HESI Specialty Test Review: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Exam
(2025) comprehensive questions and verified answers ( detailed &
elaborated) 2025-2026 TEST
Your patient on the psychiatric unit is being asked to participate in a research
study. Which of the following is normally included in informed consent and is
associated with safety?
A: The name of the company that prints the questionnaires used in
the study
B: A statement that participation is mandatory
C: The telephone number of the appropriate U.S. Congress member
for the state where the study is being implemented
D: Disclosure of risks and benefits
D: Disclosure of risks and benefits
(+) Risks and benefits, including compensation and
medical treatments, are stated in an informed
consent.
Which nursing diagnosis best reflects that your patient is ready to go back
home and begin living within her societal environment once again?
A: Readiness for enhanced community coping
B: Readiness for enhanced communication
C: Risk for other-directed violence
D: Risk for loneliness
A: Readiness for enhanced community coping
(+) "Readiness for enhanced" is the prefix for a higher
level of functioning, with "community" indicating
society.
Which of the following assessments best reflects a nursing assessment of
environmental maintenance?
A: Sleep-rest patterns
B: Peripheral circulation
C: Ability to cook
,D: Possession of a weapon
D: Possession of a weapon
(+) Environmental maintenance includes assessing for
risk of injury, violence, and possession of weapons.
To promote better health, one needs to identify stressors. Which of the
following questions will help the nurse identify potential stressors?
A: Do you have a car?
B: How do you get along with people at work?
C: What do you want to feel like at the time of discharge?
D: What are your goals for yourself?
B: How do you get along with people at work?
(+) Usual stressors include work and relationships.
To promote health in Native American patients who are living in the United
States, the nurse needs to respect Native Americans':
A: Stigma placed on poor horsemanship
B: Traditions
C: Heritage of Taoism and Buddhism
D: Matriarchal structure
B: Traditions
(+) Respect for tradition and community organizations
are values that characterize Native American culture.
To best promote health in members of African American communities in the
United States, you need to understand that African American families often
have what type of structure?
A: Matriarchal
B: Patriarchal
C: Idiosyncratic
D: Code of silence
A: Matriarchal
(+) Many African American families have strong
matriarchal structure and feature large extended
family networks.
You are asked to speak to the local community church group on health
promotion for good mental health. What is an appropriate topic?
,A: How to speak in tongues
B: How to be able to enter heaven
C: Reducing stressors in your life
D: Ultimate authority in torment and natural disasters
C: Reducing stressors in your life
(+) Reducing stress helps promote good mental health
and is universal to local groups.
Your patient has an admitting diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. You
receive a phone call at the nurses' station from a person who says he is the
patient's minister and wants to know if the patient "fell off the wagon again"
and when visitation hours are. What is your best response?
A: "Yes, the patient drank too much, but he should be fine in a few
days. Visiting hours are 9 A.M. to 6 P.M."
B: "We do not give out any information. Visitation hours in the hospital
are from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. daily."
C: "Please pray for the patient; he is in bad shape. You can visit him
anytime between 9 A.M. and 6 P.M. daily."
D: "Please contact the hospital's chief executive officer, who can give
you the information you are requesting."
B: "We do not give out any information. Visitation hours
in the hospital are from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. daily."
(+) Patient confidentiality is required, and there is no
way to verify the identity of the person calling.
Your patient has been hospitalized for acute alcohol withdrawal. It is the fifth
day, and he is having visual hallucinations followed by a seizure. What is the
most likely source of the patient's problem?
A: Autonomic dysreflexia (AD)
B: A brain tumor
C: Sleep deprivation
D: Delirium tremens (DTs)
D: Delirium tremens (DTs)
(+) Delirium tremens occurs as acute alcohol withdrawal
progresses. It includes symptoms such as clouding
of sensorium, hallucinations, seizures, and autonomic
, hyperactivity.
Which of the following assessments is used to confirm alcohol intake?
A: Pupil dilation
B: Serum sample
C: Hair shaft analysis
D: Sputum sample
B: Serum sample
(+) Urine and serum samples are toxicology specimens used to assess and monitor
alcohol withdrawal.
Which of the following questions is most appropriate to ask in screening for a
potential problem of high alcohol intake?
A: "Have you felt you should cut down on your alcohol
consumption?"
B: "Do you enjoy getting smashed?"
C: "Have you ever thought about killing someone?"
D: "In the last week, have you had a glass of wine?"
A: "Have you felt you should cut down on your alcohol
consumption?"
(+) Screening requires questions associated with cutting down, feelings of guilt about
drinking, and having a first drink in the morning.
Your patient in the Emergency Department has a diagnosis of acute alcohol
withdrawal syndrome (AWS). He is acting euphoric, yet shy. The APN has
prescribed the following care: CAGE questionnaire, serum for toxicology, IV of
D5 1/2 NS and 1 amp multivitamin (MVI) at 75 mL/h, neuro check q 1 h. What is
your first priority?
A: Administer the CAGE questionnaire
B: Start the IV
C: Do the neuro check
D: Obtain a serum blood sample
D: Obtain a serum blood sample
(+) Obtain a toxicology sample, as the patient is too euphoric to answer the CAGE
questionnaire. The IV and neuro checks can wait.
