Mental Health and Behavioral Support Flashcards

Which action by a nursing assistant BEST demonstrates person-centered care for a resident with a mental health condition?

Answer: Learning the resident's personal history and preferences to individualize their care

Person-centered care requires understanding each resident as an individual, including their history, preferences, and personality.

A resident with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) becomes very upset when a male nursing assistant enters the room without knocking. This reaction is BEST understood as:

Answer: A PTSD trigger response related to a past traumatic experience

PTSD triggers are reactions to stimuli that remind the person of past trauma, and care routines should be adapted to minimize them.

What does 'reality orientation' involve when used with confused residents?

Answer: Gently providing accurate information about time, place, and person to reduce confusion

Reality orientation provides gentle reminders of factual information to help oriented residents maintain awareness of their surroundings.

A resident with anxiety disorder uses deep breathing exercises as part of their care plan. The nursing assistant should:

Answer: Support and encourage the resident to use the exercises, especially during stressful moments

Nursing assistants should reinforce care-planned coping strategies, as deep breathing is an evidence-based anxiety management tool.

Which observation about a resident's mental status should be reported to the nurse IMMEDIATELY?

Answer: The resident suddenly cannot recognize their own family members

Sudden inability to recognize family members indicates an acute change in mental status that requires immediate nursing evaluation.

When interacting with a resident who has an intellectual disability, the nursing assistant should:

Answer: Use simple, clear language and allow extra time for the resident to respond

Clear, simple language and extra response time respect the resident's communication needs without being demeaning.

A nursing assistant notices a resident is hoarding food in their room. The BEST first action is to:

Answer: Report the behavior to the nurse and document the observation

Hoarding behavior can indicate underlying anxiety or past trauma and should be reported and documented for clinical assessment.