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HESI Mental Health Practice Exam
1. A male client turns over a table in the dayroom of a psychiatric unit and threatens to throw a chair at another client. Which action is most important for the nurse to implement?
- A. Calmly approach the client and remove the chair from the client.
- B. Obtain staff assistance to help diffuse the escalating situation.
- C. Offer feedback about the client's behavior.
- D. Summon the hospital security guards as a 'show of force.'
Correct answer: B
Rationale: In a situation where a client is displaying aggressive behavior, the most important action for the nurse to implement is to obtain staff assistance to help diffuse the escalating situation. This approach ensures the safety of all individuals involved and prevents the situation from escalating further. Calmly approaching the client and removing the chair directly could agitate the client further and pose a risk to the nurse. Offering feedback about the client's behavior may not address the immediate safety concerns. Summoning hospital security guards as a 'show of force' should be a last resort after other de-escalation attempts have failed, as it may further provoke the client.
2. A young adult male client, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, believes that the world is trying to poison him. What intervention should the nurse include in this client's plan of care?
- A. Remind the client that his suspicions are not true
- B. Ask one nurse to spend time with the client daily
- C. Encourage the client to participate in group activities
- D. Assign the client to a room closest to the activity room
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct intervention for a client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia who believes in paranoid delusions is to ask one nurse to spend time with the client daily. Establishing a trusting relationship with a consistent caregiver can help reduce anxiety and foster a sense of security. Choice A is incorrect because directly challenging the client's beliefs may increase distress. Choice C might overwhelm the client with paranoia in a group setting. Choice D does not address the need for a trusting relationship with a specific caregiver.
3. A woman arrives in the Emergency Center and tells the nurse she thinks she has been raped. The client is sobbing and expresses disbelief that a rape could happen because the man is her best friend. After acknowledging the client's fear and anxiety, how should the nurse respond?
- A. I would be very upset and mad if my best friend did that to me.
- B. You must feel betrayed, but maybe you might have led him on?
- C. Rape is not limited to strangers and frequently occurs by someone who is known to the victim.
- D. This does not sound like rape. Did you change your mind about having sex after the fact?
Correct answer: C
Rationale: A victim of date rape or acquaintance rape is less prone to recognize what is happening because the incident usually involves persons who know each other and the dynamics are different than rape by a stranger. Choice (C) provides confrontation for the client's denial because the victim frequently knows and trusts the perpetrator. Nurses should not express personal feelings (Choice A) when dealing with victims. Choice B, suggesting that the client led on the rapist, indicates that the sexual assault was somehow the victim's fault. Choice D is judgmental and does not display compassion or establish trust between the nurse and the client.
4. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who is constantly washing her hands?
- A. Allow the client to continue washing her hands.
- B. Set limits on the time spent washing her hands.
- C. Encourage the client to wash her hands less frequently.
- D. Assist the client in finding alternative ways to reduce anxiety.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Assisting the client in finding alternative ways to reduce anxiety is the most appropriate intervention for a client with OCD who is constantly washing her hands. This approach helps address the underlying cause of the compulsive behavior by focusing on reducing anxiety rather than reinforcing the behavior. Allowing the client to continue washing her hands (choice A) would not address the root of the issue and may perpetuate the behavior. Setting limits on the time spent washing hands (choice B) may cause distress to the client and does not address the core problem. Encouraging the client to wash her hands less frequently (choice C) does not provide effective coping strategies for managing anxiety associated with OCD.
5. A client in a long-term care facility who has multiple sclerosis is embarrassed about the need to use a wheelchair and the muscle spasms that are readily visible in her legs. Which approach is therapeutic in assisting the client to cope?
- A. Keep the client in her room as much as possible
- B. Assist the client with all activities of daily living
- C. Tell the client that many of the people in the facility have these same sorts of problems
- D. Encourage and praise perseverance in performing ADLs, and assist the client to dress and groom daily
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Encouraging and praising the client's perseverance in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) is therapeutic as it helps the client maintain a sense of normalcy and dignity, thus supporting their psychosocial well-being. This approach acknowledges the client's struggles while empowering them to maintain their independence and self-care. Choices A and C are incorrect as they do not address the client's emotional needs and may contribute to further isolation and distress. Choice B, while important, does not specifically address the client's feelings of embarrassment and the need for emotional support.
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