MENTAL
HEALTH
NURSING
CASE STUDIES
(CH, 1-39)
,LPN-RN
Case Study: Chapter 1, Introduction to Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing.
Case Study, Mohr: 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)
a. How will the psychiatric nurse assess if Karen has made progress toward self-realization?
Self-realization is defined as the drive to live to one's fullest potential and is characterized by
psychological growth, self-knowledge, self-awareness and acceptance.The first indication that
Karen has made progress toward self-realization is that she took initiative to make an
,appointment with the psychiatric nurse will have to deal hard with Karen's case. She is suffering
from loneliness and dejection. After a failed marriage and a failed relationship later , she has
been devastated emotionally. Her escape from the harsh marriage was the relationship she
shared with her boyfriend. She was certain that it would bloom in marriage but that never
happened. In Fact he dumped her and walked away. Karen had developed a hatred for men.
May be she realized that her true sexuality was bisexual. This lead her to be attracted towards
girls. She entered in a relationship with one and they used to hit the gym together. But her
comment that she feels she might find more guys at the gym suggests that she is still not stable
and running away. The nurse needs to first access her feelings for the current girlfriend. Many
times it is not love but just infatuation. We can be dragged towards someone for a while which
may change later. So the nurse needs to analyse her behavior trend for some days. If she still
feels happy with that girl, this would mean that she is no more afraid to love someone. But if
she still talks about meeting new guys in the group, this would suggest that she still has not
found true identity and is juggling between what she is and who she wants to be. This will take
time but eventually bloom to the light.
b. Identify strengths that Karen has for progress in personal growth.
Possible changes to alleviate symptoms can strengthen the weakness..Karen strength towards
gym exercise for herself said that will be beneficial to her mentally and physically. By making an
appointment with a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Karen is expressing acceptance of her
disordered feelings and the will to want to work on and treat her troublesome emotions. She
has also verbally committed to making life changes, including signing up for the gym and
attending social groups. Both of these steps are healthy coping mechanisms in response to her
setbacks. Additionally, Karen is expressing willingness to recognize that, perhaps, her
relationship with her former boyfriend was not the best for her. These are all steps in the
direction of personal growth. Karen sought immediate medical attention where she was
administered with Prozac to help mitigate her depression. Her cognitive behavioral responses
showed optimism towards a better life as well as fighting against her depressed state.
C. Karen has been seeking treatment for her depression. Analyze the factors that might
contribute to Karen’s reluctance to discuss her depression with others.
- Karen may be reluctant to discuss her depression with others due to the negative stigma
associated with this mental illness. People view mental illness as a weakness; perhaps
they think the depressed individual is unstable, unable to control his/her emotions, and
therefore at a greater risk for self-harm. People may start seeing and treating this
individual differently due to their own misconceptions. Karen has a job and a life and
does not want others to think she is unstable and treat her like a medical patient.
- Karen is already divorced and now her boyfriend is not willing for marriage and his
willingness towards living together and society view it as a religious issue and immoral
before marriage living together made Karen more depressed which she can not discuss
with anyone..
, 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?
He might listen to the nurse owing to the fact that Michael is a doctor in preparation, who
wanted to go to medical school. So the explanation provided to him by the nurse about the
various (neuro)biological factors might be easy for him to comprehend.
HEALTH
NURSING
CASE STUDIES
(CH, 1-39)
,LPN-RN
Case Study: Chapter 1, Introduction to Psychiatric–Mental Health Nursing.
Case Study, Mohr: 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)
a. How will the psychiatric nurse assess if Karen has made progress toward self-realization?
Self-realization is defined as the drive to live to one's fullest potential and is characterized by
psychological growth, self-knowledge, self-awareness and acceptance.The first indication that
Karen has made progress toward self-realization is that she took initiative to make an
,appointment with the psychiatric nurse will have to deal hard with Karen's case. She is suffering
from loneliness and dejection. After a failed marriage and a failed relationship later , she has
been devastated emotionally. Her escape from the harsh marriage was the relationship she
shared with her boyfriend. She was certain that it would bloom in marriage but that never
happened. In Fact he dumped her and walked away. Karen had developed a hatred for men.
May be she realized that her true sexuality was bisexual. This lead her to be attracted towards
girls. She entered in a relationship with one and they used to hit the gym together. But her
comment that she feels she might find more guys at the gym suggests that she is still not stable
and running away. The nurse needs to first access her feelings for the current girlfriend. Many
times it is not love but just infatuation. We can be dragged towards someone for a while which
may change later. So the nurse needs to analyse her behavior trend for some days. If she still
feels happy with that girl, this would mean that she is no more afraid to love someone. But if
she still talks about meeting new guys in the group, this would suggest that she still has not
found true identity and is juggling between what she is and who she wants to be. This will take
time but eventually bloom to the light.
b. Identify strengths that Karen has for progress in personal growth.
Possible changes to alleviate symptoms can strengthen the weakness..Karen strength towards
gym exercise for herself said that will be beneficial to her mentally and physically. By making an
appointment with a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Karen is expressing acceptance of her
disordered feelings and the will to want to work on and treat her troublesome emotions. She
has also verbally committed to making life changes, including signing up for the gym and
attending social groups. Both of these steps are healthy coping mechanisms in response to her
setbacks. Additionally, Karen is expressing willingness to recognize that, perhaps, her
relationship with her former boyfriend was not the best for her. These are all steps in the
direction of personal growth. Karen sought immediate medical attention where she was
administered with Prozac to help mitigate her depression. Her cognitive behavioral responses
showed optimism towards a better life as well as fighting against her depressed state.
C. Karen has been seeking treatment for her depression. Analyze the factors that might
contribute to Karen’s reluctance to discuss her depression with others.
- Karen may be reluctant to discuss her depression with others due to the negative stigma
associated with this mental illness. People view mental illness as a weakness; perhaps
they think the depressed individual is unstable, unable to control his/her emotions, and
therefore at a greater risk for self-harm. People may start seeing and treating this
individual differently due to their own misconceptions. Karen has a job and a life and
does not want others to think she is unstable and treat her like a medical patient.
- Karen is already divorced and now her boyfriend is not willing for marriage and his
willingness towards living together and society view it as a religious issue and immoral
before marriage living together made Karen more depressed which she can not discuss
with anyone..
, 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?
He might listen to the nurse owing to the fact that Michael is a doctor in preparation, who
wanted to go to medical school. So the explanation provided to him by the nurse about the
various (neuro)biological factors might be easy for him to comprehend.
