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MENTAL HEALTH HESI RN TEST BANK NEWEST 2025
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
When preparing to administer to domestic violence screening tool to a female client, which
statement should the RN provide?
A. "If your partner is abusing you, I need to ask these questions."
B. "State law mandates that I ask if you are a victim of domestic violence"
C. "The HCP provider needs to know if you are experiencing any domestic abuse"
D. "All clients are screened for domestic abuse because it is common in our society" - ANSWER-
D. "All clients are screened for domestic abuse because it is common in our society"
A young adult female visits the mental health clinic complaining of diarrhea, headache, and
muscle aches. She is afebrile, denies chills, and all laboratory findings are within normal limits.
During the physical assessment, the client tells the RN that her sister thinks she is neurotic and
calls her a hypochondriac. Which response is best for the RN to provide?
A. "Unless your sister has a medical education, ignore her comments."
B. "I can hear that your sister's comments are overwhelming you."
C. "Do you think it's possible that you might be a hypochondriac?"
D. "Besides your sister's comments, what in life is troubling you?" - ANSWER-D. "Besides your
sister's comments, what in life is troubling you?"
The RN is leading a group on the inpatient psychiatric unit. Which approach should the RN use
during the working phase of group development?
A. Establishing a rapport with group members
B. Helping clients identify areas of problem in their lives
C. Discussing ways to use new coping skills learned
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D. Clarifying the nurse's role and clients' responsibilities - ANSWER-B. Helping clients identify
areas of problem in their lives
A male client with schizophrenia is demonstrating echolalia, which is becoming annoying to
other clients on the unit. What intervention is best for the RN to implement?
A. Isolate the client from other clients
B. Administer PRN sedative
C. Avoid recognizing the behavior
D. Escort the client to his room - ANSWER-D. Escort the client to his room
A client is admitted for bipolar disorder and alcohol withdrawal, depressive phase. Based on
which assessment finding will the RN withhold the clonidine (Catapres) prescription?
A. Pulse rate 68-78 bpm
B. BP readings of 90/62 mmHg to 92/58
C. Temperature of 99.5-99.7 F
D. Respiration rate of 24 bpm - ANSWER-B. BP readings of 90/62 mmHg to 92/58
The RN on the evening shift receives report that a client is scheduled for Electroconvulsive
Therapy in the morning. Which intervention should the RN implement the evening before the
scheduled ECT?
A. Keep client NPO after midnight
B. Hold all bedtime meds
C. Implement elopement precautions
D. Give the client an enema at bedtime - ANSWER-A. Keep client NPO after midnight
A client with bulimia and depression who is taking phenelzine (Nardil) 90 mg daily is admitted to
an acute care hospital for uncontrolled hypertension. What dietary choices should the RN
instruct the client to avoid?
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A. Pan-seared catfish
B. Deep fried shrimp
C. Pepperoni pizza
D. Beef trips with gravy - ANSWER-C. Pepperoni pizza
A client with depression remains in bed most of the day, declines activities and refuses meals.
Which nursing problem has the greatest priority for this client?
A. Loss of interest in diversional activity
B. Social isolation
C. Refusal to address nutritional needs
D. Low self-esteem - ANSWER-C. Refusal to address nutritional needs
A female client requests that her husband be allowed to stay in the room during the admission
assessment. While interviewing the client, the nurse nots a discrepancy between the client's
verbal and nonverbal communication. What action should the nurse take?
A. Pay close attention and document the nonverbal messages
B. Ask the client's husband to interpret the discrepancy
C. Ignore the nonverbal behavior and focus on the client's verbal messages
D. Integrate the verbal and nonverbal messages and interpret them as one - ANSWER-A. Pay
close attention and document the nonverbal messages
A male client approaches the nurse with an angry expression on his face and raises his voice
saying, "My roommate is the most selfish, self-centered, angry person I have ever met. If he
loses his temper one more time with me, I am going to punch him out!" The nurse recognizes
that the client is using which defense mechanism?
A. Denial
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
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D. Splitting - ANSWER-B. Projection
A male client with bipolar disorder who began taking lithium carbonate five days ago is
complaining of excessive thirst, and the RN finds him attempting to drink water from the
bathroom sink faucet. Which intervention should the RN implement?
A. Report the client's serum lithium level to the HCP.
B. Encourage the client to suck on hard candy to relieve the symptoms.
C. No action is needed since polydipsia is a common side effect.
D. Tell the client that drinking from the faucet is not allowed. - ANSWER-A. Report the client's
serum lithium level to the HCP.
A mental health worker is caring for a client with escalating aggressive behavior. Which action
by the MHW warrant immediate intervention by the RN?
A. Is attempting to physically restrain the patient.
B. Tells the client to go to the quiet area of the unit.
C. Is using a loud voice to talk to the client.
D. Remains at a distance of 4 feet from the client. - ANSWER-A. Is attempting to physically
restrain the patient.
A client is admitted to the mental health unit and reports taking extra antianxiety medication
because, "I'm so stressed out. I just want to go to sleep." The RN should plan one-on-one
observation of the client based on which statement?
A. "What should I do? Nothing seems to help."
B. "I have been so tired lately and needed to sleep."
C. "I really think that I don't need to be here."
D. "I don't want to walk. Nothing matters anymore." - ANSWER-D. "I don't want to walk. Nothing
matters anymore."
