The PMHNP works on an inpatient geriatric behavioral health unit. During the psychiatric evaluation, he asks the clients to draw a clock and recall three items. Which of the following assessment tools requires these actions?
Explanation & Rationale
Choice A reason: The St. Louis University Mental Status Exam is a cognitive screening tool designed to assess attention, memory, and executive function. While it evaluates multiple cognitive domains, it does not specifically require patients to draw a clock or recall three items in the same structured manner as other tools. Choice B reason: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment evaluates multiple cognitive domains, including memory, attention, language, and executive function. It does include some tasks like recalling words, but it does not combine the clock-drawing and three-item recall in the same brief screening format. Choice C reason: The Mini-Cog is a rapid cognitive screening tool that specifically combines a three-item recall test with a clock-drawing task. This combination allows for quick identification of cognitive impairment, making it especially useful in geriatric populations for detecting early dementia. Choice D reason: The Geriatric Depression Scale is a screening instrument used to assess depressive symptoms in older adults. It does not include tasks like clock drawing or three-item recall, as its focus is on mood and affect rather than cognitive function.