Lower Bucks Mental Health Unit

Sarah Nasher

October 24, 2016

Arlene Pongan

Case Study Paper

Introduction

        The patient interviewed for this case study is a 28 year old single Caucasian male with short brown hair. The patient’s religion is nondenominational but this topic was not specifically discussed during the interview. Patient was dressed appropriate in sweatpants and a t-shirt with mild facial hair. He was very oriented to person, place, time and circumstance as well as friendly and open to talking to student nurses. He made great eye contact and was cooperative despite some signs of fearfulness. He was able to recall immediate, recent and remote events with a reality based thought process. He did not have any phobias, hallucinations, paranoid ideation or delusions. He did however seem a bit anxious, was fidgeting with his fingers and could not sit still. He was a bit manipulative and knew he could get away with saying what everyone wanted to hear. The patient stated that he is a welder, and completed his GED after dropping out of high school.

When the patient was asked what initially brought him into Lower Bucks Mental Health Unit he stated that he was huffing dust off and was extremely upset because he found out his fiancé had cheated on him while he was away at jail. He cut his wrist multiple times and he called her to let her know. She instructed his father that he was hurting himself and he needed help. His father brought him into the mental health unit and the patient then committed to the unit voluntarily.

Social and Family History

        The patient was born in the Abington area to his mother and father, however he does not have much of a relationship with his mother. He has seven brothers and sisters through the foster care system and two biological brothers. His grandparents are both apart of his life currently. The patient stated that from the moment he can remember, his mother and father were both drug addicts. He was placed in foster care multiple times and was passed from one family to another. The patient discussed how his mother was and still is a stripper which caused him to move often. He stated that he saw a lot of overdoses and deaths due to his mother’s extensive drug abuse which caused them to pick up and move frequently. This did not allow the patient to make many friends and keep them. At the age of twelve, the patient was diagnosed with ADHD and depression. He became a drug and alcohol abuser at age 14 and the abuse increased over time. He ended up becoming a heroin addict but stated that for the past eight years he has been sober off heroin.   The patient stated that he attended high school but would show up drunk every day. He was placed in a special program through the school for students like him but that did not stop the excessive drinking. He ended up dropping out of high school in 10th grade but then finished his GED a couple of years later. Previously, the patient was hit in the eye with a bungee cord which caused him to lose sight in his right eye. He now has a glass eye and can only see out of the left one. The patient was recently released from prison after three months due to multiple DUIs and is now placed on probation. He was engaged to his fiancé but that recently was broken off due to her infidelity.