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HESI Mental Health Practice Exam
1. A 19-year-old female client with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa wants to help serve dinner trays to other clients on a psychiatric unit. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Encourage the client's self-motivation by asking her to assist with other activities.
- B. Provide an alternative suggestion for the client to participate in the unit's activities.
- C. Allow the client to serve dinner trays to other clients but monitor closely for any signs of distress.
- D. Explain to the client that she needs to focus on her own recovery and cannot participate in serving dinner trays.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Clients with anorexia should not be allowed to plan or prepare food for unit activities, as this can reinforce their perception of self-control. Allowing the client to serve dinner trays (C) may trigger distress or unhealthy behaviors. Therefore, it is best to provide an alternative suggestion for the client to participate in the unit's activities (B). Encouraging the client to assist with other activities (A) may inadvertently reinforce negative behaviors related to food. Explaining to the client that she cannot participate in serving dinner trays (D) without offering an alternative does not address the client's desire to help and may lead to feelings of rejection.
2. Over a period of several weeks, one male participant of a socialization group at a community day care center for the elderly monopolizes most of the group's time and interrupts others when they are talking. What is the best action for the nurse to take in this situation?
- A. Talk to the participant outside the group about his behavior during group meetings.
- B. Remind the participant to allow others in the group a chance to talk.
- C. Allow the group to handle the problem.
- D. Ask the participant to join another group.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Allowing the group to handle the situation is the best action as it promotes group dynamics and empowerment, especially since the group is in the working phase. Talking to the participant individually (A) might be seen as manipulative. Reminding the participant (B) can come across as dictatorial and may not address the underlying issue. Asking the participant to join another group (D) does not address the problem at hand and avoids the opportunity for growth and conflict resolution within the current group.
3. Which client information indicates the need for the nurse to use the CAGE questionnaire during the admission interview?
- A. Reports difficulties with short-term memory since experiencing a traumatic brain injury.
- B. Client's medication history includes frequent use of antidepressants.
- C. Describes self as a social drinker who consumes alcoholic beverages daily.
- D. Medical history includes that the client was recently sexually assaulted.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. Describing oneself as a social drinker who consumes alcoholic beverages daily raises concerns about potential alcohol abuse issues. The CAGE questionnaire is a tool used to screen for alcohol use disorder. Choice A is incorrect as memory difficulties post-traumatic brain injury do not directly indicate a need for the CAGE questionnaire. Choice B is incorrect as the use of antidepressants, while important to note, does not specifically warrant the use of the CAGE questionnaire. Choice D is incorrect as a recent sexual assault, while significant, does not directly relate to the need for alcohol abuse screening using the CAGE questionnaire.
4. A client with a history of alcohol dependence tells the nurse that he has been sober for three months but has recently started drinking again. What should the nurse do next?
- A. Ask the client why he started drinking again.
- B. Provide information about support groups for sobriety.
- C. Discuss the consequences of drinking on his health.
- D. Encourage the client to express his feelings about relapse.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Encouraging the client to express his feelings about relapse is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take in this situation. This approach allows the nurse to address the underlying emotions and factors contributing to the relapse. Choice A, asking the client why he started drinking again, may come across as judgmental and might not be as effective in exploring the client's emotions. Choice B, providing information about support groups, is important but should come after addressing the client's current emotional state. Choice C, discussing the consequences of drinking, may be necessary at some point, but initially, the focus should be on the client's feelings and emotions surrounding the relapse.
5. During a mental status exam, what factor should the nurse remember when assessing a client's intelligence?
- A. Acute psychiatric illnesses can impair intelligence
- B. Intelligence can be influenced by social and cultural beliefs
- C. Poor concentration skills suggest limited intelligence
- D. The inability to think abstractly indicates limited intelligence
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Intelligence is indeed influenced by social and cultural beliefs. It is essential to recognize that intelligence is not solely determined by innate abilities but can also be shaped by various external factors such as cultural background, education, and social environment. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because acute psychiatric illnesses do not necessarily impair intelligence, poor concentration skills do not always suggest limited intelligence, and the inability to think abstractly alone does not always indicate limited intelligence.
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