HESI Mental Health Practice Questions Related

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For a female client with major depressive disorder reporting feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, what is the nurse's priority intervention?

  • A. Encourage the client to join a support group.
  • B. Refer the client for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
  • C. Assess the client's risk for suicide.
  • D. Suggest the client participate in daily exercise.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the client's risk for suicide. When a client expresses feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, it indicates a high risk of self-harm or suicide. Therefore, the priority intervention should be to assess the client's safety. Encouraging the client to join a support group (choice A) may be beneficial but not the priority at this time. Referring the client for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) (choice B) and suggesting daily exercise (choice D) are important interventions in managing depression but assessing the risk for suicide takes precedence due to the immediate safety concern.