IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

The following are the clinical features of mania except?

Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021

Explanation

  • Disorientation, which is confusion about time, place, or person, is not a characteristic feature of a typical manic episode.
  • In mania, a person's sensorium is usually clear, and they remain oriented, although their judgment is severely impaired.
  • The presence of disorientation in a patient with manic symptoms should prompt the nurse to investigate for an underlying organic cause, such as delirium, substance intoxication, or a neurological condition.
  • While a rare and severe form known as 'delirious mania' can present with disorientation, it is not a standard feature of mania as defined by DSM-5 criteria.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: Elation of mood is a hallmark symptom of mania. It describes a state of intense happiness, euphoria, and optimism that is disproportionate to the person's circumstances.
  • Option C: Increased psychomotor activity is a core diagnostic criterion for mania. It manifests as physical restlessness, increased goal-directed activities (often without completion), and pressured speech.
  • Option D: Grandiosity, or an inflated sense of self-esteem and self-importance, is a classic cognitive feature of mania. It can range from unrealistic self-confidence to delusional beliefs about one's power, wealth, or identity.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: Knowing Clinical Features of Mania helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
  • A primary nursing responsibility is to accurately assess a patient's mental status, including orientation. Differentiating mania from delirium is critical because delirium is a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention to address the underlying cause.
  • For a patient in a manic state, nursing priorities include ensuring safety (from impulsive and high-risk behaviors), managing the environment to reduce stimuli, and meeting physiological needs (nutrition, hydration, sleep).
  • What if? If a patient with a known diagnosis of bipolar disorder suddenly becomes disoriented, the nurse's priority action is to treat it as a medical emergency. This involves a rapid assessment of vital signs, blood glucose, and potential signs of infection or injury, followed by immediate notification of the physician to rule out delirium.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the negative keyword 'except' in the question stem. This signals that you must find the option that is NOT a feature of mania.
  • Recall the core symptoms of a manic episode, which typically involve changes in mood, activity, and thinking.
  • The classic features include an elevated/irritable mood, increased psychomotor activity/energy, and grandiose thoughts.
  • Evaluate each option against these core features.
  • Options A ('Elation of mood'), C ('Increased psychomotor activity'), and D ('Grandiosity') are all well-known, defining characteristics of mania.
  • Option B ('Disorientation') refers to a disturbance in consciousness and cognition (awareness of time, place, person), which is a hallmark of delirium, not mania.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Clinical Features of Mania
  • Stem keywords: clinical features, mania
  • Lead-in keywords: except
  • Negative lead-in flag: Question asks for the feature that is NOT present in mania.

Question ID

QmTZc-HY1pmhPXDDK3hpyG

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 5392-5394

E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 1 (pp 26-289 of 579) p. 204-206

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1172-1174

Practise the full IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.