What it means
The overall picture of how a client's mind is working right now. A mental status examination looks at appearance and behavior, level of consciousness, orientation (to person, place, time and situation), mood, speech, memory, attention and thought. Nurses compare each finding with the client's usual baseline.
For the nurse
A new or sudden change in mental status, such as new confusion, drowsiness or agitation, is reported right away. Ask family what is normal for the client, because a change from baseline matters more than one finding on its own; think of hypoxiahy-POK-see-uhA lower than normal level of oxygen in the body's tissues.hypo- belowox/o oxygen-ia conditionFull entry , hypoglycemiahy-poh-gly-SEE-mee-uhA blood glucose level below normal, under 70 mg/dL.hypo- belowglyc/o sugar, glucose-emia in the bloodFull entry , infection and deliriumdih-LEER-ee-umA sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.Full entry .
In a chart
"Client alert and oriented to person, place and time this morning; now oriented to person only. Provider notified of change in mental status."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | MSE (mental status examination) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | estado mental |
Related terms
assess
To gather information about a client by looking, listening, asking, measuring and examining.
hypoglycemia
A blood glucose level below normal, under 70 mg/dL.
hypoxia
A lower than normal level of oxygen in the body's tissues.
delirium
A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.