Case Formulation
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3 & 4 Objectives and outcomes:
Throughout this course the learning tasks aim to ensure that you are thinking critically and developing an advanced understanding of mental health nursing.
This task asks you to: demonstrate your ability to undertake a comprehensive Mental State Examination (MSE), undertake a risk assessment, develop a case formulation drawing on your assessments and DSM – 5 criteria, justify your case formulation, develop a presentation to your peers of your case study and to critique your skills in conducting your MSE.
The Task The assessment is to be presented in two parts:
A written paper that: justifies your MSE, risk assessment and case formulation (this must draw on the relevant sections of the DSM – 5) critiques your therapeutic skills in conducting a MSE and risk assessment. A 15 minute presentation to your peers of your case study that outlines the MSE, risk assessment and case formulation. This presentation is most likely to be a video of yourself presenting, accompanied by a series of slides. However, other formats would be acceptable. (If you wish to choose another format, please negotiate with your course coordinator).
Preparation
Select a consumer from your own clinical practice whom you can use as a basis for a MSE, risk assessment and case formulation. Search for and select appropriate literature that provides evidence from which you may draw on to justify your MSE and case formulation.
Search for and select appropriate literature that provides evidence from which you may draw on to justify the conclusions from your MSE, risk assessment and case formulation. Familiarise yourself with the relevant sections from the DSM – 5. Decide how you wish to present Part 2 of the assessment. Written part Write an introductory paragraph that introduces the importance of the MSE, risk assessment and case formulation and provides an overview of your case study. (Please use a pseudonym). This introduction should also provide an introduction to the critique of your therapeutic skills. Hint: Rather than deal with each separately, try to weave these components together. Provide a more detailed overview of your case study, the results of the MSE and risk assessment and a justification of your results. Outline your case formulation drawing on relevant sections of the DSM – 5. Hint: you are not diagnosing, rather you are formulating a diagnostic impression. Critique your therapeutic skills used when conducting this case study. Hint: Critique does not necessarily mean to criticise. Determine the positive components as well as any negative ones. Write a concluding paragraph that summarises the main points of your paper and draws it to a close. Presentation Present for approximately 15 minutes.
Hint: 15 minutes of speaking roughly equates to 2000 words. Develop a maximum of 15 slides. Information within slides should be referenced where appropriate. Provide a slide at the end of the presentation with the references listed. Hint: you may like to number your references. This makes your slides less ‘clunky’. Your presentation should include an introduction to your case study, case the steps used in forming your case formulation (i.e. your MSE, risk assessment and the appropriate sections of the DSM – 5). Conclude with your key findings and the message you want your audience to remember. Hint: Try and be a little unique here. What are you giving your audience other than just a case study? What is your ‘point of difference’? Develop a one-page summary as a handout to your audience.
