HESI COMPASS COMPREHENSIVE EXIT EXAM
2025/2026 AND PRACTICE EXAM TEST BANK WITH A
STUDY GUIDE | ALL VERSIONS OF THE EXAM WITH ALL
MODULES COVERED | ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted client.
Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on the individual's
mental health?
A) Not needing others for companionship
B) The ability to effectively manage stress
C) A family history of mental illness
D) Striving for total self-reliance - Correct Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup, autonomy,
independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning in life,
emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping or stress
management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of separateness and
connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a healthy person would
need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness could relate to the biologic
makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on an individual's mental health, as
well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal and socialñcultural factors of health.
Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive social/cultural factor is access to adequate
resources.
Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. B) Mental illness
is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive dependency on or
withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope effectively with daily life.
Page 1 of 70
,E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with relationships
and self. - Correct Answer-Ans: A, D, E
Feedback: Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. Mental
illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors. Excessive
dependency on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to mental
illness. Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with daily life. Individuals
suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with relationships and self.
. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness? A) Behavior that
may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive self-
concept, and emotional stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill. - Correct Answer-Ans: C
Feedback: What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior, another society
may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness are difficult
to define precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and
social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and
coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who engage in fantasies may be
mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that
may contribute to mental illness
A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill because she
is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
A) You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much pain.
B) You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have experienced.
C) Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's death?
D) Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings. - Correct
Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective relationships,
ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior must not be culturally
Page 2 of 70
,expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness. False
reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address the client's concerns.
. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment - Correct Answer-Ans: D
Feedback: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and
identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic
outcomes of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist RN's scope of
practice, so documenting the code in the medical record would be inappropriate.
. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
A) Identifying the medical diagnosis
B) Treat clients
C) Evaluate treatments
D) Understand the reason for the admission and the nature of psychiatric illnesses - Correct
Answer-Ans: D
Feedback: Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it a
helpful resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building knowledge
about the nature of psychiatric illnesses. Identifying the medical diagnosis, treating, and
evaluating treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
.The legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which of the following shifts in care
for the mentally ill?
A) The widespread use of community-based services
B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C) Increased access to hospitalization
D) Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care - Correct Answer-Ans: A
Page 3 of 70
, Feedback: The Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 accomplished the
release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in admissions to
hospitals, and the development of community-based services as an alternative to hospital care
.Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?A) Making it easier to commit
people for mental health treatment against their will.
B) Making it more difficult to commit people for mental health treatment against their will.
C) State mental institutions being the primary source of care for mentally ill persons.
D) Improved care for mentally ill persons. - Correct Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Commitment laws changed in the early 1970s, making it more difficult to commit
people for mental health treatment against their will. Deinstitutionalization accomplished the
release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions. Deinstitutionalization also had
negative effects in that some mentally ill persons are subjected to the revolving door effect,
which may limit care for mentally ill persons.
Which of the following is defined as an advanced-level function in the practice area of
psychiatric mental health nursing?
A) Case management
B) Counseling
C) Evaluation
D) Health teaching - Correct Answer-Ans: C
Feedback: Advanced-level functions are psychotherapy, prescriptive authority, consultation and
liaison, evaluation, and program development and management. Case management,
counseling, and health teaching are basic-level functions in the practice area of psychiatric
mental health nursing.
A new graduate nurse has accepted a staff position at an inpatient mental health facility. The
graduate nurse can expect to be responsible for basic-level functions, including
A) providing clinical supervision.
B) using effective communication skills.
C) adjusting client medications.
Page 4 of 70
2025/2026 AND PRACTICE EXAM TEST BANK WITH A
STUDY GUIDE | ALL VERSIONS OF THE EXAM WITH ALL
MODULES COVERED | ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
The nurse is assessing the factors contributing to the well-being of a newly admitted client.
Which of the following would the nurse identify as having a positive impact on the individual's
mental health?
A) Not needing others for companionship
B) The ability to effectively manage stress
C) A family history of mental illness
D) Striving for total self-reliance - Correct Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Individual factors influencing mental health include biologic makeup, autonomy,
independence, self-esteem, capacity for growth, vitality, ability to find meaning in life,
emotional resilience or hardiness, sense of belonging, reality orientation, and coping or stress
management abilities. Interpersonal factors such as intimacy and a balance of separateness and
connectedness are both needed for good mental health, and therefore a healthy person would
need others for companionship. A family history of mental illness could relate to the biologic
makeup of an individual, which may have a negative impact on an individual's mental health, as
well as a negative impact on an individual's interpersonal and socialñcultural factors of health.
Total self-reliance is not possible, and a positive social/cultural factor is access to adequate
resources.
Which of the following statements about mental illness are true? Select all that apply.
A) Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. B) Mental illness
is only due to social/cultural factors.