Your patient sees you at a preplanned postoperative visit 4 weeks after being
hospitalized for acute alcohol withdrawal. Upon questioning, she states that
(2025) comprehensive questions and verified answers ( detailed &
elaborated) 2025-2026 TEST
Your patient on the psychiatric unit is being asked to participate in a research
study. Which of the following is normally included in informed consent and is
associated with safety?
A: The name of the company that prints the questionnaires used in
the study
B: A statement that participation is mandatory
C: The telephone number of the appropriate U.S. Congress member
for the state where the study is being implemented
D: Disclosure of risks and benefits
D: Disclosure of risks and benefits
(+) Risks and benefits, including compensation and
medical treatments, are stated in an informed
consent.
Which nursing diagnosis best reflects that your patient is ready to go back
home and begin living within her societal environment once again?
A: Readiness for enhanced community coping
B: Readiness for enhanced communication
C: Risk for other-directed violence
D: Risk for loneliness
A: Readiness for enhanced community coping
(+) "Readiness for enhanced" is the prefix for a higher
level of functioning, with "community" indicating
society.
Which of the following assessments best reflects a nursing assessment of
environmental maintenance?
A: Sleep-rest patterns
B: Peripheral circulation
C: Ability to cook
,D: Possession of a weapon
D: Possession of a weapon
(+) Environmental maintenance includes assessing for
risk of injury, violence, and possession of weapons.
To promote better health, one needs to identify stressors. Which of the
following questions will help the nurse identify potential stressors?
A: Do you have a car?
B: How do you get along with people at work?
C: What do you want to feel like at the time of discharge?
D: What are your goals for yourself?
B: How do you get along with people at work?
(+) Usual stressors include work and relationships.
To promote health in Native American patients who are living in the United
States, the nurse needs to respect Native Americans':
A: Stigma placed on poor horsemanship
B: Traditions
C: Heritage of Taoism and Buddhism
D: Matriarchal structure
B: Traditions
(+) Respect for tradition and community organizations
are values that characterize Native American culture.
To best promote health in members of African American communities in the
United States, you need to understand that African American families often
have what type of structure?
A: Matriarchal
B: Patriarchal
C: Idiosyncratic
D: Code of silence
A: Matriarchal
(+) Many African American families have strong
matriarchal structure and feature large extended
family networks.
You are asked to speak to the local community church group on health
promotion for good mental health. What is an appropriate topic?
,A: How to speak in tongues
B: How to be able to enter heaven
C: Reducing stressors in your life
D: Ultimate authority in torment and natural disasters
C: Reducing stressors in your life
(+) Reducing stress helps promote good mental health
and is universal to local groups.
Your patient has an admitting diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. You
receive a phone call at the nurses' station from a person who says he is the
patient's minister and wants to know if the patient "fell off the wagon again"
and when visitation hours are. What is your best response?
A: "Yes, the patient drank too much, but he should be fine in a few
days. Visiting hours are 9 A.M. to 6 P.M."
B: "We do not give out any information. Visitation hours in the hospital
are from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. daily."
C: "Please pray for the patient; he is in bad shape. You can visit him
anytime between 9 A.M. and 6 P.M. daily."
D: "Please contact the hospital's chief executive officer, who can give
you the information you are requesting."
B: "We do not give out any information. Visitation hours
in the hospital are from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. daily."
(+) Patient confidentiality is required, and there is no
way to verify the identity of the person calling.
Your patient has been hospitalized for acute alcohol withdrawal. It is the fifth
day, and he is having visual hallucinations followed by a seizure. What is the
most likely source of the patient's problem?
A: Autonomic dysreflexia (AD)
B: A brain tumor
C: Sleep deprivation
D: Delirium tremens (DTs)
D: Delirium tremens (DTs)
(+) Delirium tremens occurs as acute alcohol withdrawal
progresses. It includes symptoms such as clouding
of sensorium, hallucinations, seizures, and autonomic
, hyperactivity.
Which of the following assessments is used to confirm alcohol intake?
A: Pupil dilation
B: Serum sample
C: Hair shaft analysis
D: Sputum sample
B: Serum sample
(+) Urine and serum samples are toxicology specimens used to assess and monitor
alcohol withdrawal.
Which of the following questions is most appropriate to ask in screening for a
potential problem of high alcohol intake?
A: "Have you felt you should cut down on your alcohol
consumption?"
B: "Do you enjoy getting smashed?"
C: "Have you ever thought about killing someone?"
D: "In the last week, have you had a glass of wine?"
A: "Have you felt you should cut down on your alcohol
consumption?"
(+) Screening requires questions associated with cutting down, feelings of guilt about
drinking, and having a first drink in the morning.
Your patient in the Emergency Department has a diagnosis of acute alcohol
withdrawal syndrome (AWS). He is acting euphoric, yet shy. The APN has
prescribed the following care: CAGE questionnaire, serum for toxicology, IV of
D5 1/2 NS and 1 amp multivitamin (MVI) at 75 mL/h, neuro check q 1 h. What is
your first priority?
A: Administer the CAGE questionnaire
B: Start the IV
C: Do the neuro check
D: Obtain a serum blood sample
D: Obtain a serum blood sample
(+) Obtain a toxicology sample, as the patient is too euphoric to answer the CAGE
questionnaire. The IV and neuro checks can wait.
Your patient sees you at a preplanned postoperative visit 4 weeks after being
hospitalized for acute alcohol withdrawal. Upon questioning, she states that
