N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
N129 - HESI PSYCH/MENTAL HEALTH EXAM NEWEST 2025/2026 WITH
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS |ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW VERSION!
A male client is admitted to the mental health unit because he was feeling
depressed about the loss of his wife and job- The client has a history of alcohol
dependency and admits that he was drinking alcohol 12 hours ago- Vital signs are:
temperature, 100° F, pulse 100, and BP 142/100 The nurse plans to give the client
lorazepam (Ativan) based on which priority nursing diagnosis?
A- Risk for injury related to suicidal ideation
B- Risk for injury related to alcohol detoxification
C- Knowledge deficit related to ineffective coping
D- Health seeking behaviors related to personal crisis - ANSWER-ANSWER B
The most important nursing diagnosis is related to alcohol detoxification (B)
because the client has elevated vital signs, a sign of alcohol detoxification-
Maintaining client safety related to (A) should be addressed after giving the client
Ativan for elevated vital signs secondary to alcohol withdrawal- (C and D) can be
addressed when immediate needs for safety are met
A client, who is on a 30-day commitment to a drug rehabilitation unit, asks the
nurse if he can go for a walk on the grounds of the treatment center. When he is
told that his privileges do not include walking on the grounds, the client becomes
verbally abusive- Which approach should the nurse use?
A- Call a staff member to escort the client to his room-
B- Tell the client to talk to his healthcare provider about his privileges-
C- Remind the client of the unit rules-
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, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
D- . Tell the client that privileges are earned for appropriate behavior. - ANSWER-
ANSWER D
The client is trying to engage the nurse in a dispute- Rewards (D) reinforce
appropriate behavior. (A) is not necessary unless the client becomes a physical
threat to the nurse- (B) would be inappropriate, because it is referring the
situation to the healthcare provider and is not in keeping with good health team
management- Consistent limits must be established and enforced- (C) would
subject the nurse to more verbal abuse because the client could use any response
as an excuse to attack the nurse once again
The nurse observes a client who is admitted to the mental health unit and
identifies that the client is talking continuously, using words that rhyme but that
have no context or relationship with one topic to the next in the conversation.
This client's behavior and thought processes are consistent with which syndrome?
A. Dementia.
B. Depression.
C. Schizophrenia.
D. Chronic brain syndrome. - ANSWER-ANSWER C
The client is demonstrating symptoms of schizophrenia (C), such as disorganized
speech that may include word salad (communication that includes both real and
imaginary words in no logical order), incoherent speech, and clanging (rhyming).
Dementia (A) is a global impairment of intellectual (cognitive) functions that may
be progressive, such as Alzheimer's or organic brain syndrome (D). Depression (C)
is typified by psychomotor retardation, and the client appears to be slowed down
in movement, in speech, and would appear listless and disheveled.
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, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
A 35-year-old male client on the psychiatric unit of a general hospital believes that
someone is trying to poison him. The nurse understands that a client's delusions
are most likely related to which client assessment finding?
early childhood experiences involving authority issues.
anger about being hospitalized.
erroneous interpretation of reality.
phobic fear of food. - ANSWER-erroneous interpretation of reality.
A 35-year-old male client on the psychiatric ward of a general hospital believes
that someone is trying to poison him- The nurse understands that a client's
delusions are most likely related to his
A- early childhood experiences involving authority issues-
B- anger about being hospitalized-
C- neurobiological disorder.
D- phobic fear of food- - ANSWER-ANSWER C
Psychotic clients have difficulty with trust and have neurobiological disorder (C)-
Nursing care should be directed at building trust and promoting positive self-
esteem- Activities with limited concentration and no competition should be
encouraged in order to build self-esteem- (A, B, and D) are not specifically related
to the development of delusions
A 35-year-old male client who has been hospitalized for two weeks for chronic
paranoia continues to state that someone is trying to steal his clothing- Which
action should the nurse implement?
A- Encourage the client to actively participate in assigned activities on the unit
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, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
B- Place a lock on the client's closet
C- Ignore the client's paranoid ideation to extinguish these behaviors
D- Explain to the client that his suspicions are false - ANSWER-ANSWER A
Diverting the client's attention from paranoid ideation and encouraging him to
complete assignments can be helpful in assisting him to develop a positive self-
image (A)- The clients problem is not security, and (B) actually supports his
paranoid ideation- (C) is not correct because ignoring the client's symptoms may
lower his self-esteem- The nurse should not argue with the client about his
delusions (D), and should not try to reason with the client regarding his paranoid
ideation
A male client with mental illness and substance dependency tells the mental
health nurse that he has started using illegal drugs again and wants to seek
treatment. Since he has a dual diagnosis, which person is best for the nurse to
refer this client to first?
A. The emergency room nurse.
B. His case manager.
C. The clinic healthcare provider.
D. His support group sponsor. - ANSWER-ANSWER B
The case manager (B) is responsible for coordinating community services, and
since this client has a dual diagnosis, this is the best person to describe available
treatment options. (A) is unnecessary, unless the client experiences behaviors that
threaten his safety or the safety of others. (C and D) might also be useful, but it is
most important at this time that a treatment program be coordinated to meet this
client's needs.
