Psychiatric Mental Status Assessment

Question 1

What is a mental status?

Answer 1

Mental status is an evaluation of a person’s emotional and cognitive functioning.

Question 2

How do we assess mental status? What is included in a psychiatric mental status assessment?

Answer 2

A psychiatric mental status assessment includes:

• Identifying characteristics
• Mental status exam (MSE)
• Psycosocial assessment
• Developmental Assessment
• Physiological Assessment
• May include other diagnostic tools (i.e. MMSE mini mental)

Question 3

What are some factors to consider when assessing mental status?

Answer 3

What is the presenting problem?
What happened? 
What are the conccerns?
Recent psychosocial stressors.
Recent changes in presentation.
Personal and family history of mental illness.
How was this patient referred?
Level of insight.

Question 4

What are the four categories of symptoms being assessed for mental status?

Answer 4

Physical
Psychological/Behavioural
Social
Work

Question 5

What topics are part of the mental status evaluation?

Answer 5

Appearance
Behaviour/Activity
Attitude
Speech
Mood and Affect
Thoughts
Perceptions
Sensorium/Cognition
Judgement
Insight
Reliability

Question 6

What are the main ABCT points of a mental status assessment? (and their sub-points)

Answer 6

Appearance
Behaviours
 - attitude
 - speech
 - mood
 - affect
Cognition
 - sensations
 - judgement
 - insight
 - reliability
Thoughts
 - perceptions

Question 7

What are the steps of the nursing process in a phsychiatric unit?

Answer 7

Mental status assessment
Nursing Diagnoses
Interventions
Evaluation

Question 8

When is someone’s mental status at it’s optimal point? (Which three things are in balance?)

Answer 8

Optimal mental status occurs when there is balance and satisfaction in work, relationships, and health.