The practice of deinstitutionalization in mental health care primarily aims to achieve which of the following goals?
Eliminating the stigma associated with mental illness
Reducing the cost of maintaining large mental health facilities
Strengthening community-based treatment options
Increasing the number of psychiatric beds available
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: While reducing stigma was a hoped-for byproduct of moving care into the community, it was not the primary structural goal of deinstitutionalization. In fact, as noted in previous questions, the lack of community support during this transition sometimes led to increased public stigma due to the visibility of untreated illness.
Choice B reason: Reducing costs was a significant political motivation for closing large state hospitals, but it is not the "primary" therapeutic or humanitarian goal of the movement. The clinical intent was to provide more humane, less restrictive care, even though the financial savings were often not reinvested into community services.
Choice C reason: The primary clinical goal of deinstitutionalization was to move patients from long-term, isolated institutions into the "least restrictive environment." This aimed to integrate mental health care into the community through outpatient clinics, halfway houses, and support groups, allowing individuals to maintain social ties and achieve higher functional independence.
Choice D reason: Deinstitutionalization specifically aimed to do the opposite of increasing psychiatric beds. It sought to drastically reduce the number of people living in inpatient psychiatric wards. The movement focused on shifting the locus of care away from "beds" and toward community-centered services and independent living arrangements.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: A lithium level of 2.2 mEq/L represents severe lithium toxicity, as the standard therapeutic range is narrowly defined between 0.6 and 1.2 mEq/L. Levels exceeding 2.0 mEq/L are associated with life-threatening complications, including cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, permanent neurological impairment, and renal failure, necessitating immediate clinical intervention.
Choice B reason: A potassium level of 4.1 mmol/L is well within the physiological reference range of 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L. While maintaining electrolyte balance is crucial for patients on mood stabilizers, this specific value indicates normal homeostatic function and does not pose an acute risk to the client's health or safety.
Choice C reason: A sodium level of 140 mEq/L is a normal finding, falling within the standard 135 to 145 mEq/L range. Proper sodium intake is vital because lithium is a salt; however, this stable level indicates that the client is not currently experiencing hyponatremia, which could otherwise exacerbate lithium retention.
Choice D reason: A Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level of 3.0 ng/mL is within the typical clinical reference range. Although long-term lithium therapy can induce secondary hypothyroidism or goiter, this specific laboratory result suggests that the client’s thyroid function remains adequately compensated and is not a cause for immediate concern.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: The World Health Organization (WHO) is an international specialized agency of the United Nations, not a United States federal entity. It was established in 1948 to coordinate international health efforts and is not a direct product of the 1946 National Mental Health Act legislation.
Choice B reason: The National Mental Health Act of 1946 was a landmark piece of legislation signed by President Harry Truman. It provided significant federal funding for psychiatric research and training, directly resulting in the 1949 founding of the National Institute of Mental Health to transform mental health care.
Choice C reason: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was originally established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. Its primary initial mission was the control of malaria and other infectious diseases, rather than specifically focusing on the research and clinical advancement of psychiatric or mental health.
Choice D reason: The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is a professional organization representing psychiatrists in the United States. It is a private medical specialty society founded in 1844, long before the 1946 Act, and is not a government-run federal entity dedicated to federally funded research.
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