HESI MENTAL HEALTH EXAM LATEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE VERIFIED ANSWERS UPDATED GRADED A+
Which is the usual age of onset for cyclothymic disorders?
a. Childhood
b. Adolescence
c. Middle adulthood
d. Late adulthood
b. Adolescence
Cyclothymic disorders usually begin in adolescence or early adulthood. They typically
begin later than childhood but earlier than middle or late adulthood.
A nurse is caring for a patient with severe depression. After 4 months of
treatment, the nurse tells the patient, "Depression is an illness that is beyond a
person ' s voluntary control." In which phase of treatment is this an appropriate
statement by the nurse?
a. Acute phase
b. Orientation phase
c. Continuation phase
d. Maintenance phase
c. Continuation phase
There are three phases of treatment for depression: the acute phase, the continuation
phase, and the maintenance phase. After 4 to 9 months of treatment, patients are in the
continuation phase, during which they are educated about depression in hopes that they
will better adhere to the treatment plan and avoid relapse. Explaining depression is
beyond a person's control is an example of this teaching. The other stages of treatment
have different goals, such as the acute phase (the initial 12 weeks) in which the patient
is given interventions to simply reduce symptoms of depression. The orientation phase
,is not one of the three phases of the treatment. After 1 year of treatment, patients are
typically in the maintenance phase, where they may already be well educated about
depression and the treatment focuses on avoiding further complications from relapse of
the illness.
Which is the recommended starting dose of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors in older adult patients with depression?
a. The lowest adult dose
b. The normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
d. Half the normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
Older adult patients with depression are frequently prescribed selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors as a first-line treatment. They must be administered half the lowest
adult dose to avoid adverse effects from drug accumulation. The lowest adult dose,
normal adult dose, and half the normal adult should not be administered to older adult
patients. These doses would cause severe toxic effects in older adult patients.
A nurse is performing an assessment of a child diagnosed with disinhibited
social engagement disorder. Which behavior would the nurse expect to find in the
child?
a. The child throws stones at strangers.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
c. The child cries when touched by a stranger.
d. The child hides when a stranger approaches.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
Disinhibited social engagement disorder is characterized by absence of normal fear
toward strangers and unresponsiveness to separation from a caregiver. The child
demonstrates no normal fear of strangers. A child throwing stones at a stranger is
indicative of antisocial behavior. A child crying when being touched by a stranger
demonstrates sensitive behavior. A child hiding when approached by a stranger reflects
shyness and is not a symptom of disinhibited social engagement disorder.
,Which nursing intervention is an appropriate response to anosognosia in a
patient with schizophrenia experiencing psychosis?
a. Establish trust and rapport.
b. Convey empathy and support.
c. Reduce excessive stimulation.
d. Explain the diagnosis in a confident manner.
a. Establish trust and rapport.
Anosognosia is common in patients with severe mental illness and is not denial or
resistance to accepting the diagnosis. The patient cannot recognize they have an
illness. It is important for the nurse to establish trust and rapport with the patient,
because this will allow the nurse to provide treatment and implement interventions to
help the patient remain safe and gain awareness of their illness. Empathy and support
are not helpful if the patient does not recognize that they are ill. Reducing excessive
stimulation is an intervention for a patient who is restless or agitated. Explaining the
diagnosis in a confident manner will not promote the patient's awareness of their illness.
Which nursing intervention is appropriate to include in the care plan for a patient
with psychosis experiencing poor self-esteem?
a. Introduce pet therapy.
b. Seek areas of commonality.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
d. Involve the patient in planning treatment.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
Engaging regularly with a patient with poor self-esteem is important in establishing a
trusting nurse-patient relationship. Pet therapy may help patients who avoid interaction
with peers increase their comfort level with other people. Seeking areas of commonality
is beneficial when a patient is experiencing denial, such as in the case of anosognosia.
Involving the patient in planning treatment is beneficial when the patient is nonadherent
or resistant to treatment.
, Which action is included in the nursing plan of care for a patient diagnosed with
panic-level anxiety who is exhibiting severe hyperactivity?
a. Place the patient in seclusion.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
c. Help the patient identify the source of anxiety.
d. Communicate using simple, loud, clear statements.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
The nursing care plan for a patient diagnosed with anxiety who is exhibiting severe
hyperactivity is to attend to the patient's physical needs. Severe hyperactivity is
characteristic of a panic level of anxiety and attending to physical needs such as
elimination, fluids, and nutrition are important. Seclusion should only be initiated after all
other interventions have been tried and are unsuccessful. Helping a patient identify the
source of anxiety is more effective for a patient experiencing mild to moderate anxiety.
When the nurse is communicating with a patient experiencing severe anxiety, a low-
pitched voice should be used.
Which defense mechanism has an adaptive use?
a. Splitting
b. Undoing
c. Projection
d. Conversion
b. Undoing
Undoing is a defense mechanism with an adaptive use. Splitting and conversion do not
have adaptive uses and are almost always pathological. Projection is a defense
mechanism that is considered immature and does not have an adaptive use.
