Mental Health II Exam 1 Questions & Answers

What is the WHO definition of mental health? - ANSWERSThe WHO defines mental health as a state of well being in which each individual is able to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and make contribution to the community. Mental health provides people with the capicity for rational thinking, communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience and self esteem. What is the psychiatry definition of mental health? - ANSWERSPsychiatry's definition of mental health evolves over time. It is a definition shaped by the prevailing culture and societal values and it reflects changes in cultural norms, society's expectations, political climates and even reimbursement criteria by third party payers. What does mental illness refer to? - ANSWERSMental illness refers to all mental disorders with definable diagnoses. Thinking may be impaired - as in Alzheimer's Disease. Mood may be affected - as in major depression. and behavioral alterations may be apparent - as in Schizophrenia; or the patient may display some combination of the three. The quantitative study of the distribution of mental disorders in human populations is called - ANSWERSepidemiology Feedback: Epidemiology is the quantitative study of the distribution of mental disorders in human populations. Mortality refers to deaths. Prevalence refers to the proportion of a population who has a mental disorder at a given time. Clinical epidemiology deals with what happens to people with illnesses who are seen by providers of care. What phrase best describes the DSM-IV-TR? - ANSWERSIs a multiaxial psychiatric assessment system Feedback:The DSM-IV-TR is a classification of mental disorders that includes descriptions of diagnostic categories and uses an axis system to provide a broad range of assessment. Current information suggests that the most disabling mental disorders are the result of - ANSWERSbiological influences Feedback: The biologically influenced illnesses include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive and panic disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and autism. Therefore many (but not all) of the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders have been found to have strong biological influences. A nurse's identification badge includes the wording, 'Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse'. A client with a history of paranoia asks, "What does that title mean?" The nurse responds best when answering: - ANSWERS"We have the specialized skills needed to care for those with mental illnesses." Feedback: A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse possesses specialized nursing skills and implements the nursing process to manage and deliver nursing care to the mentally ill. Regarding individuals with mental disorders, distress refers to a painful symptom, and disability refers to - ANSWERSimpairment in important areas of functioning Feedback: Disability refers to impairment in important areas of functioning or a significantly increased risk of death, pain, or an important loss of freedom. While caring for a client who is very ill with a mental disorder, the nurse wonders if the client has always been so regressed or if he has functioned at a higher level in the recent past. The best way to obtain this information would be to - ANSWERSlook at axis V of the client's DSM-IV-TR sheet. Feedback: Axis V is called the Global Assessment of Functioning and gives an indication of the client's best level of psychological, social, and occupational functioning during the preceding year. What is resilience? - ANSWERSResilience is closely associated with the process of adapting and helps people facing tragedies, loss, trauma and severe stress. Which statement about diagnosis of a mental disorder is true? - ANSWERSCulture may cause variations in symptoms for each clinical disorder Feedback: Every society has its own view of health and illness and the types of behavior categorized as mental illness. Culture also influences the symptoms of a particular disorder. For example, individuals of certain cultures are more likely to express depression through somatic symptoms than through affect and feeling tone. Mental illnesses recognized across cultures include - ANSWERSschizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Feedback: Worldwide studies indicate that both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are recognized cross-culturally. When planning care for a specific client, of what significance to the psychiatric nurse is the fact that the DSM-IV-TR is multiaxial? - ANSWERSPertinent aspects of client functioning and problems are reported Feedback: The DSM-IV-TR axis system, by requiring judgments to be made on each of the five axes, forces the diagnostician to consider a broad range of information. The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association describes a nursing diagnosis as a clinical judgment about individual, family, or community responses to actual or potential health problems and life processes. Therefore the DSM-IV-TR is used to diagnose a psychiatric disorder, whereas a well-defined nursing diagnosis provides the framework for identifying appropriate nursing interventions for dealing with the phenomena a client with a mental health disorder is experiencing, such as hallucinations, low self-esteem issues, and ability to function (job/family). A nurse conducting research is seeking data about outcomes for depressed patients who have been treated with electroconvulsive therapy. The nurse is engaged in the field of - ANSWERSclinical epidemiology Feedback: Clinical epidemiology represents a broad field that addresses what happens to people with illnesses who are seen by providers of clinical care. Studies use traditional epidemiological methods and are conducted in groups that are usually defined by illness or symptoms or by diagnostic procedures or treatments given for the illness or symptoms. A client tells the mental health nurse "I am terribly frightened! I hear whispering that someone is going to kill me." Which criterion of mental health can the nurse assess as lacking? - ANSWERSAppraisal of reality Feedback: The appraisal of reality is lacking for this client. The client does not have a picture of what is happening around himself or herself. A 14-year-old who belongs to a neighborhood gang is found by her parents to lie and engage in sexually promiscuous behavior. They bring her to the mental health center. The nurse performing the assessment is told by the 14-year-old that she is happy, does well in school, and sees herself as popular and well regarded by her group. She states her parents are just old fashioned and don't understand her. The assessment the nurse will most likely make is that she - ANSWERSis displaying deviant behavior Feedback:This client is demonstrating deviant behavior. This client demonstrates undersocialized, aggressive behavior such as a repetitive and persistent pattern of aggressive conduct in which the basic rights of others are violated. An important concept for nurses to remember when planning care for mentally ill clients is that each client: - ANSWERShas areas of strength on which to build. Feedback: We are taught to evaluate our clients with mental health issues for their strengths and their areas of high functioning. You will find many attributes of mental health in some of your clients with mental health issues. These strengths should be built upon and encouraged. A nurse suspects that a client has a personality disorder in addition to displaying symptoms of a mood disorder. To determine whether these observations are correct, the nurse could look in the client's medical record on the DSM-IV-TR - ANSWERSaxis II Feedback: Axes I and II were separated to ensure that the possible presence of long-term disturbance is considered when attention is directed to the current one. For example, a heroin addict would be diagnosed on axis I as having a substance-related disorder; this client might also have a longstanding antisocial personality disorder, which would be noted on axis II.