Mental Health Nursing: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 6 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

Mental health nursing

Method

  1. Decide whether there is an immediate risk: suicide, violence, a drug emergency or a physical illness.
  2. Act on safety first: observe, remove means, de-escalate, stop a harmful drug, get help.
  3. Choose the therapeutic response: acknowledge feelings, present reality, avoid false reassurance and “why” questions.
  4. Respect rights: the least restrictive option, consent and confidentiality with its limits.

2Practice problems

1.Mental health nursingMedium

Which measurement should be monitored regularly in a patient taking venlafaxine?

  1. ASerum lithium level
  2. BVisual acuity
  3. CPeak expiratory flow
  4. DBlood pressure
2.Mental health nursingHard

A patient with dementia with Lewy bodies is having vivid visual hallucinations. A new nurse suggests asking for haloperidol. What is the main concern?

  1. AHaloperidol does not work in older patients at all
  2. BThese patients can have severe, sometimes life-threatening, sensitivity reactions to antipsychotics
  3. CHaloperidol will make his hallucinations more frequent
  4. DThere is no concern, because haloperidol is the treatment of choice for hallucinations in all types of dementia
3.Clinical psychologyMedium

In Beck's cognitive model of depression, the "cognitive triad" consists of negative views about:

  1. AOne's past, present and future only
  2. BOneself, the world and the future
  3. CParents, friends and teachers
  4. DBody, mind and spirit
4.Clinical psychologyHard

Why is the medical model of mental illness criticised by proponents of the psychological approaches?

  1. AIt rejects the use of medication entirely
  2. BIt denies that the brain and biological factors have any role in behaviour or emotion
  3. CIt may overlook psychological and social causes and reduce people's sense of agency
  4. DIt is based only on dream analysis
5.PharmacologyMedium

How is adenosine given for supraventricular tachycardia?

  1. AAs an intramuscular injection into the outer thigh muscle
  2. BAs a tablet under the tongue
  3. CAs a slow infusion over one hour
  4. DAs a rapid IV push followed by a fast saline flush
6.PharmacologyHard

A patient with heart failure on furosemide is also given metolazone, a thiazide-like diuretic. Which risk increases most?

  1. AHyperkalaemia and fluid overload
  2. BSevere hypertension, tachycardia and fluid retention
  3. CSevere hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia and dehydration
  4. DHypoglycaemia and weight gain

3Solutions

1.Mental health nursing

Answer: D · Blood pressure

Why this is the answer

Venlafaxine is an SNRI. By increasing noradrenaline, it can raise blood pressure, particularly at higher doses, so blood pressure is checked regularly.

Answer

D · Blood pressure
2.Mental health nursing

Answer: B · These patients can have severe, sometimes life-threatening, sensitivity reactions to antipsychotics

Why this is the answer

People with dementia with Lewy bodies often react badly to antipsychotics, especially first-generation drugs like haloperidol, with severe rigidity, falls, confusion and even death. Non-drug approaches come first.

Answer

B · These patients can have severe, sometimes life-threatening, sensitivity reactions to antipsychotics
3.Clinical psychology

Answer: B · Oneself, the world and the future

Why this is the answer

Beck proposed that depressed people hold negative views of the self, the world (or experiences) and the future, maintained by cognitive distortions.

Answer

B · Oneself, the world and the future
4.Clinical psychology

Answer: C · It may overlook psychological and social causes and reduce people's sense of agency

Why this is the answer

The medical model treats disorders as illnesses with biological causes, which reduces blame but can neglect life events, meaning and context, and may encourage passive reliance on drugs.

Answer

C · It may overlook psychological and social causes and reduce people's sense of agency
5.Pharmacology

Answer: D · As a rapid IV push followed by a fast saline flush

Why this is the answer

Adenosine must reach the heart quickly, so it is pushed rapidly into a large vein and flushed. Patients are warned about brief flushing, chest tightness and a short pause in the heartbeat.

Answer

D · As a rapid IV push followed by a fast saline flush
6.Pharmacology

Answer: C · Severe hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia and dehydration

Why this is the answer

Combining a loop and a thiazide diuretic gives a strong synergistic diuresis. This can cause marked electrolyte loss and volume depletion, so weight, electrolytes and kidney function are monitored closely.

Answer

C · Severe hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia and dehydration

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