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Bipolar Case Study Unfolding Reasoning | Brenden Manahan | Nursing Mental Health Clinical Judgment | Mood and Affect | Psychiatric Nursing Study Guide | Digital Download

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Master psychiatric nursing clinical judgment with this comprehensive unfolding reasoning case study featuring Brenden Manahan, a 35-year-old male experiencing acute exacerbation of bipolar I disorder. This digital study guide is designed for nursing students, psychiatric nursing educators, and clinical instructors teaching mental health nursing concepts including mania and depression assessment, involuntary hospitalization (501 hold), medication non-adherence, lithium and Depakote therapy, therapeutic communication, risk for injury, disturbed thought process, and patient education. The case study guides learners through clinical significance of assessment data, vital signs interpretation, mental status examination (MSE), lab value analysis (lithium levels 0.2 mEq/L, CBC, BMP), priority setting, nursing interventions, SBAR communication, and discharge planning. Perfect for nursing simulation, clinical conferences, and mental health nursing courses.

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lOMoARcPSD| 15217078




Bipolar Depression/Mania
UNFOLDING Reasoning




Brenden Manahan, 35 years old

Primary Concept
Mood and Affect
Interrelated Concepts (In order of emphasis)
1. Psychosis
2. Clinical Judgment
3. Patient Education
4. Communication

, lOMoARcPSD| 15217078




Bipolar Depression/Mania
History of Present Problem:
Brenden Manahan is a 35-year-old male, who has been admitted to the crisis intervention unit for exacerbation of his
bipolar disorder. He was admitted on a 501 (involuntary inpatient admission, patient has been deemed either dangerous to
self or others) and brought to the hospital by police because his mother feared for his safety. In the past few weeks he
stopped taking his medication because he feared that his mother was poisoning him.
Brenden has not slept in the past four days due to racing thoughts. He believes that he is the head of the CIA and told
his mother that he needed her car to go to CIA headquarters in McLean, Virginia, and fire everyone. When the police
arrived, they noted that Brenden was speaking at a very rapid rate and pace and was becoming increasingly agitated. He
began yelling that the police where there to poison him and prevent him from returning to his job.
He has been admitted to the locked mental health unit for evaluation of his mental capacity and stabilization. Brenden
will participate in the following education groups: medication education, and bipolar illness education. The goal is to
resume lithium carbonate and divalproex sodium.


Personal/Social History:
Brenden was diagnosed at 19 with bipolar I, and subsequently has been admitted six times due to non-adherence to the
medication regimen. Brenden is divorced and has a 3-year-old son who lives with his mother. He was recently in court to
have his visitations reduced to one supervised visit a week. He lives with his mother, who is supportive.

What data from the histories is important and RELEVANT and has clinical significance for the nurse?
RELEVANT Data from Present Problem: Clinical Significance:
- Exacerbation of Bipolar Disease - Reason why patient was admitted on a 501 (involuntary inpatient

- Has been admitted previously admission)
- Dangerous to self, others, and police - May have some relationship between staff, relapse
- Noncompliant with medication regimen - Pt is at risk to harm himself and others
- -Agitated, rapid speech - Pt stopped taking lithium carbonate and divalproex, remission, - Has not slept for four days
and relapse
- Evidence why he is behaving this way
- Pt may not be able to follow directions or have ability to listen
- Pt cannot relax of sleep, symptom of mania, can make delusions worse




RELEVANT Data from Social History: Clinical Significance:
-Diagnosed at 19 - Lets medical professionals how long pt has had disorder, how long
-Admitted six times in the past due to non- mother has been supporting son adherence to med
regimen - Previous admissions show relapse in illness
- Has a three-year-old son - May need to change care plan based on nonadherence to
-Is divorced medication regime
-Lives with mother, who is supportive - Pt has limited access to son, may be related to instability and
safety of son

, lOMoARcPSD| 15217078




- May be related to reasons of depression
- Mother may be Pt. support system

Current VS: WILDA Pain Assessment (5th VS):
T: 99.1 F/37.3 C (oral) Words: Patient denies P: 110
(regular) Intensity: R: 28 (regular) Location:
BP: 142/84 Duration:
O2 sat: 99% room air Aggravate
:
Alleviate:



Patient Care Begins:
What VS data are RELEVANT and must be recognized as clinically significant by the nurse?
RELEVANT VS Data: Clinical Significance:
Pts BP is elevated - May be related to stress and agitation to how Pt is feeling
142/84 -Low grade fever
-Temp is slightly elevated - Pulse is elevate, may be related to agitation, anxiety from how Pt is feeling
99.1 F - Respirations are increased as well, can be associated with the mania the patient is
-Pulse- 110 experiencing
-Resp: 28 -Increased HR may be from exacerbation from illness




Current Assessment:
GENERAL Is disheveled, and according to his mother, he has not showered in several days.
APPEARANCE:
NEURO: Oriented to person and place but not to time, impaired ability to concentrate, labile
emotions, has not slept for four days
RESP: Breath sounds clear however, patient is breathing rapidly and deeply
CARDIAC: Pink, warm and dry, no edema, heart sounds regular with no abnormal beats, pulses strong,
equal with palpation at radial/pedal/post-tibial landmarks
GI: Abdomen soft/nontender, bowel sounds audible per auscultation in all four quadrants, has
adequate appetite.
GU: Voiding without difficulty, urine clear/yellow
SKIN: Skin integrity intact
CHEMICAL USE: Denies both use/abuse of ETOH or other street drugs

What assessment data is RELEVANT and must be recognized as clinically significant by the nurse?
RELEVANT Assessment Data: Clinical Significance:

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