MENTAL HEALTH HESI RN TEST BANK NEWEST 2025
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
When preparing to administer to domestic violence screening tool to a female client, which
statement should the RN provide?
A. "If your partner is abusing you, I need to ask these questions."
B. "State law mandates that I ask if you are a victim of domestic violence"
C. "The HCP provider needs to know if you are experiencing any domestic abuse"
D. "All clients are screened for domestic abuse because it is common in our society" - ANSWER-
D. "All clients are screened for domestic abuse because it is common in our society"
A young adult female visits the mental health clinic complaining of diarrhea, headache, and
muscle aches. She is afebrile, denies chills, and all laboratory findings are within normal limits.
During the physical assessment, the client tells the RN that her sister thinks she is neurotic and
calls her a hypochondriac. Which response is best for the RN to provide?
A. "Unless your sister has a medical education, ignore her comments."
B. "I can hear that your sister's comments are overwhelming you."
C. "Do you think it's possible that you might be a hypochondriac?"
D. "Besides your sister's comments, what in life is troubling you?" - ANSWER-D. "Besides your
sister's comments, what in life is troubling you?"
The RN is leading a group on the inpatient psychiatric unit. Which approach should the RN use
during the working phase of group development?
A. Establishing a rapport with group members
B. Helping clients identify areas of problem in their lives
C. Discussing ways to use new coping skills learned
,2|Page
D. Clarifying the nurse's role and clients' responsibilities - ANSWER-B. Helping clients identify
areas of problem in their lives
A male client with schizophrenia is demonstrating echolalia, which is becoming annoying to
other clients on the unit. What intervention is best for the RN to implement?
A. Isolate the client from other clients
B. Administer PRN sedative
C. Avoid recognizing the behavior
D. Escort the client to his room - ANSWER-D. Escort the client to his room
A client is admitted for bipolar disorder and alcohol withdrawal, depressive phase. Based on
which assessment finding will the RN withhold the clonidine (Catapres) prescription?
A. Pulse rate 68-78 bpm
B. BP readings of 90/62 mmHg to 92/58
C. Temperature of 99.5-99.7 F
D. Respiration rate of 24 bpm - ANSWER-B. BP readings of 90/62 mmHg to 92/58
The RN on the evening shift receives report that a client is scheduled for Electroconvulsive
Therapy in the morning. Which intervention should the RN implement the evening before the
scheduled ECT?
A. Keep client NPO after midnight
B. Hold all bedtime meds
C. Implement elopement precautions
D. Give the client an enema at bedtime - ANSWER-A. Keep client NPO after midnight
A client with bulimia and depression who is taking phenelzine (Nardil) 90 mg daily is admitted to
an acute care hospital for uncontrolled hypertension. What dietary choices should the RN
instruct the client to avoid?
,3|Page
A. Pan-seared catfish
B. Deep fried shrimp
C. Pepperoni pizza
D. Beef trips with gravy - ANSWER-C. Pepperoni pizza
A client with depression remains in bed most of the day, declines activities and refuses meals.
Which nursing problem has the greatest priority for this client?
A. Loss of interest in diversional activity
B. Social isolation
C. Refusal to address nutritional needs
D. Low self-esteem - ANSWER-C. Refusal to address nutritional needs
A female client requests that her husband be allowed to stay in the room during the admission
assessment. While interviewing the client, the nurse nots a discrepancy between the client's
verbal and nonverbal communication. What action should the nurse take?
A. Pay close attention and document the nonverbal messages
B. Ask the client's husband to interpret the discrepancy
C. Ignore the nonverbal behavior and focus on the client's verbal messages
D. Integrate the verbal and nonverbal messages and interpret them as one - ANSWER-A. Pay
close attention and document the nonverbal messages
A male client approaches the nurse with an angry expression on his face and raises his voice
saying, "My roommate is the most selfish, self-centered, angry person I have ever met. If he
loses his temper one more time with me, I am going to punch him out!" The nurse recognizes
that the client is using which defense mechanism?
A. Denial
B. Projection
C. Rationalization
, 4|Page
D. Splitting - ANSWER-B. Projection
A male client with bipolar disorder who began taking lithium carbonate five days ago is
complaining of excessive thirst, and the RN finds him attempting to drink water from the
bathroom sink faucet. Which intervention should the RN implement?
A. Report the client's serum lithium level to the HCP.
B. Encourage the client to suck on hard candy to relieve the symptoms.
C. No action is needed since polydipsia is a common side effect.
D. Tell the client that drinking from the faucet is not allowed. - ANSWER-A. Report the client's
serum lithium level to the HCP.
A mental health worker is caring for a client with escalating aggressive behavior. Which action
by the MHW warrant immediate intervention by the RN?
A. Is attempting to physically restrain the patient.
B. Tells the client to go to the quiet area of the unit.
C. Is using a loud voice to talk to the client.
D. Remains at a distance of 4 feet from the client. - ANSWER-A. Is attempting to physically
restrain the patient.
A client is admitted to the mental health unit and reports taking extra antianxiety medication
because, "I'm so stressed out. I just want to go to sleep." The RN should plan one-on-one
observation of the client based on which statement?
A. "What should I do? Nothing seems to help."
B. "I have been so tired lately and needed to sleep."
C. "I really think that I don't need to be here."
D. "I don't want to walk. Nothing matters anymore." - ANSWER-D. "I don't want to walk. Nothing
matters anymore."
