a young adult female visits the mental health clinic complaining of diarrhea headache and muscle aches she is afebrile denies chills and all laborator

HESI RN

Mental Health HESI Quizlet

1. A young adult female visits the mental health clinic complaining of diarrhea, headache, and muscle aches. She is afebrile, denies chills, and all laboratory findings are within normal limits. During the physical assessment, the client tells the RN that her sister thinks she is neurotic and calls her a hypochondriac. Which response is best for the RN to provide?

A. Unless your sister has a medical education, ignore her comments.
B. I can hear that your sister comments are over-whelming you.
C. Do you think it’s possible that you might be a hypochondriac?
D. Besides your sister’s comments, what in your life is troubling you?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Acknowledging the impact of the sister's comments on the client helps validate the client's feelings and supports therapeutic dialogue.

2. The nurse is completing the admission assessment of an underweight adolescent admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of depression. Which finding requires notification to the healthcare provider?

A. Body mass index of 21
B. Potassium level of 2.9 mEq/dL
C. WBC count of 10,000/mm3
D. Blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. A potassium level of 2.9 mEq/dL is critically low and requires immediate notification to the healthcare provider as it indicates a potential electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to serious cardiac arrhythmias and other complications. Choices A, C, and D are within normal ranges or not indicative of immediate life-threatening issues. A body mass index of 21 may be considered normal for some individuals, a WBC count of 10,000/mm3 is slightly elevated but not an urgent concern, and a blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg is within normal limits for an adolescent.

3. A female client on a psychiatric unit is sweating profusely while vigorously doing push-ups and then running the length of the corridor several times before crashing into furniture in the sitting room. Picking herself up, she begins to verbally attack other clients. What intervention is most appropriate for the RN to use to manage the client’s behavior?

A. Assist the client to a safe area to avoid injury.
B. Establish clear and firm limits with the client.
C. Offer medication to help calm the client down.
D. Speak with the client in a calm, non-threatening manner.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Assisting the client to a safe area is the most appropriate intervention in this scenario. This action helps prevent injury to the client and others while allowing for de-escalation in a controlled environment. While establishing clear and firm limits (Choice B) may be necessary in some situations, the immediate priority here is safety. Offering medication (Choice C) should not be the first response unless the situation escalates further and poses a risk to the client or others. Speaking with the client in a calm, non-threatening manner (Choice D) may not be effective when the client is in an agitated state and engaging in risky behavior.

4. What intervention is best for the nurse to implement for a male client with schizophrenia who is demonstrating echolalia, which is becoming annoying to other clients on the unit?

A. Avoid acknowledging the behavior.
B. Isolate the client from other clients.
C. Administer a PRN sedative.
D. Escort the client to his room.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Echolalia, the constant repetition of what others are saying, can be disruptive to the therapeutic environment. The most appropriate intervention is to escort the client to his room. This action provides the client with a private space where he can engage in the behavior without disturbing other clients. Avoiding acknowledgment of the behavior (Choice A) may not address the issue and could lead to increased annoyance among other clients. Isolating the client (Choice B) may have negative psychological effects and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary for safety concerns. Administering a PRN sedative (Choice C) should be considered only as a last resort and if other de-escalation techniques have been unsuccessful.

5. The healthcare provider is assessing a client who has been taking an antidepressant for several months. Which symptom would suggest that the medication is working?

A. Improved mood and increased energy.
B. Increased appetite and weight gain.
C. Decreased anxiety and agitation.
D. Enhanced sleep patterns and vivid dreams.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When assessing the effectiveness of an antidepressant, improved mood and increased energy are positive indicators that the medication is working. Choice B, increased appetite and weight gain, are more commonly associated with side effects of some antidepressants, such as certain tricyclic antidepressants. Choice C, decreased anxiety and agitation, could be related to the therapeutic effects of antidepressants in treating anxiety disorders but may not specifically indicate the efficacy of the medication for depression. Choice D, enhanced sleep patterns and vivid dreams, while changes in sleep patterns can be influenced by antidepressants, they are not the primary indicators of antidepressant efficacy. Therefore, the correct choice is A as it directly reflects the desired outcomes of antidepressant therapy.