N212: HEALTH DIFFERENCES
ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN 2
Chapter 1 & 2
CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL CONCEPTS:
OBJECTIVES
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Differentiate between mental health and mental illness.
Understand and describe psychobiological disorders.
Gain knowledge of the DSM-IV-TR.
Understand major personality theories and the people who
developed them.
Acquire knowledge about the biological basis for
understanding psychotropic drugs.
Describe the main therapeutic modalities and the specific
drugs used: psychotropic drugs, antipsychotic, mood
stabilizers, antianxiety/ anxiolytic drugs, ADHD
treatments, and Alzheimer’s treatments.
Gain understanding of mental health nursing in
community settings.
Develop a mental health assessment plan.
Learn how to develop a therapeutic relationship.
Acquire information about clinical interviews and
communication skills.
Understand key terminology and concepts.
THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
Mental Health
 Mental Illness
 Psychobiological Disorders
 Behavioral Response
 Affective Response
 Anxiety Response
 Mood Disorders
 Altered Thought Processes
 Aggressive Responses
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THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
DSM-IV-TR
 Axes
 Culture
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THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
Sigmund Freud
 Erik Erikson
 Harry Stack Sullivan
 Hildegard Peplau
 Jean Piaget
 Abraham Maslow
 Lawrence Kohlberg
 Gerald Caplan
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BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR UNDERSTANDING
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
Functions of the brain
 Neurons
 Neurotransmitters
 Organization of the nervous system
 Causes of mental dysfunction
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THERAPEUTIC MEDICATIONS
Psychotropic drugs
 Antipsychotic drugs
 Mood stabilizing drugs
 Antianxiety/Anxiolytic drugs
 Treatment of ADHD
 Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
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MENTAL HEALTH NURSING IN ACUTE
CARE SETTINGS
Goals of inpatient psychiatric treatment
 The health care team
 Components of inpatient care
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MENTAL HEALTH NURSING IN
COMMUNITY SETTINGS
Foundations of community psychiatric nursing
 Biopsychosocial nursing assessment
 Inpatient versus community-based settings
 Community-based resources: goals and services
 Ethical issues
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ASSESSMENT
Mental status exam & psychosocial status
assessment
 Assessment of the elderly
 Outcome criteria
 Implementation
 Evaluation
 Documentation
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DEVELOPING THERAPEUTIC
RELATIONSHIPS
Goals
 Types of relationships
 Characteristics that promote growth and change
in others
 Boundaries
 Values clarification
 Phases of the nurse-client relationship
 Factors that help or hinder the nurse-client
relationship
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CLINICAL INTERVIEWS AND
COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS
Clinical supervision
 Berlo’s communication model
 Verbal and nonverbal communication
 Cultural communication barriers
 Effective communication skills
 Blocks to communication
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CHAPTER 2: LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES:
OBJECTIVES
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Become familiar with the ANA Code of Ethics.
Gain knowledge about Patients’ Bill of Rights.
Understand admission, commitment, and discharge
procedures.
Acquire knowledge about the Community Health
Centers Act of 1963.
Learn about intentional torts and their consequences.
Be able to list and describe the Standards of Care as
enumerated by the ANA Code of Ethics.
Understand documentation of care in the psychiatric
setting.
Gain knowledge about the ethical and legal
implications regarding confidentiality in psychiatric
nursing.
Be able to list and describe the procedures and
rationale for reporting child and elder abuse.
Understand key terms and concepts.
ETHICAL CONCEPTS
Considerations and dilemmas
 Ethics terminology
 ANA Code of Ethics
 Patients’ Bill of Rights
 Admission, commitment, and discharge
 Community Health Centers Act (CMHC) of 1963
 Client Rights
 Intentional tort
 Legal terms in psychiatric nursing
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ETHICAL CONCEPTS
Standards of care
 Documentation of care
 Confidentiality
 Reporting child and elder abuse
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