Mental Health 253/256- Exam 1 Overview
Please use your textbook and Saunder’s book p. 920 – 990 to help answer following to prepare for your
upcoming Mental Health exam in addition to the required reading in your textbook.
Mental Health: state of well-being in which individuals reach their own potential, cope with normal
stress.
Vs.
Mental Illness: all psychiatric disorders that have definable diagnosis.
What is the number one PRIORITY in the mental health setting? SAFETY!!!!
When documenting…
Accurate and complete information is required.
Description of the patient’s behavior, thought process, etc.
Should demonstrate the patient’s reaction to treatment (improvement or decline)
Upon admission important to validate advanced directives and ensure correct
information on document.
Types of Mental Health Admissions and Discharges
1. Voluntary Admission: The client seeks admission for care
a. A patient who voluntary admits themselves is free to sign out of the hospital with
psychiatrist notification and prescription after 24 hours.
b. Detaining a voluntary client is against her or his will is termed false imprisonment.
** Client retains full civil rights; Right to refuse tx, right to privacy, right to HIPAA, right
to informed consent**
i. A client has a right to confidentiality of her or his medical information
regarding release information in a life-threatening situation without the
client’s consent.
2. Involuntary Admission: When a person is mentally Ill, is a danger to self or others, or needs
mental health treatment or physical care. Occurs when a person is admitted or detained
involuntarily for mental health treatment because of actual or imminent danger to self or
others.
a. The client retains the right to refuse treatments including medications unless
specific treatment is retained from the court.
b. The client loses the right to refuse treatment when she or he poses an immediate
danger to self or others, requiring immediate action by the interprofessional health
care team.
**Client will be held for a minimum of 72 hours**
1. Patients’ right’s: Patients’ rights are violated when the patient is trying to hurt themselves
or others or have committed a crime that needs to be investigated.
2. Right to treatment: quality care
3. Right to refuse treatment: may withdrawal or withhold consent at any time
4. Right to privacy
5. Right to HIPAA
6. Right to informed consent: informed about disorder, treatment options benefits and
, treatment risks
7. Rights to confidentiality: ethical responsibility of healthcare provider
a. Patient must give consent to release information.
8. Advance directives
a. Documentation required!!
b. When the healthcare has to the right to override patients’ rights
Only when patient is causing harm to self or others
Mental Health Continuum- how someone is functioning in a point in time. One can be adequate to high
level of functioning in daily life to at the end point of severe menta illness. Ranges from
1. Highest level: occasional stress to mild distress, no impairment, knows that there not okay
and can recover with coping mechanisms.
a. Understand what stresses them out and how to fix them
2. Middle level (emotional problems or concerns): mild to moderate distress, and mild or
temporary impairment. EX: insomnia, lack of concentration, loss of appetite, low self-
esteem/interest
a. Might seek professional help
3. Lowest level (mental illness): marked distress, moderate to disabling or chronic impairment.
EX: altered thinking, mood, and behavior, common disorders such as depression and
anxiety, and schizophrenia
Risk Factors: individual characteristics and attributes influence mental health and well-being.
Socioeconomic circumstances and the environment also influence mental health.
1. Individual Attributes (biological and genetics):
a. Biological such as prenatal exposure to alcohol & O2 deprivation at birth are biological
factor.
a. This is anything that enters your system through mom during 9 months of
pregnancy
b. Genetic factors are huge predictors of mental health.
- Resilience: the ability and capacity for people to secure resources needed for well-
being. Does not mean they are unaffected by stress.
2. Social and Economic: Family, peer groups, school-promote confidence, coping skills,
inadequacy, instilling anxiety.
i. Children of poverty and abuse may seek out trusted adults
**Family plays a tremendous effect**
3.Environmental: Culture- different views on mental illness, social and economic policies,
political environment & culture consideration
i. Assess and lack of access to basic needs and commodities play a role in
environmental attributes to mental health. Ex. Healthcare, water, food
Diathesis-Stress Model: both diathesis and stress are present for the disorder. (Nature vs. nurture)
- Diathesis: represents biological predisposition (genetics)
- Stress: represents environmental stress or trauma (triggers the disorder)
**Anything in your genetics that is triggered by a stressor**
Patient rights Legislation: Parity = equivalence
Please use your textbook and Saunder’s book p. 920 – 990 to help answer following to prepare for your
upcoming Mental Health exam in addition to the required reading in your textbook.
