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UPPSC 2023
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

Time duration for Electro - Convulsive Therapy as per the American Psychiatric Association (1978) is -

Appeared in: UPPSC 2023

Explanation

  • The question asks for a specific historical standard for the duration of the electrical stimulus in ECT, as set by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 1978.
  • According to these guidelines, the standard duration for the electrical current application was between 0.7 and 1.5 seconds.
  • This stimulus duration is distinct from the therapeutic seizure duration, which is the physiological response and needs to be longer (at least 15-25 seconds) for the treatment to be effective.
  • This time frame was typical for the sine-wave ECT machines commonly used during that era.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: This range is slightly higher than the standard 1978 APA guideline for ECT stimulus duration.
  • Option C: This time range is significantly longer than the recommended duration and would deliver an excessive electrical charge, increasing the risk of side effects.
  • Option D: While modern ECT devices can use stimulus durations in this range (especially with brief pulse techniques), the value of 0.7-1.5 seconds was the standard for the conventional ECT referenced in the 1978 guidelines.

Related Visual

Illustration showing the standard bifrontotemporal electrode placement for ECT, with labels for the electrodes and the area of the brain being stimulated.
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: Knowing Parameters of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
  • The nurse plays a vital role in ensuring patient safety and providing support throughout the ECT process, from pre-procedure preparation to post-procedure recovery and monitoring.
  • Key nursing responsibilities include verifying informed consent, monitoring NPO status, administering pre-procedure medications, and closely observing the patient for adverse effects like confusion, memory loss, headache, and muscle soreness after the treatment.
  • What if the patient experiences prolonged apnea after ECT? The nurse must maintain the airway, provide manual ventilation with a bag-valve-mask, and alert the anesthesiologist immediately. This could indicate a complication from the anesthetic or muscle relaxant, requiring urgent intervention.
How to Approach the Question
  • This is a factual recall question based on historical guidelines.
  • First, identify the key components of the question: 'Electro-Convulsive Therapy' (ECT), 'Time duration', and the specific authority 'American Psychiatric Association (1978)'.
  • Recognize that the question asks for a specific numerical value from a historical standard, not necessarily current practice.
  • Recall the standard stimulus duration for conventional ECT according to the 1978 guidelines.
  • Compare the recalled value with the given options to select the correct range.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Parameters of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
  • Stem keywords: Electro - Convulsive Therapy, Time duration, American Psychiatric Association (1978)
  • Lead-in keywords: is
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QKi0VJQ3a2cNfwal1Kqm5k

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. 11188-11190

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