Introduction to Mental Health Nursing Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the foundational concepts, ethics, legalities, and therapies associated with Mental Health Nursing.

Mental Health

The emotional and psychological well-being of an individual who has the capacity to interact with others, deal with ordinary stress, and perceive surroundings realistically.

Mental Illness

A condition causing changes in emotions, thinking, or behavior associated with distress and problems in daily functioning, social relationships, or work.

Diathesis

A predisposition to develop an illness, which includes genetic factors, biological factors, and family history.

Stress (in Diathesis-Stress Model)

A physical or psychological change in environment that, combined with a predisposition, increases the risk of developing a mental health disorder.

Social Determinants of Mental Health

The conditions in which people live, work, play, and age, such as discrimination, ethnicity, and exposure to violence.

ACEs

Adverse childhood experiences that occur at critical stages of life and impact long-term mental health.

Public Stigma

Stereotypes, such as viewing individuals with mental illness as dangerous or incapable, often perpetuated by the media.

Self-stigma

The process of internalizing negative stereotypes, leading the client to agree with the public's view and develop low self-esteem.

Institutional Stigma

Governmental policies or organizations that limit opportunities, resulting in treatment disparities, underfunding, or diagnostic overshadowing.

Label Avoidance

Avoiding mental health treatment, services, or diagnosis to prevent being associated with a devalued or "marked" social category.

DSM-5-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the principal tool for providing a common diagnostic language and classification of mental health disorders.

Autonomy

The ethical concept regarding a client's competency or capacity for independent decision making.

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle of "do no harm."

Beneficence

The ethical principle of "doing good" and using knowledge to help a client achieve maximal health potential.

Fidelity

The ethical principle of keeping promises and displaying integrity.

Veracity

The ethical principle of being truthful and authentic.

Justice

The ethical principle of fairness in decisions and care.

Self-determinism

The empowerment or freewill to make moral judgments and choices based on personal goals, avoiding dependence on others.

Boundary Violations

The intentional or unintentional crossing of established therapeutic boundaries between the client and the nurse.

Duty to Warn

A legal obligation to breach confidentiality to inform others of threats from a client regarding harm to someone or if abuse is suspected.

Competency

A legal term determined by the courts; a client is considered this until declared otherwise and can refuse aspects of the treatment plan.

Capacity

A medical term assessing if a client can indicate choices, comprehend treatment information, and use logical thought processes to compare risks and benefits.

Informed Consent

A legal procedure ensuring a client knows the nature, benefits, costs, and alternatives regarding treatment before agreeing.

Implied Consent

Treatment permission assumed in emergence situations where the client is unconscious or unable to provide consent and a representative is unavailable.

Involuntary Admission

Confinement without consent used when an individual is dangerous to self or others, or is unable to provide for basic needs.

Least Restrictive Environment

The concept that a person cannot be restricted to an institution if they can be treated in the community, using interventions only as a last resort.

Seclusion

The involuntary confinement in a room where a person is physically prevented from leaving for purposes of safety or behavioral management.

Restraints

The most restrictive safety intervention, involving manual, physical, mechanical, or chemical methods to immobilize a client.

Milieu Therapy

A therapeutic approach creating a "healing environment" that is consistent, structured, and safe for all clients.

Psychoanalytic Therapy

Often called "talk therapy," this focuses on issues or emotions rooted in the unconscious mind.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

A therapy that helps clients recognize unhealthy thought patterns and learn new ways of thinking to lead to healthier behavior patterns.

Mental Status Exam (MSE)

A clinical assessment used to gather information related to a client's presenting symptoms and cognitive functioning.