Psychiatric Mental Health Assignment Exam HESI Practice, Questions & Explained Answers
The nurse is caring for an adult male client with catatonic schizophrenia who is mute and
motionless. What is the priority nursing problem?
A. Impaired mobility.
B. Ineffective individual coping.
C. Impaired verbal communication.
D. High risk for fluid and electrolyte imbalance. - ANS: D. High risk for fluid and
electrolyte imbalance.
Maintaining physiological stability by first addressing basic physiological needs is the
priority. A client who is in a catatonic or stuporous state is at risk for malnutrition and
dehydration. Fluid and electrolyte imbalance is the priority nursing problem for this client
at this time. The other problems are not life-threatening.
A female client comes to an outpatient therapy appointment intoxicated. The spouse tells
the nurse, "There wasn't anything I could do to stop her drinking this morning." What
intervention should the nurse take at this time?
A. Arrange for emergency admission to a detoxification unit.
B. Talk to the spouse about strategies to limit the client's drinking.
C. Have the client admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit.
D. Tell the client that therapy cannot take place while she is intoxicated. - ANS: D. Tell
the client that therapy cannot take place while she is intoxicated.
Therapy sessions are designed to confront the issues that the client with alcohol
dependence may be experiencing. If the client presents inebriated, a therapeutic and
confrontational meeting cannot occur because the client's judgment is altered. The other
interventions are not necessary.
Which action is most important for the nurse to implement during the initial interview for
a client who is admitted to the mental health unit?