List the parts of a comprehensive mental status examination (MSE) for mental health patients. Give examples of each and describe the significance to the advanced practice nurse.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
A Mental Status Examination (MSE) is a structured assessment of a patient’s psychological functioning and is a critical component of mental health evaluations. It provides valuable insights into the patient’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral state, helping advanced practice nurses (APNs) formulate diagnoses and treatment plans. Below are the components of a comprehensive MSE, along with examples and their significance to APNs.
Parts of a Comprehensive Mental Status Examination (MSE)
1. Appearance
– Example: The patient may be disheveled, wearing unkempt clothing and poor hygiene, indicating possible neglect or depression.
– Significance: Appearance can offer clues about the patient’s self-care, mental health condition, and potential substance use. It helps APNs assess the severity of the patient’s situation.
2. Behavior
– Example: The patient may exhibit agitation, pacing, or lack of eye contact.
– Significance: Behavioral observations assist APNs in determining the level of distress or comfort in the patient. This information is crucial for creating a therapeutic environment.
3. Speech
– Example: The patient may speak rapidly and incoherently (pressured speech) during a manic episode or may have slow, monotonous speech during depression.
– Significance: Speech patterns help APNs evaluate cognitive function and emotional state. Changes in speech can indicate underlying psychiatric conditions.
4. Mood and Affect
– Example: The patient reports feeling “hopeless” (mood) but displays flat affect (lack of emotional expression).
– Significance: Understanding mood and affect helps APNs assess the emotional state and identify discrepancies between what the patient expresses and their observable behavior, which can be significant for diagnosis.
5. Thought Process
– Example: The patient may have a logical, goal-directed thought process or exhibit disorganized thinking.
– Significance: Thought processes provide insights into cognitive functioning and potential disorders such as schizophrenia or mood disorders. APNs can use this information to determine treatment strategies.
6. Thought Content
– Example: The patient may express delusions (beliefs not based in reality) or obsessive thoughts.
– Significance: Analyzing thought content helps APNs identify specific psychiatric conditions, such as psychosis or anxiety disorders, enabling focused interventions.
7. Perception
– Example: The patient reports experiencing auditory hallucinations (hearing voices).
– Significance: Assessing perceptions is crucial for identifying conditions like schizophrenia or severe mood disorders. This information guides treatment options and safety planning.
8. Cognition
– Example: The patient may be oriented to time, place, and person but struggle with memory recall tasks.
– Significance: Cognitive assessments help APNs evaluate functioning levels and potential impairments due to mental health disorders or neurological issues.
9. Insight
– Example: The patient may demonstrate good insight into their condition or lack awareness of their symptoms.
– Significance: Insight is critical for understanding how well a patient recognizes their illness and its implications for treatment adherence. APNs can tailor education and interventions accordingly.
10. Judgment
– Example: The patient may make poor decisions regarding personal safety or finances.
– Significance: Assessing judgment helps APNs gauge the patient’s capacity to make sound decisions, which is essential for planning interventions that protect and empower the patient.
Conclusion
Each component of the Mental Status Examination provides vital information that informs the advanced practice nurse’s clinical judgment and decision-making. By conducting a thorough MSE, APNs can better understand their patients’ mental health conditions, develop appropriate treatment plans, and implement interventions that promote recovery and enhance overall well-being. This comprehensive evaluation ultimately supports the delivery of holistic and patient-centered care in mental health settings.
