Mental Status Assessment

Question 1

what are the 5 major components of the mental status evaluation?

Answer 1

1. physical appearance and behavior
2. cognitive abilities
3. emotional stability
4. speech and language skills

Question 2

what 3 things should you evaluate when assessing physical appearance and behavior

Answer 2

1. grooming
2. emotional status (appropriate to situation)
3. body language

Question 3

what 8 things should you evaluate when assessing cognitive abilities?

Answer 3

1. orientation/state of consciousness (A&Ox4)
2. analogies/abstract reasoning
3. arithmetic calculation
4. writing abilities
5. motor skills
6. memory
7. attention span
8. judgement

Question 4

what are the 5 common states of consciousness that you might see in someone during the mental status assessment?

Answer 4

confused: inappropriate responses to questions
lethargic: drowsy, appropriate when aroused
delirious: confused w/ disordered perceptions
stuporous: rousable to verbal or painful stimuli
comatose: neither awake nor aware

Question 5

A&Ox4

Answer 5

alert to person, place, time, situation