NR 547 Final Study Guide - PMHNP Actual
Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health
across the Lifespan Practicum
Questions and Answers | 100% Correct | Grade A
1. When do you consider Unipolar versus Bipolar depression
Answer Unipolar major depression (major depressive disorder) is characterized by
a history of one or more major depressive episodes (table 3) and no history of
mania (table 1) or hypomania
2. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
Answer Scoring Instructions. Score 1 point for each bolded answer. A score of 5
or more suggests depression.
Self-reporting tool that may be used to diagnose and treat depression
3. Geriatric Depression Scale
Answer The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a self-re- port measure of
depression in older adults. Users respond in a "Yes/No" format. The GDS was
originally developed as a 30-item instrument. Since this version proved both time-
consuming and difficult for some patients to complete, a 15-item version was
,developed. The shortened form (GDS-S) is comprised of 15 items chosen from the
Geriatric Depression Scale-Long Form (GDS-L). These 15 items were chosen
because of their high correlation with depressive symptoms in previous validation
studies
4. Geriatric Depression Scale
Targeted Population
Answer he GDS may be used with healthy, medically ill and mild to moderately
cognitively impaired older adults. It has been extensively used in community, acute
care, and long-term care settings.
5. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
Score
Answer Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combination treatment indicated of
the 15 items, 10 indicated the presence of depression when answered positively,
while the rest (question numbers 1, 5, 7, 11, 13) indicated depression when
answered negatively.
Scores of 0-4 are considered normal, depending on age, education, and complaints;
(No Treatment)
5-8 indicate mild depression; (Pharmacologic or psychotherapeutic treatment may
, be indicated
Base treatment on duration of symptoms and functional impairment
9-11 indicate moderate depression; (Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combi-
nation treatment indicated)
12-15 indicate severe depression.(Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combina-
tion treatment indicated
6. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) Indication for Intervention
Answer The presence of depression warrants prompt intervention and treatment.
The GDS may be used to monitor depression over time in all clinical settings.
Any positive score above 5 on the GDS Short Form should prompt an in-depth
psychological assessment and evaluation for suicidality.
7. Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]
Answer A brief 9-item self-report questionnaire used as a screening tool to assess
severity of depression; widely used by health care providers, in validity is well
established, particularly for identifying severe depression.
8. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Answer Widely used to screen for depression and to measure behavioral
manifestations and severity of depression.
Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health
across the Lifespan Practicum
Questions and Answers | 100% Correct | Grade A
1. When do you consider Unipolar versus Bipolar depression
Answer Unipolar major depression (major depressive disorder) is characterized by
a history of one or more major depressive episodes (table 3) and no history of
mania (table 1) or hypomania
2. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
Answer Scoring Instructions. Score 1 point for each bolded answer. A score of 5
or more suggests depression.
Self-reporting tool that may be used to diagnose and treat depression
3. Geriatric Depression Scale
Answer The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a self-re- port measure of
depression in older adults. Users respond in a "Yes/No" format. The GDS was
originally developed as a 30-item instrument. Since this version proved both time-
consuming and difficult for some patients to complete, a 15-item version was
,developed. The shortened form (GDS-S) is comprised of 15 items chosen from the
Geriatric Depression Scale-Long Form (GDS-L). These 15 items were chosen
because of their high correlation with depressive symptoms in previous validation
studies
4. Geriatric Depression Scale
Targeted Population
Answer he GDS may be used with healthy, medically ill and mild to moderately
cognitively impaired older adults. It has been extensively used in community, acute
care, and long-term care settings.
5. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
Score
Answer Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combination treatment indicated of
the 15 items, 10 indicated the presence of depression when answered positively,
while the rest (question numbers 1, 5, 7, 11, 13) indicated depression when
answered negatively.
Scores of 0-4 are considered normal, depending on age, education, and complaints;
(No Treatment)
5-8 indicate mild depression; (Pharmacologic or psychotherapeutic treatment may
, be indicated
Base treatment on duration of symptoms and functional impairment
9-11 indicate moderate depression; (Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combi-
nation treatment indicated)
12-15 indicate severe depression.(Pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, or combina-
tion treatment indicated
6. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) Indication for Intervention
Answer The presence of depression warrants prompt intervention and treatment.
The GDS may be used to monitor depression over time in all clinical settings.
Any positive score above 5 on the GDS Short Form should prompt an in-depth
psychological assessment and evaluation for suicidality.
7. Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]
Answer A brief 9-item self-report questionnaire used as a screening tool to assess
severity of depression; widely used by health care providers, in validity is well
established, particularly for identifying severe depression.
8. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Answer Widely used to screen for depression and to measure behavioral
manifestations and severity of depression.
