HESI LPN
Mental Health HESI Practice Questions
1. The client is planning discharge for a male client with schizophrenia. The client insists that he is returning to his apartment, although the healthcare provider informed him that he will be moving to a boarding home. What is the most important nursing diagnosis for discharge planning?
- A. Ineffective denial related to situational anxiety.
- B. Ineffective coping related to inadequate support.
- C. Social isolation related to difficult interactions.
- D. Self-care deficit related to cognitive impairment.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The best nursing diagnosis is (A) because the client is unable to acknowledge the move to a boarding home. While (B, C, and D) are potential nursing diagnoses, denial is the most critical as it is a defense mechanism preventing the client from addressing his feelings regarding the change in living arrangements.
2. A male client with mental illness and substance dependency tells the mental health nurse that he has started using illegal drugs again and wants to seek treatment. Since he has a dual diagnosis, which person is best for the nurse to refer this client to first?
- A. The emergency room nurse.
- B. His case manager.
- C. The clinic healthcare provider.
- D. His support group sponsor.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The case manager (B) is responsible for coordinating community services, making them the best person to refer the client to first as they can describe available treatment options. The emergency room nurse (A) is unnecessary unless the client's behaviors pose imminent threats. The clinic healthcare provider (C) and support group sponsor (D) may be useful but coordinating a treatment program tailored to the client's needs is the priority in this scenario.
3. A client with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spends several hours a day arranging and rearranging items in their room. What is the most therapeutic nursing intervention?
- A. Distract the client with another activity.
- B. Allow the client to continue the behavior.
- C. Set a time limit for the behavior.
- D. Encourage the client to verbalize their feelings.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Encouraging the client to verbalize their feelings is the most therapeutic intervention for a client with OCD spending excessive time on compulsive behaviors. By expressing their feelings, the client can explore the underlying anxiety that drives the compulsion. This intervention also provides an opportunity for the nurse to offer support and help the client develop coping strategies.\n Choice A, distracting the client with another activity, may provide temporary relief but does not address the root cause of the behavior.\n Choice B, allowing the client to continue the behavior, does not promote therapeutic progress and may perpetuate the compulsion.\n Choice C, setting a time limit for the behavior, may create additional stress for the client and does not address the underlying emotional issues associated with OCD.
4. A client with schizophrenia is experiencing auditory hallucinations. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention?
- A. Encourage the client to focus on reality-based activities.
- B. Tell the client that the voices are not real.
- C. Ask the client to describe the voices he hears.
- D. Encourage the client to interact with others who are not experiencing hallucinations.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The most appropriate nursing intervention for a client with schizophrenia experiencing auditory hallucinations is to encourage the client to focus on reality-based activities. This intervention helps redirect their attention away from hallucinations, promoting engagement with the environment. Choice B is incorrect as telling the client that the voices are not real may invalidate their experiences and worsen the therapeutic relationship. Choice C may increase the client's distress by focusing on the hallucinations. Choice D might not be helpful as interacting with others who are not experiencing hallucinations may not address the client's current needs.
5. A male client approaches the nurse with an angry expression on his face and raises his voice, saying, 'My roommate is the most selfish, self-centered, angry person I have ever met. If he loses his temper one more time with me, I am going to punch him out!' The nurse recognizes that the client is using which defense mechanism?
- A. Denial
- B. Projection
- C. Rationalization
- D. Splitting
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Projection. In this scenario, the client is projecting his own feelings of anger and selfishness onto his roommate. Projection is a defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and motives to another person. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Denial is refusing to acknowledge an aspect of reality or experience. Rationalization is providing logical-sounding reasons to justify unacceptable behaviors or feelings. Splitting is seeing individuals as all good or all bad, with no middle ground.
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