NVS Staff Nurse - 2022
Mental Health Nursing (E5)
Easy
What is Delusion?
Appeared in: NVS Staff Nurse - 2022
Explanation
- A delusion is defined as a false, fixed personal belief.
- This belief is firmly held despite clear evidence to the contrary and is not shared by others in the person's culture.
- Unlike a simple mistake, a delusion cannot be corrected by reasoning or logical arguments.
- It is a primary symptom of psychosis and can be seen in disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression with psychotic features.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: This describes delirium, which is an acute and fluctuating disturbance in consciousness, attention, and cognition. It is often caused by a medical condition, substance intoxication, or withdrawal.
- Option C: This is the definition of a phobia, which is an anxiety disorder characterized by an intense, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
- Option D: This defines a hallucination, which is a false sensory perception that occurs in the absence of any real external stimulus. Hallucinations can be auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, or gustatory.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Delusion in Psychiatry as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Accurately identifying a patient's thought process is a fundamental nursing skill in mental health. Mistaking a delusion for a hallucination or delirium leads to incorrect assessment and inappropriate interventions.
- A nurse's primary response to a delusion is not to challenge it, but to acknowledge the patient's experience and the feelings associated with it (e.g., fear, distress) while gently presenting reality. This builds trust and reduces agitation.
- What if? If a patient's belief is shared by their cultural or religious group (e.g., belief in spirits), it is not considered a delusion. The nurse must perform a cultural assessment to differentiate between a psychopathological symptom and a culturally sanctioned belief.
How to Approach the Question
- This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of basic psychiatric terminology.
- First, identify the keyword in the question stem: 'Delusion'.
- Next, mentally recall the definition of a delusion: a false, fixed belief.
- Scan the options to find the one that matches this definition.
- Option B, 'False personal belief', is the most accurate and concise definition.
- Differentiate this from the other options: Option A describes delirium, Option C describes a phobia, and Option D describes a hallucination.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Definition of Delusion in Psychiatry
- Stem keywords: Delusion
- Lead-in keywords: What is
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QZCInuGL2bgpnxZ3PGbaSg
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) pp. 3802-3804, 3249-3251
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3563-3565
Practise the full NVS Staff Nurse - 2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
More Delusions Questions
- The condition in which false beliefs are firmly maintained even though they are not shared by others is called:
- A schizophrenic patient is stating that I am coming from other Planet and I have power to change the world. Patient may suffer from?
- The condition in which false beliefs are firmly maintained even though they are not shared by others is called:
- A patient claims that they are being watched by the government and that their life is at risk. This is an example of which type of delusion?
- A client expresses the belief that armed forces are out to kill him. This is an example of:
- Mr. Raju says that he is the first lead of the world and he is born with a special mission in life?
- A Person says I am a planet and I am rule, this is commonly seen in which psychiatric disorder?
- A patient came in the psychiatry OPD with his relatives and complaining knee pain and says that my pain is happening because of aliens are interferin…
- A 40-year-old client is admitted with the diagnosis of delusions of grandeur. Which of the following option supports this diagnosis?
- A patient complains that someone is making a conspiracy about me. Which type of delusion is it?
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