4|Page
N129 - HESI PSYCH/MENTAL HEALTH EXAM NEWEST 2025/2026 WITH
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS |ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW VERSION!
A male client is admitted to the mental health unit because he was feeling
depressed about the loss of his wife and job- The client has a history of alcohol
dependency and admits that he was drinking alcohol 12 hours ago- Vital signs are:
temperature, 100° F, pulse 100, and BP 142/100 The nurse plans to give the client
lorazepam (Ativan) based on which priority nursing diagnosis?
A- Risk for injury related to suicidal ideation
B- Risk for injury related to alcohol detoxification
C- Knowledge deficit related to ineffective coping
D- Health seeking behaviors related to personal crisis - ANSWER-ANSWER B
The most important nursing diagnosis is related to alcohol detoxification (B)
because the client has elevated vital signs, a sign of alcohol detoxification-
Maintaining client safety related to (A) should be addressed after giving the client
Ativan for elevated vital signs secondary to alcohol withdrawal- (C and D) can be
addressed when immediate needs for safety are met
A client, who is on a 30-day commitment to a drug rehabilitation unit, asks the
nurse if he can go for a walk on the grounds of the treatment center. When he is
told that his privileges do not include walking on the grounds, the client becomes
verbally abusive- Which approach should the nurse use?
A- Call a staff member to escort the client to his room-
B- Tell the client to talk to his healthcare provider about his privileges-
C- Remind the client of the unit rules-
1|Page
, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
D- . Tell the client that privileges are earned for appropriate behavior. - ANSWER-
ANSWER D
The client is trying to engage the nurse in a dispute- Rewards (D) reinforce
appropriate behavior. (A) is not necessary unless the client becomes a physical
threat to the nurse- (B) would be inappropriate, because it is referring the
situation to the healthcare provider and is not in keeping with good health team
management- Consistent limits must be established and enforced- (C) would
subject the nurse to more verbal abuse because the client could use any response
as an excuse to attack the nurse once again
The nurse observes a client who is admitted to the mental health unit and
identifies that the client is talking continuously, using words that rhyme but that
have no context or relationship with one topic to the next in the conversation.
This client's behavior and thought processes are consistent with which syndrome?
A. Dementia.
B. Depression.
C. Schizophrenia.
D. Chronic brain syndrome. - ANSWER-ANSWER C
The client is demonstrating symptoms of schizophrenia (C), such as disorganized
speech that may include word salad (communication that includes both real and
imaginary words in no logical order), incoherent speech, and clanging (rhyming).
Dementia (A) is a global impairment of intellectual (cognitive) functions that may
be progressive, such as Alzheimer's or organic brain syndrome (D). Depression (C)
is typified by psychomotor retardation, and the client appears to be slowed down
in movement, in speech, and would appear listless and disheveled.
2|Page
, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
A 35-year-old male client on the psychiatric unit of a general hospital believes that
someone is trying to poison him. The nurse understands that a client's delusions
are most likely related to which client assessment finding?
early childhood experiences involving authority issues.
anger about being hospitalized.
erroneous interpretation of reality.
phobic fear of food. - ANSWER-erroneous interpretation of reality.
A 35-year-old male client on the psychiatric ward of a general hospital believes
that someone is trying to poison him- The nurse understands that a client's
delusions are most likely related to his
A- early childhood experiences involving authority issues-
B- anger about being hospitalized-
C- neurobiological disorder.
D- phobic fear of food- - ANSWER-ANSWER C
Psychotic clients have difficulty with trust and have neurobiological disorder (C)-
Nursing care should be directed at building trust and promoting positive self-
esteem- Activities with limited concentration and no competition should be
encouraged in order to build self-esteem- (A, B, and D) are not specifically related
to the development of delusions
A 35-year-old male client who has been hospitalized for two weeks for chronic
paranoia continues to state that someone is trying to steal his clothing- Which
action should the nurse implement?
A- Encourage the client to actively participate in assigned activities on the unit
3|Page
, N129 - HESI Psych/Mental Health Exam
B- Place a lock on the client's closet
C- Ignore the client's paranoid ideation to extinguish these behaviors
D- Explain to the client that his suspicions are false - ANSWER-ANSWER A
Diverting the client's attention from paranoid ideation and encouraging him to
complete assignments can be helpful in assisting him to develop a positive self-
image (A)- The clients problem is not security, and (B) actually supports his
paranoid ideation- (C) is not correct because ignoring the client's symptoms may
lower his self-esteem- The nurse should not argue with the client about his
delusions (D), and should not try to reason with the client regarding his paranoid
ideation
A male client with mental illness and substance dependency tells the mental
health nurse that he has started using illegal drugs again and wants to seek
treatment. Since he has a dual diagnosis, which person is best for the nurse to
refer this client to first?
A. The emergency room nurse.
B. His case manager.
C. The clinic healthcare provider.
D. His support group sponsor. - ANSWER-ANSWER B
The case manager (B) is responsible for coordinating community services, and
since this client has a dual diagnosis, this is the best person to describe available
treatment options. (A) is unnecessary, unless the client experiences behaviors that
threaten his safety or the safety of others. (C and D) might also be useful, but it is
most important at this time that a treatment program be coordinated to meet this
client's needs.
4|Page
