Page 1 of 131
HESI MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 1 ALL 400 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS JUST RELEASED THIS
YEAR
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
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.
, Page 2 of 131
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.
.
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.
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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.
, Page 4 of 131
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
HESI MENTAL HEALTH EXAM 1 ALL 400 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS JUST RELEASED THIS
YEAR
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
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.
, Page 2 of 131
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.
.
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.
, Page 3 of 131
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.
, Page 4 of 131
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
