Practice writing sub-test No.
008 for nursing
Read the case notes and complete the writing task which follows
Notes
Harry Kovacs is a 5 year old boy who is the son of one of your newly referred patients in the
community mental health centre where you are a mental health case manager.
Date of birth: 15 April 2006
Place of birth: Sydney Children’s Hospital, Sydney
School year: Kindergarten
Religion & ethnicity: Catholic & both parents Australian born Hungarian
Mother’s name: Elizabeth Kovacs
Mother’s community admission date: 16 May 2011
Diagnosis: Mother – Major depression with psychotic features
Son – ? Early onset separation anxiety disorder
Family/Psychosocial: * Elizabeth suffered PND – depressed since
*She sometimes hears voices calling her and sees ‘men’
running around her house – nil serious psychosis in
functional terms.
* Recently 1st psych admission for 6/52after high
lethality DSH attempt.
*Harry’s psychological status ok until DSH and
hospitalisation; after this +++ signs of separation
anxiety
*Father is self employed and works long hours 7/7. Rarely
sees Harry & dismissive of Harry’s emotional states, ‘He’s
like a bloody girl now!’ he told us.
*Harry loves soccer and playing with his dog, ‘Rusty’.
Medical History
Eczema
Serous otitis media – required grommets at 18 mths
Hearing NAD now.
Medication Nil meds
Case management care and progress:
* Elizabeth new to our area (from Parramatta) & referred to
us post D/C from Bankstown MH inpatient unit 2/52 ago
*We will provide her with long term MH case management.
*Harry now 1) cries and panics whenever Mum leaves his
sight 2) Socially withdrawn & refusing to attend
kindergarten 3) ↑ insomnia & nightmares 4) preoccupied
re Mum’s daily activities & that she might leave him again.
* This is greatly ↑pressure on Elizabeth when her MH
is already fragile.
* Father, John, uninterested in meeting in person or
discussing problems in detail.
*Harry attended initial assessment with Elizabeth and
separation anxiety behaviour very obvious
Referral plan: * Referral to early childhood mental health team for
assessment and management of Harry’s ? early onset
separation anxiety disorder.
*Request joint meeting with case manager and Elizabeth.
You are the Case Manager caring for Harry Kovac’s depressed mother but due to his psychological
issues need to write a referral for him to John Dyer, Clinical Psychologist on the Bankstown early
childhood mental health team at Bankstown Hospital.
In your answer:
Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences
Do not use note form
Use letter format
The body of the letter should be approximately 180-200 words.