An example of acute organic mental disorder?

JIPMER Nursing Officer - 2020

Mental Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: JIPMER Nursing Officer - 2020

Explanation

Delirium is defined as an acute organic mental disorder, characterized by a rapid onset (hours to days) and a fluctuating course.
It is considered 'organic' because it is always caused by an underlying physiological disturbance, such as an infection, metabolic imbalance, or drug toxicity.
The core features include disturbances in consciousness, attention, and cognition, which are typically reversible once the underlying cause is treated.

Option A: Dementia is a chronic, not acute, organic mental disorder. Its onset is insidious (slow, over months to years) and its course is progressive and generally irreversible.
Option C: A delusion is a symptom (a fixed, false belief), not a standalone disorder. It can be present in various psychiatric conditions, including both organic and functional psychoses.
Option D: Dissociation is a psychological defense mechanism or a feature of dissociative disorders, which are classified as functional (psychogenic) disorders, not organic ones. It involves a disruption in consciousness, memory, or identity.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of mental disorders, specifically differentiating between acute and chronic organic mental disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing delirium is a critical nursing skill as it often signals a medical emergency. Prompt identification allows for timely investigation and treatment of the underlying cause, which can be life-saving.
Nursing care for a patient with delirium prioritizes safety (preventing falls and injury), frequent reorientation, and managing the environment to reduce agitation and confusion.
What if? If a patient's confusion developed slowly over two years with progressive memory loss, the most likely diagnosis would be Dementia. The nursing focus would then shift from acute intervention to long-term supportive care, safety planning, and caregiver education.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the keywords in the question: 'acute' and 'organic mental disorder'.
Understand that 'acute' means a rapid onset and typically short duration.
Recognize that 'organic' means the disorder is caused by a physical illness, substance, or injury affecting the brain.
Evaluate each option against these two criteria.
Eliminate 'Dementia' because it is chronic, not acute.
Eliminate 'Delusion' because it is a symptom, not a disorder.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Classification of mental disorders, specifically differentiating between acute and chronic organic mental disorders.
Stem keywords: acute, organic mental disorder
Lead-in keywords: example of
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 734-736

E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 2 (pp 290-564 of 579) pp. 78-80, 66-68