The Client with Schizophrenia

A Critical Thinking Case Study

Authors: Marsha Purtee and Joan Ulloth

Designer: Linda Caputi

Topics for Schizophrenia Case Study

Triaging clients in the emergency room; prioritizing suicidal clients
Nursing interventions to properly implement suicide precautions
Best therapeutic response to request by the suicidal client to keep jewelry
Differentiating types of schizophrenia
Side effects of anti-psychotic medications
Most therapeutic milieu for the client experiencing hallucinations
Most therapeutic response for the client experiencing hallucinations
Evaluating client ability to control hallucinations
How to de-escalate the client with self-destructive behavior
Selecting an outcome for the nursing diagnosis of risk for violence that is self-directed
Observing the client’s behavior with family members
Best action to maintain group therapy sessions when the schizophrenic client begins to hallucinate
Circumstances under which a nurse may legally prevent the client from leaving a mental health unit
Evaluation of client knowledge of medication side effects
Highest priority discharge of education for the client with schizophrenia