A client frantically reports to the nurse that "You have got to help me! Something
terrible is happening. I can't think. My heart is pounding, and my head is
throbbing." The nurse should assess the client at what level of anxiety?
a. mild
b. panic
COMPLETE VERIFIED ANSWERS UPDATED GRADED A+
Which is the usual age of onset for cyclothymic disorders?
a. Childhood
b. Adolescence
c. Middle adulthood
d. Late adulthood
b. Adolescence
Cyclothymic disorders usually begin in adolescence or early adulthood. They typically
begin later than childhood but earlier than middle or late adulthood.
A nurse is caring for a patient with severe depression. After 4 months of
treatment, the nurse tells the patient, "Depression is an illness that is beyond a
person ' s voluntary control." In which phase of treatment is this an appropriate
statement by the nurse?
a. Acute phase
b. Orientation phase
c. Continuation phase
d. Maintenance phase
c. Continuation phase
There are three phases of treatment for depression: the acute phase, the continuation
phase, and the maintenance phase. After 4 to 9 months of treatment, patients are in the
continuation phase, during which they are educated about depression in hopes that they
will better adhere to the treatment plan and avoid relapse. Explaining depression is
beyond a person's control is an example of this teaching. The other stages of treatment
have different goals, such as the acute phase (the initial 12 weeks) in which the patient
is given interventions to simply reduce symptoms of depression. The orientation phase
,is not one of the three phases of the treatment. After 1 year of treatment, patients are
typically in the maintenance phase, where they may already be well educated about
depression and the treatment focuses on avoiding further complications from relapse of
the illness.
Which is the recommended starting dose of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors in older adult patients with depression?
a. The lowest adult dose
b. The normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
d. Half the normal adult dose
c. Half the lowest adult dose
Older adult patients with depression are frequently prescribed selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors as a first-line treatment. They must be administered half the lowest
adult dose to avoid adverse effects from drug accumulation. The lowest adult dose,
normal adult dose, and half the normal adult should not be administered to older adult
patients. These doses would cause severe toxic effects in older adult patients.
A nurse is performing an assessment of a child diagnosed with disinhibited
social engagement disorder. Which behavior would the nurse expect to find in the
child?
a. The child throws stones at strangers.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
c. The child cries when touched by a stranger.
d. The child hides when a stranger approaches.
b. The child willingly goes with a stranger.
Disinhibited social engagement disorder is characterized by absence of normal fear
toward strangers and unresponsiveness to separation from a caregiver. The child
demonstrates no normal fear of strangers. A child throwing stones at a stranger is
indicative of antisocial behavior. A child crying when being touched by a stranger
demonstrates sensitive behavior. A child hiding when approached by a stranger reflects
shyness and is not a symptom of disinhibited social engagement disorder.
,Which nursing intervention is an appropriate response to anosognosia in a
patient with schizophrenia experiencing psychosis?
a. Establish trust and rapport.
b. Convey empathy and support.
c. Reduce excessive stimulation.
d. Explain the diagnosis in a confident manner.
a. Establish trust and rapport.
Anosognosia is common in patients with severe mental illness and is not denial or
resistance to accepting the diagnosis. The patient cannot recognize they have an
illness. It is important for the nurse to establish trust and rapport with the patient,
because this will allow the nurse to provide treatment and implement interventions to
help the patient remain safe and gain awareness of their illness. Empathy and support
are not helpful if the patient does not recognize that they are ill. Reducing excessive
stimulation is an intervention for a patient who is restless or agitated. Explaining the
diagnosis in a confident manner will not promote the patient's awareness of their illness.
Which nursing intervention is appropriate to include in the care plan for a patient
with psychosis experiencing poor self-esteem?
a. Introduce pet therapy.
b. Seek areas of commonality.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
d. Involve the patient in planning treatment.
c. Engage regularly with the patient.
Engaging regularly with a patient with poor self-esteem is important in establishing a
trusting nurse-patient relationship. Pet therapy may help patients who avoid interaction
with peers increase their comfort level with other people. Seeking areas of commonality
is beneficial when a patient is experiencing denial, such as in the case of anosognosia.
Involving the patient in planning treatment is beneficial when the patient is nonadherent
or resistant to treatment.
, Which action is included in the nursing plan of care for a patient diagnosed with
panic-level anxiety who is exhibiting severe hyperactivity?
a. Place the patient in seclusion.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
c. Help the patient identify the source of anxiety.
d. Communicate using simple, loud, clear statements.
b. Attend to the patient's physical needs.
The nursing care plan for a patient diagnosed with anxiety who is exhibiting severe
hyperactivity is to attend to the patient's physical needs. Severe hyperactivity is
characteristic of a panic level of anxiety and attending to physical needs such as
elimination, fluids, and nutrition are important. Seclusion should only be initiated after all
other interventions have been tried and are unsuccessful. Helping a patient identify the
source of anxiety is more effective for a patient experiencing mild to moderate anxiety.
When the nurse is communicating with a patient experiencing severe anxiety, a low-
pitched voice should be used.
Which defense mechanism has an adaptive use?
a. Splitting
b. Undoing
c. Projection
d. Conversion
b. Undoing
Undoing is a defense mechanism with an adaptive use. Splitting and conversion do not
have adaptive uses and are almost always pathological. Projection is a defense
mechanism that is considered immature and does not have an adaptive use.
A client frantically reports to the nurse that "You have got to help me! Something
terrible is happening. I can't think. My heart is pounding, and my head is
throbbing." The nurse should assess the client at what level of anxiety?
a. mild
b. panic
