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 patient says, "I'm worthless. Nobody cares about me." Which response is most therapeutic?

  1. A"You shouldn't say such things."
  2. B"That's not true; everyone here cares about you."
  3. C"Let's talk about something more cheerful."
  4. D"You're feeling that no one cares about you. Tell me more."
2.Mental health nursingHard

A man has odd beliefs about being able to read minds, dresses eccentrically and has few friends because others make him anxious. He has never had sustained hallucinations or delusions. Which diagnosis fits best?

  1. AHistrionic personality disorder with odd dress
  2. BSchizotypal personality disorder
  3. CSchizophrenia
  4. DAntisocial personality disorder
3.Clinical psychologyMedium

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

  1. AEmotional reasoning
  2. BOvergeneralisation
  3. CPersonalisation
  4. DMind reading
4.Clinical psychologyHard

A researcher finds that adoptees whose biological mothers had schizophrenia develop it more often than adoptees whose biological mothers did not, despite being raised by unaffected families. What does this design help to separate?

  1. AThe effects of antipsychotic medication from the effects of psychological therapy
  2. BPositive symptoms from negative symptoms
  3. CGenetic influences from the effects of the rearing environment
  4. DDiagnosis by DSM from diagnosis by ICD
5.PharmacologyMedium

How should a hyoscine (scopolamine) patch for motion sickness be used?

  1. AApply it behind the ear several hours before travel
  2. BSwallow it if no water is available
  3. CApply it to the chest only after the vomiting has started
  4. DCut it in half for children without advice
6.PharmacologyHard

A ventilated ICU patient receives vecuronium, a neuromuscular blocker. Why must sedation and pain relief also be given?

  1. AVecuronium causes severe pain at the injection site
  2. BSedatives are needed to prevent vecuronium from causing seizures and agitation
  3. CVecuronium stops working unless a sedative is also given
  4. DNeuromuscular blockers paralyse muscles but do not cause sedation or analgesia

3Solutions

1.Mental health nursing

Answer: D · "You're feeling that no one cares about you. Tell me more."

Why this is the answer

Reflection acknowledges the feeling and encourages the patient to continue. Contradicting, disapproving or changing the subject blocks communication.

Answer

D · "You're feeling that no one cares about you. Tell me more."
2.Mental health nursing

Answer: B · Schizotypal personality disorder

Why this is the answer

Schizotypal personality disorder involves odd beliefs, magical thinking, eccentric behaviour and social anxiety. It lies on the schizophrenia spectrum, but without the sustained psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia.

Answer

B · Schizotypal personality disorder
3.Clinical psychology

Answer: B · 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

B · Overgeneralisation
4.Clinical psychology

Answer: C · Genetic influences from the effects of the rearing environment

Why this is the answer

Adoption studies, such as Heston's and the Danish studies, separate genetic risk from family environment because the child is raised away from the biological parent.

Answer

C · Genetic influences from the effects of the rearing environment
5.Pharmacology

Answer: A · Apply it behind the ear several hours before travel

Why this is the answer

The patch is applied behind the ear several hours before travel, and the hands are washed afterwards. Touching the eye with drug on the fingers can dilate the pupil and blur vision.

Answer

A · Apply it behind the ear several hours before travel
6.Pharmacology

Answer: D · Neuromuscular blockers paralyse muscles but do not cause sedation or analgesia

Why this is the answer

Neuromuscular blockers cause paralysis but leave awareness and pain sensation intact. Without sedation and analgesia, the patient could be awake and in pain while unable to move.

Answer

D · Neuromuscular blockers paralyse muscles but do not cause sedation or analgesia

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