CHAPTER 1, Introduction to Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing In completing the case study, students will be addressing the following learning objectives: Explain elements that contribute to mental health.
Review trends, problems, and goals related to the delivery of mental health care and treatment of mental illness.
1. Karen is a 25-year-old white woman who lives alone in an apartment with her dog. Karen has been divorced for 2 years and is taking Prozac prescribed by her psychiatrist for depression. Karen and her boyfriend had been discussing marriage until he told her that he wanted to end their relationship. Karen became even more depressed and could not work for a week. Karen returned to work, refusing to discuss her issues with family, friends, or coworkers. She did, however, make an appointment to see a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Karen told the nurse that she was making some changes in her life. Karen said that she and a girlfriend were joining a gym program for workouts and a social group for young men and women. Karen stated that she realizes that her former boyfriend had not been committed to her, and she anticipates meeting and dating other young men from the adult social group. Karen also said that she thinks that the gym exercise will be beneficial to her mentally and physically.
Learning Objectives: 1, 4)
• How will the psychiatric nurse assess if Karen has made progress toward self-realization?
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• Identify strengths that Karen has for progress in personal growth.
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Karen has been seeking treatment for her depression. Analyze the factors that might contribute to Karen’s reluctance to discuss her depression with others.
Case Study, Mohr: CHAPTER 2, Neuroscience: Biology and Behavior
In completing the case study, students will be addressing the following learning objectives:
Discuss neuroplasticity and how this concept relates to mental health and mental illness.
Briefly explain the importance of interaction between genes and environment, the role of endophenotypes, and the stress-diathesis model of psychiatric illness.
1. Michael is a 22-year-old college senior whose GPA has declined with this semester’s grades. Michael plans to apply to medical school and thinks that the lower GPA may prevent his acceptance to medical school. For the last 2 weeks, Michael has skipped most classes because he has insomnia and fatigue. Michael is now very depressed and has been thinking of suicide. He took a loaded gun from his father’s gun cabinet and then wrote a suicide note to his family. At the last moment, he telephoned 911 and told them of his suicide plan. The police came, took the gun away, and then took Michael to the city hospital to be admitted for psychiatric treatment. In the admission interview with the psychiatric nurse, Michael said that his pastor thought that only weak-willed people experienced depression and that it was a punishment for personal sins and the sins of one’s ancestors. Michael told the nurse that he must be weak-willed and will never be able to accomplish anything. The psychiatric nurse explained that multiple factors are the cause of depression. The nurse told Michael that one theory holds that an imbalance of neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers of the brain, occurs in depression. Neurotransmitters influence the individual’s emotions, thoughts, and subsequent behavior. Recent research implies that neurobiology, heredity, as well as Psychological and environmental factors may be involved in the development and progression of depression.
(Learning Objectives: 5, 6)
a. Will Michael think that the psychiatric nurse’s explanation for the cause of depression is more correct than that of his pastor?
b. Michael asks the nurse why he has to have psychotherapy. He states that he only needs to take a couple of pills to get better. How should the nurse respond to Michael’s question and comment?
