Mental Status Exam

Question 1

What are the subheadings of the MSE?

Answer 1

1) General Appearance
2) Psychomotor behaviour
3) Mood and affect
4) Speech
5) Cognition
6) Thought Patterns
7) Level of Consciousness

Question 2

General Appearance category includes what?

Answer 2

Appearance in relation to age Accessibility
Body Build
Clothing
Cosmetics
Hygiene and grooming
Odor
Facial expression

Question 3

Friendly, hostile, alert, confused, indifference are all descriptors that can be used in what MSE category?

Answer 3

Accessibility

Question 4

patient’s clothing

Answer 4

Appropriateness to age, season, occasion,and setting. Clean/tidy. Worn correctly.

Question 5

eye contact

Answer 5

Indirect, fleeting, fixed, glaring, no contact, and darting

Question 6

Hygiene and Grooming

Answer 6

does the person appear clean, dirty, un-bathed? Meticulous? are they neat, dirty, or well groomed?

Question 7

Odor

Answer 7

Perspiration, alcohol, etc.

Question 8

Facial Expression

Answer 8

sad, perplexed, fearful, worried, scowling, excited, elated, preoccupied, bored, suspicious, smiling, responsive, interested, animated, blank, dazed or tense

Question 9

Mental Status Exam

Answer 9

provides a way to structure data about aspects the individual’s mental functioning. It typically follows a specific form followed by all health professionals with observations recorded under headings. It may be necessary to include some technical terms when writing up the MSE but where possible verbatim accounts of the person’s speech and thought content should be used.

Question 10

Psychomotor Behavior Category Includes what?

Answer 10

Gait
Handshake
Abnormal movements
Posture
Rate of movements
Coordination of Movements

Question 11

What are the 3 areas to look at?

Answer 11

Person, Place, and Time