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

When are delirium tremens most likely to start after the last drink?

  1. AAfter 2 weeks
  2. BWithin 1 to 2 hours
  3. CAbout 2 to 4 days (48 to 96 hours)
  4. DAfter 2 months
2.Mental health nursingHard

For 8 months, a woman has worried about her job, money and family's health nearly every day. She has muscle tension, tiredness and poor sleep, but no sudden attacks of fear. Which diagnosis fits best?

  1. APanic disorder
  2. BAcute stress disorder after a recent trauma
  3. CSpecific phobia
  4. DGeneralised anxiety disorder
3.Clinical psychologyMedium

A client says "I failed one test, so I will fail everything." Which cognitive distortion is this?

  1. AMind reading
  2. BPersonalisation
  3. COvergeneralisation
  4. DEmotional reasoning
4.Clinical psychologyHard

A chronic heavy drinker develops confusion, an unsteady gait and abnormal eye movements. Which deficiency must be treated urgently?

  1. AVitamin D
  2. BIron
  3. CVitamin C
  4. DThiamine (vitamin B1)
5.PharmacologyMedium

How does metformin mainly lower blood glucose?

  1. AIt replaces missing insulin
  2. BIt reduces glucose production by the liver
  3. CIt blocks glucose absorption in the kidney
  4. DIt stimulates insulin release from the pancreas
6.PharmacologyHard

Which strategy is most effective at preventing errors with IV insulin infusions?

  1. AAn independent double check and a smart pump with a drug library
  2. BWriting "U" for units on the order
  3. CPreparing insulin infusions in advance and leaving them unlabelled
  4. DUsing insulin syringes to measure large IV volumes

3Solutions

1.Mental health nursing

Answer: C · About 2 to 4 days (48 to 96 hours)

Why this is the answer

Typical timing: tremor and anxiety from about 6–24 hours, withdrawal seizures from about 12–48 hours and delirium tremens from about 48–96 hours. Timing varies between patients.

Answer

C · About 2 to 4 days (48 to 96 hours)
2.Mental health nursing

Answer: D · Generalised anxiety disorder

Why this is the answer

Generalised anxiety disorder is ongoing, excessive worry about many things for at least 6 months. Panic disorder involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and worry about having more.

Answer

D · Generalised anxiety disorder
3.Clinical psychology

Answer: C · Overgeneralisation

Why this is the answer

Overgeneralisation draws a sweeping conclusion from a single event. Beck's cognitive therapy teaches clients to notice and test such distortions.

Answer

C · Overgeneralisation
4.Clinical psychology

Answer: D · Thiamine (vitamin B1)

Why this is the answer

Wernicke's encephalopathy results from thiamine deficiency and presents with confusion, ataxia and eye signs. Untreated, it can progress to Korsakoff syndrome with severe amnesia and confabulation.

Answer

D · Thiamine (vitamin B1)
5.Pharmacology

Answer: B · It reduces glucose production by the liver

Why this is the answer

Metformin mainly reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis and improves insulin sensitivity. Because it does not stimulate insulin release, hypoglycaemia is rare when used alone.

Answer

B · It reduces glucose production by the liver
6.Pharmacology

Answer: A · An independent double check and a smart pump with a drug library

Why this is the answer

Independent double checks, standard concentrations and smart pumps with dose limits reduce insulin errors. "U" for units is avoided because it can be misread as a zero.

Answer

A · An independent double check and a smart pump with a drug library

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