Mental Health Awareness & Support Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the role of the healthcare aide in a mental health care team?

Answer: Providing direct personal care and reporting observations to the team

The healthcare aide's role is to provide direct personal care and accurately report observations to the supervising nurse and care team.

Stigma related to mental illness most commonly results in:

Answer: Shame, social isolation, and avoidance of treatment

Mental health stigma leads to shame, discrimination, and social isolation, which discourages people from seeking help.

A client tells the aide they hear voices telling them to hurt themselves. The aide's immediate response should be to:

Answer: Report this information immediately to the supervising nurse

Command hallucinations directing self-harm are a psychiatric emergency that must be immediately reported to the supervising nurse.

Which of the following medications is commonly prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder?

Answer: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are a first-line pharmacological treatment for generalized anxiety disorder as well as depression.

When a client with mental illness exhibits challenging behaviors, the aide should first:

Answer: Try to understand the trigger and respond calmly and therapeutically

Understanding potential triggers and responding with calm, therapeutic communication is the first-line approach to managing challenging behaviors.

Confidentiality of a mental health client's information may be legally broken when:

Answer: The client poses a credible threat of harm to themselves or others

Confidentiality may be legally overridden when there is a credible risk of harm to the client or others, known as the duty to warn.

Which of the following is an example of a trauma-informed care principle in action?

Answer: Explaining every procedure before performing it and asking for consent

Explaining procedures and asking for consent gives trauma survivors a sense of control and safety, which is central to trauma-informed care.