C) Social/cultural factors that relate to mental illness include excessive dependency on or
withdrawal from relationships.
D) Individuals suffering from mental illness are usually able to cope effectively with daily life.
Page 1 of 70
,E) Individuals suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with relationships
and self. - Correct Answer-Ans: A, D, E
Feedback: Mental illness can cause significant distress, impaired functioning, or both. Mental
illness may be related to individual, interpersonal, or social/cultural factors. Excessive
dependency on or withdrawal from relationships are interpersonal factors that relate to mental
illness. Individuals suffering from mental illness can feel overwhelmed with daily life. Individuals
suffering from mental illness may experience dissatisfaction with relationships and self.
. Which of the following are true regarding mental health and mental illness? A) Behavior that
may be viewed as acceptable in one culture is always unacceptable in other cultures.
B) It is easy to determine if a person is mentally healthy or mentally ill.
C) In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness
evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive self-
concept, and emotional stability.
D) Persons who engage in fantasies are mentally ill. - Correct Answer-Ans: C
Feedback: What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate behavior, another society
may see that as maladaptive, and inappropriate. Mental health and mental illness are difficult
to define precisely. In most cases, mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and
social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and
coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Persons who engage in fantasies may be
mentally healthy, but the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy is an individual factor that
may contribute to mental illness
A client grieving the recent loss of her husband asks if she is becoming mentally ill because she
is so sad. The nurse's best response would be,
A) You may have a temporary mental illness because you are experiencing so much pain.
B) You are not mentally ill. This is an expected reaction to the loss you have experienced.
C) Were you generally dissatisfied with your relationship before your husband's death?
D) Try not to worry about that right now. You never know what the future brings. - Correct
Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Mental illness includes general dissatisfaction with self, ineffective relationships,
ineffective coping, and lack of personal growth. Additionally the behavior must not be culturally
Page 2 of 70
,expected. Acute grief reactions are expected and therefore not considered mental illness. False
reassurance or overanalysis does not accurately address the client's concerns.
. The nurse consults the DSM for which of the following purposes?
A) To devise a plan of care for a newly admitted client
B) To predict the client's prognosis of treatment outcomes
C) To document the appropriate diagnostic code in the client's medical record
D) To serve as a guide for client assessment - Correct Answer-Ans: D
Feedback: The DSM provides standard nomenclature, presents defining characteristics, and
identifies underlying causes of mental disorders. It does not provide care plans or prognostic
outcomes of treatment. Diagnosis of mental illness is not within the generalist RN's scope of
practice, so documenting the code in the medical record would be inappropriate.
. Which would be a reason for a student nurse to use the DSM?
A) Identifying the medical diagnosis
B) Treat clients
C) Evaluate treatments
D) Understand the reason for the admission and the nature of psychiatric illnesses - Correct
Answer-Ans: D
Feedback: Although student nurses do not use the DSM to diagnose clients, they will find it a
helpful resource to understand the reason for the admission and to begin building knowledge
about the nature of psychiatric illnesses. Identifying the medical diagnosis, treating, and
evaluating treatments are not a part of the nursing process.
.The legislation enacted in 1963 was largely responsible for which of the following shifts in care
for the mentally ill?
A) The widespread use of community-based services
B) The advancement in pharmacotherapies
C) Increased access to hospitalization
D) Improved rights for clients in long-term institutional care - Correct Answer-Ans: A
Page 3 of 70
, Feedback: The Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 accomplished the
release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions, the decrease in admissions to
hospitals, and the development of community-based services as an alternative to hospital care
.Which one of the following is a result of federal legislation?A) Making it easier to commit
people for mental health treatment against their will.
B) Making it more difficult to commit people for mental health treatment against their will.
C) State mental institutions being the primary source of care for mentally ill persons.
D) Improved care for mentally ill persons. - Correct Answer-Ans: B
Feedback: Commitment laws changed in the early 1970s, making it more difficult to commit
people for mental health treatment against their will. Deinstitutionalization accomplished the
release of individuals from long-term stays in state institutions. Deinstitutionalization also had
negative effects in that some mentally ill persons are subjected to the revolving door effect,
which may limit care for mentally ill persons.
Which of the following is defined as an advanced-level function in the practice area of
psychiatric mental health nursing?
A) Case management
B) Counseling
C) Evaluation
D) Health teaching - Correct Answer-Ans: C
Feedback: Advanced-level functions are psychotherapy, prescriptive authority, consultation and
liaison, evaluation, and program development and management. Case management,
counseling, and health teaching are basic-level functions in the practice area of psychiatric
mental health nursing.
A new graduate nurse has accepted a staff position at an inpatient mental health facility. The
graduate nurse can expect to be responsible for basic-level functions, including
A) providing clinical supervision.
B) using effective communication skills.
C) adjusting client medications.
Page 4 of 70
