant singing
B. Ritualistic behavior ◉ Which characteristic of clients with antisocial personality disorder
would the nurse consider when planning care?
C. Flat affect
A. Engages in many rituals
D. Apathetic demeanor. Answer: A. Constant singing
B. Is a perfectionist
C. Exhibits lack of empathy for others
◉ Which reason would be likely for a client's anger and acting out when
the nurse interrupts the hand-washing ritual of a client with obsessive- D. Possesses limited communication skills. Answer: C. Exhibits lack of
compulsive disorder? empathy for others
A. Has overwhelming feelings of anxiety
B. Resents the nurse's authoritarian manner ◉ At which stage of Kohlberg's theory does an individual want to fulfill
the expectations of one's immediate group?
C. Is clashing with the nurse's personality
A. Good boy-nice orientation
D. Reflects and aggressive characteristic. Answer: A. Has overwhelming
feelings of anxiety B. Society-maintaining orientation
C. Instrumental relativist orientation
, D. Universal ethical principle orientation. Answer: A. Good boy-nice C. For injuries from touching hot foods
orientation
D. For attempts at eating inedible objects. Answer: D. For attempts at
eating inedible objects
The good boy-good girl orientation stage involves an individual who
wants to win the approval and maintain the expectations of one's
◉ Which period of Piaget's theory covers the prevalence of egocentrism
immediate group. During the society-maintaining orientation stage, an
in adolescents?
individual expands focus from a relationship with others to societal
concerns. The instrumental relativist orientation stage involves a child A. Sensorimotor
who wants to follow parental rules. the universal ethical principle B. Preoperational
orientation stage defines "right" by the decision of conscience according
C. Formal operations
to self-chosen ethical principles.
D. Concrete operations. Answer: C. Formal operations
◉ Which side effect would the nurse monitor for in a severely depressed
client who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? ◉ Which explanation, when providing a change-of-shift report, would
the nurse use to describe a client diagnosed with schizophrenia who is
A. Loss of appetite
experiencing opposing emotions simultaneously?
B. Postural hypotension
A. Double bind
C. Total memory loss
B. Ambivalence
D. Confusion immediately after the treatment. Answer: D. Confusion
C. Loose association
immediately after the treatment
D. Inappropriate affect. Answer: B. Ambivalence
◉ A client is diagnosed with Alzheimer disease and is exhibiting
hyperorality. Which parameter would the nurse closely monitor to keep ◉ Which response would the nurse use when a client diagnosed with
this client safe? acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) states, "I'm not worried
because they have a cure for AIDS"?
A. For choking at meal times
A. "Repeated phlebotomies may be able to rid you of the virus."
B. For the presence of mouth ulcers
