Contact Hour Designation
This online independent study activity is credited for 3 contact hours.
Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), including its clinical presentation, etiology, diagnosis, treatment options, and long-term management strategies.
Overview
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating chronic mental health condition that cuts across cultures and demographics, affecting an estimated 1.2% of the US population. While remission is possible in adulthood without intervention, individuals with OCD often live with difficulty to the extent that it impairs their daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life. This course aims to provide an overview of OCD, including its clinical presentation, etiology, diagnosis, treatment options, and long-term management strategies. It also examines nursing considerations based on the latest study findings and evidence-based practices to provide healthcare professionals with the fundamental knowledge and skills to foster better health outcomes for patients living with this challenging condition.
Objectives
Upon completion of the independent study, the learner will be able to:
- Define obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).
- Review the relationship between obsessive compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), and other conditions that are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder.
- Review the causes of obsession and compulsion symptoms, and neuroimaging findings regarding differences in the brain structure and functioning.
- Review risk factors that may contribute to the development of OCD, including genetic, biological, temperamental, and environmental influences.
- Distinguish between obsessive compulsive disorder as described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and differential diagnoses, including anxiety disorders.
- Understand the available treatment options and long-term management of those afflicted with obsessive compulsive disorder.
Policy Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the policies of FastCEForLess.com.
Disclosures
Fast CE For Less, Inc. and its authors have no disclosures. There is no commercial support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the clinical difference between an obsession and a compulsion?
An obsession is an intrusive, unwanted thought, image, or urge that triggers significant anxiety. A compulsion is the repetitive behavior or mental act a person performs to relieve that anxiety. The course frames the compulsion as a coping response to the obsession rather than a separate symptom, which shapes how severity is assessed.
Does this course cover OCD presentations beyond cleanliness/handwashing?
Yes. Contamination and handwashing represent just one subtype. The course also covers symmetry and ordering obsessions, intrusive harm or taboo thoughts (sometimes called “Pure O”), and hoarding-related behaviors, so lesser-known presentations aren’t missed or misdiagnosed.
What do the neuroimaging findings say about OCD’s biological basis?
The course reviews research pointing to the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit, showing OCD has identifiable neurobiological roots rather than being purely psychological. This helps when educating patients and families who may otherwise view compulsions as simply a lack of willpower.
How does OCD differ from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
GAD worry tends to be broad, ongoing, and tied to real-life concerns. OCD obsessions are usually more specific and intrusive, and are experienced as unwanted (ego-dystonic), with a compulsive behavior attached to reduce distress. This distinction guides both diagnosis and treatment choice.
What is ERP therapy, and why is it first-line treatment for OCD?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy where patients are gradually exposed to their triggers while resisting the compulsion, which retrains the brain’s anxiety response over time. The course explains why ERP has stronger evidence for OCD than general talk therapy, supporting referrals to specialized therapists.
Does this course cover OCD in children?
Yes. It addresses genetic, temperamental, and environmental risk factors across the lifespan, including pediatric-onset OCD — sometimes linked to PANDAS/PANS following a strep infection — which is useful for nurses working with children and school-age patients.
How does this course help distinguish OCD from psychosis?
Because intrusive or taboo thoughts can sound alarming out of context, the course teaches how to tell ego-dystonic OCD obsessions (recognized by the patient as irrational and distressing) apart from psychotic symptoms (where the person may not see the thought as irrational), lowering the risk of misdiagnosis.
How many contact hours does this course offer, and what pairs well with it?
This course provides 3 contact hours. Since OCD often co-occurs with depression, other anxiety disorders, and PTSD, it’s frequently paired with Fast CE For Less courses on PTSD, Depression and Suicidal Ideation, or Recognizing Suicidal Behavior to build a broader mental health CE portfolio.
