STUDENT NUMBER: 202100531
STUDENT NAMES: THAHA LETSIE
SUBJECT CODE: NRS 3303
ASSIGNMENT ON: MENTAL STATUS EXAMINATION
Mental status examination (MSE): is a systematic way of assessing an individual's mental
health and cognitive functioning. It involves gathering information about various aspects of a
person's mental state to help diagnose and plan appropriate care.
Components of MSE are the following
APPEARANCE
ASSESSED FOR
WHAT WAS OBSERVED
Clothing and dress
Presentable dressing and clean clothes.
Grooming and hygiene
Well-groomed client, clean and fairly good
hygiene on the body except that a patient has
dirty thick layer on bare feet, unshaved hair
(clean though), and long nails.
Posture and position
Relaxed position and erect posture.
Body movements
Even, coordinated, smooth, deliberate and
voluntary movements of the client’s body
organs.
Facial expressions
Contempt facial expression.
BEHAVIOUR/ACTIVITY
ASSESSED FOR
WHAT WAS OBSERVED
Activity
Hypoactive
Facial expression
Normal facial expression, fluctuations in
expression in relation to the topic.
Mood
The client says he feels nervous anxious and
depressed.
Mannerism
The client avoids eye contact, the client
touches nose a lot as a sign of being nervous.
Speech
Pressured, rapid, monotonous, repetitious
and poor speech content.
COGNITIVE FUNCTION
ASSESSED FOR
WHAT WAS OBSERVED
Level of consciousness
The client is aware of the environment, time
and can respond to stimuli accordingly.
Attentiveness and concentration
The patient is able to follow a series of tasks,
comprehends his thought with ease.
Memory capacity
The patient is quite aware of last week events
after confirming with the relative.
JUDGEMENT
WHAT WAS ASSESSD FOR
WHAT WAS OBSERVED
Ability to assess
The patient was able to assess situations and
evaluate the situations.
Rationality
The patient gave a clear rational for decisions
he made at home prior admission.
Comprehension
and
responsibility plus The patient understands the consequences of
accountability.
his behavior and takes responsibility for their
actions.
THOUGHTS AND PERCEPTIONS
WHAT WAS ASSESSED FOR
WHAT WAS OBSERVED
Perception
Sometimes the patient hallucinates, and little
distortions. Otherwise, 7 out 10 the patient
can perceive the environment accordingly.
Form and content of thoughts
Logical, ruminations on some issues and
concrete reasoning.
Relativity of thoughts
Realist thoughts and no illusions.
REFERENCES
Jarvis.C.2016. Pocket companion for physical examination and health assessment. Chapter 2.
7th edition. Elsevier, Inc. United States of America. Pg. 9
Videbeck, S.L. (2021). Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters
Kluwer Health.
Halter, M.J. (2020). Varcarolis' Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. 9th ed. St.
Louis: Elsevier.
Townsend, M.C. (2019). Pocket Guide to Psychiatric Nursing. 10th ed. Philadelphia: F.A.
Davis Company.
Perry, A.G., & Potter, P.A. (2022). Mosby's Pocket Guide to Nursing Skills & Procedures. 10th
ed. St. Louis: Mosby.
Varcarolis, E.M., & Halter, M.J. (2020). Manual of Psychiatric Nursing Care Planning:
Assessment Guides, Diagnoses, and Psychopharmacology. 7th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier