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

A woman is convinced that a famous actor she has never met is secretly in love with her and sends her signals through his films. Which type of delusion is this?

  1. AErotomanic
  2. BNihilistic
  3. CGrandiose
  4. DSomatic
2.Mental health nursingHard

A patient asks the nurse to promise not to tell anyone that she is planning to kill herself. What is the best response?

  1. APromise to keep the secret so that she keeps talking and trusts you, and do not record it in her notes or tell the team
  2. BTell her you will think about it
  3. CExplain kindly that you cannot keep this secret because her safety matters, and you need to share it with the team
  4. DChange the subject
3.Clinical psychologyMedium

Which is a main criticism of defining abnormality as deviation from social norms?

  1. AIt ignores how rare or statistically unusual a behaviour is
  2. BIt only applies to children
  3. CIt requires expensive brain scans
  4. DNorms vary across cultures and change over time
4.Clinical psychologyHard

A therapist helps a client with panic disorder deliberately bring on dizziness by spinning in a chair, without using safety behaviours. What is this technique called and why is it used?

  1. AAversion therapy, so the client learns to associate panic with physical discomfort
  2. BFree association, so unconscious fears come to light
  3. CInteroceptive exposure, so the client learns bodily sensations are not dangerous
  4. DFlooding, so the client forgets their trauma
5.PharmacologyMedium

A man taking tamsulosin is planning cataract surgery. What should the nurse advise?

  1. ATell the eye surgeon, as it can cause floppy iris syndrome
  2. BTake a double dose on the day of surgery
  3. CStop the drug for one day and no further action is needed
  4. DThe drug has no link with eye surgery
6.PharmacologyHard

Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is taken once a week. A patient mistakenly takes the same dose every day. What is the main danger?

  1. ASevere hypertension from fluid retention
  2. BBone marrow suppression and mucositis from methotrexate toxicity
  3. CThe arthritis gets worse because of drug tolerance
  4. DHypoglycaemia because methotrexate strongly stimulates insulin release

3Solutions

1.Mental health nursing

Answer: A · Erotomanic

Why this is the answer

Erotomanic delusions are the false belief that another person, often of higher status, is in love with the patient. They can lead to stalking or unwanted contact.

Answer

A · Erotomanic
2.Mental health nursing

Answer: C · Explain kindly that you cannot keep this secret because her safety matters, and you need to share it with the team

Why this is the answer

The nurse must not promise secrecy about a risk to life. Being honest about the limits of confidentiality, while staying supportive, keeps the patient safe and maintains trust.

Answer

C · Explain kindly that you cannot keep this secret because her safety matters, and you need to share it with the team
3.Clinical psychology

Answer: D · Norms vary across cultures and change over time

Why this is the answer

Social norms are culture- and era-specific, so this definition can label harmless non-conformity as disorder and has been used to justify social control.

Answer

D · Norms vary across cultures and change over time
4.Clinical psychology

Answer: C · Interoceptive exposure, so the client learns bodily sensations are not dangerous

Why this is the answer

Interoceptive exposure provokes feared bodily sensations so the client can test catastrophic predictions and habituate. It is a core part of CBT for panic disorder.

Answer

C · Interoceptive exposure, so the client learns bodily sensations are not dangerous
5.Pharmacology

Answer: A · Tell the eye surgeon, as it can cause floppy iris syndrome

Why this is the answer

Tamsulosin can cause intraoperative floppy iris syndrome, which complicates cataract surgery. The surgeon needs to know so that the technique can be adapted.

Answer

A · Tell the eye surgeon, as it can cause floppy iris syndrome
6.Pharmacology

Answer: B · Bone marrow suppression and mucositis from methotrexate toxicity

Why this is the answer

Methotrexate inhibits dihydrofolate reductase. Daily dosing causes toxicity in dividing tissues such as bone marrow and gut lining, which can be fatal. Folinic acid is used as a rescue treatment.

Answer

B · Bone marrow suppression and mucositis from methotrexate toxicity

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