Mental Health: state of well-being in which individuals reach their own potential, cope with normal
stress.
Vs.
Mental Illness: all psychiatric disorders that have definable diagnosis.
What is the number one PRIORITY in the mental health setting? SAFETY!!!!
When documenting…
Accurate and complete information is required.
Description of the patient’s behavior, thought process, etc.
Should demonstrate the patient’s reaction to treatment (improvement or decline)
Upon admission important to validate advanced directives and ensure correct
information on document.
Types of Mental Health Admissions and Discharges
1. Voluntary Admission: The client seeks admission for care
a. A patient who voluntary admits themselves is free to sign out of the hospital with
psychiatrist notification and prescription after 24 hours.
b. Detaining a voluntary client is against her or his will is termed false imprisonment.
** Client retains full civil rights; Right to refuse tx, right to privacy, right to HIPAA, right
to informed consent**
i. A client has a right to confidentiality of her or his medical information
regarding release information in a life-threatening situation without the
client’s consent.
2. Involuntary Admission: When a person is mentally Ill, is a danger to self or others, or needs
mental health treatment or physical care. Occurs when a person is admitted or detained
involuntarily for mental health treatment because of actual or imminent danger to self or
others.
a. The client retains the right to refuse treatments including medications unless
specific treatment is retained from the court.
b. The client loses the right to refuse treatment when she or he poses an immediate
danger to self or others, requiring immediate action by the interprofessional health
care team.
**Client will be held for a minimum of 72 hours**
1. Patients’ right’s: Patients’ rights are violated when the patient is trying to hurt themselves
or others or have committed a crime that needs to be investigated.
2. Right to treatment: quality care
3. Right to refuse treatment: may withdrawal or withhold consent at any time
4. Right to privacy
5. Right to HIPAA
6. Right to informed consent: informed about disorder, treatment options benefits and
, treatment risks
7. Rights to confidentiality: ethical responsibility of healthcare provider
a. Patient must give consent to release information.
8. Advance directives
a. Documentation required!!
b. When the healthcare has to the right to override patients’ rights
Only when patient is causing harm to self or others
Mental Health Continuum- how someone is functioning in a point in time. One can be adequate to high
level of functioning in daily life to at the end point of severe menta illness. Ranges from
1. Highest level: occasional stress to mild distress, no impairment, knows that there not okay
and can recover with coping mechanisms.
a. Understand what stresses them out and how to fix them
2. Middle level (emotional problems or concerns): mild to moderate distress, and mild or
temporary impairment. EX: insomnia, lack of concentration, loss of appetite, low self-
esteem/interest
a. Might seek professional help
3. Lowest level (mental illness): marked distress, moderate to disabling or chronic impairment.
EX: altered thinking, mood, and behavior, common disorders such as depression and
anxiety, and schizophrenia
Risk Factors: individual characteristics and attributes influence mental health and well-being.
Socioeconomic circumstances and the environment also influence mental health.
1. Individual Attributes (biological and genetics):
a. Biological such as prenatal exposure to alcohol & O2 deprivation at birth are biological
factor.
a. This is anything that enters your system through mom during 9 months of
pregnancy
b. Genetic factors are huge predictors of mental health.
- Resilience: the ability and capacity for people to secure resources needed for well-
being. Does not mean they are unaffected by stress.
2. Social and Economic: Family, peer groups, school-promote confidence, coping skills,
inadequacy, instilling anxiety.
i. Children of poverty and abuse may seek out trusted adults
**Family plays a tremendous effect**
3.Environmental: Culture- different views on mental illness, social and economic policies,
political environment & culture consideration
i. Assess and lack of access to basic needs and commodities play a role in
environmental attributes to mental health. Ex. Healthcare, water, food
Diathesis-Stress Model: both diathesis and stress are present for the disorder. (Nature vs. nurture)
- Diathesis: represents biological predisposition (genetics)
- Stress: represents environmental stress or trauma (triggers the disorder)
**Anything in your genetics that is triggered by a stressor**
Patient rights Legislation: Parity = equivalence
