Psychotic Disorders no. 4018

Psychotic Disorders no. 4018

QUESTION: A client is admitted to the psychiatric unit with active psychosis. The physician diagnoses schizophrenia after ruling out several other conditions. Schizophrenia is characterized by:

✘O a.) loss of identity and self-esteem.
✘O b.) multiple personalities and decreased self-esteem.
✓O c.) disturbances in affect, perception, and thought content and form.
✘O d.) persistent memory impairment and confusion.

RATIONALE

RATIONALE: The <i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,</i> 4th edition, defines schizophrenia as a disturbance in multiple psychological processes that affects thought content and form, perception, affect, sense of self, volition, relationship to the external world, and psychomotor behavior. Loss of identity sometimes occurs but is only one characteristic of the disorder. Multiple personalities typify multiple personality disorder, a dissociative personality disorder. Mood disorders are commonly accompanied by increased or decreased self-esteem. Schizophrenia doesn't cause a disturbance in sensorium, although the client may exhibit confusion, disorientation, and memory impairment during the acute phase.
NURSING PROCESS STEP: Assessment
CLIENT NEEDS CATEGORY: Psychosocial integrity
CLIENT NEEDS SUBCATEGORY: None
COGNITIVE LEVEL: Knowledge