Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments often include a physical exam to rule out physical problems. This could include blood tests, urine tests or even brain scans.
Psychologists employ a variety of tools to assess mental health. These tools range from paper and pencil test forms to in depth interviews or self-completed questionnaires via mail.
Affect and mood
The affect and mood are the most significant components of the mental status examination (MSE) and are the first thing to be observed by a doctor. They define a patient's general emotional tone. This can range from happiness to sorrow or anger and irritability. The affect can be assessed through facial expressions, general attitude and reaction to external or internal stimuli. smiling at an absurd joke or crying over the loss of a loved one).
Affect is a feeling that lasts only a few minutes but mood is a more sustained emotional state. It is generally described as euthymic, dysphoric, or normal (meaning depression). However, psychiatric professionals should be cautious not to mix the two since they have different definitions and are affected by a variety of factors.
The MSE is a helpful tool for diagnosing clinical problems however, it can be difficult to interpret based on the subjective report of a patient. It is therefore important to ask patients how they've been feeling in the last few weeks, rather than relying on physician observation only. Recent research revealed that assessment instruments differed in their capacity to identify a significant portion of symptoms. This included the symptoms that were classified under the same disorder. This could be due to the different emphasis on emotional or cognitive symptoms, and also the differences between time periods and frequency of symptom reporting.
It is possible that the MSE relies on self-reports which is susceptible to bias. For instance, a person who reports anxiety and headaches will likely have a lower score than a person who describes only an occasional headache. Furthermore, there is a tendency for patients to downplay negative feelings and overestimate the severity of positive emotions.
Affect and mood can have a direct influence on the content of thought. This could affect the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior, and physical functioning. They can be influenced by fatigue, stress, social interactions, global events, hormones and even the weather. In reality positive moods have been shown to enhance the ability to think and be creative. However, a mood that is negative can reduce concentration and lead to confusion. Therefore, a thorough and thorough mental health assessment is required to consider the patient's mood and affect as well as the underlying causes.
Thought content
Assessing how the patient thinks is one of the most crucial aspects of a mental state exam. Particularly, it is assessing thought process and thoughts. Thought process refers the logic, organization and coherence of a patient's thinking. Normal thought processes are rational and focused on a goal. Thought processing may be altered in a variety of mental health conditions. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
Insight and judgment are assessed in a mental status exam. Insight is the ability to identify that there is a problem, while judgement is the ability to make a considered decision based on information. Both are affected by various mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. Patients with impaired insight or judgment is more likely to hurt themselves or others. For instance when they are in danger of burning their home down and they have a good sense of judgement, it would be wise for that they should leave the premises immediately. A person with impaired judgment might suggest they stay in the building to try and put out the flame.
Thought content is the subject matter, themes and beliefs that a patient has. Examiners generally comment on the clarity, connection and content of a patient's thought. They will note any thoughts that are circumstantial or tangential or thoughts, and also if the patient has flights of ideas (digressions from the topic of conversation). They will also provide feedback on a person's pace of thinking, for example, if they seem fast or slower.
It is also crucial to determine if the patient's mood matches their surroundings. For example, a patient who is depressed could hear voices that are aggressive and threatening, whereas someone suffering from schizophrenia could experience a hallucination of a calm and soothing voice. Patients should also be asked about any suicidal or homicidal thoughts. They are not common, but they can be life-threatening and should be taken into consideration in every mental health evaluation.
Observation
A nurse's observation skills are essential to an assessment of mental health. They involve a thorough evaluation of appearance, behavior as well as any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such hallucinations or delusions) and mood cognition (including attention, memory and orientation). The nursing mental state exam also includes the observation of the movement. This includes any physical movement such as eating, drinking and brushing your teeth.
The Observation portion of the mental state exam is essential in determining whether the patient poses a risk to themselves or anyone else. This is done by assessing whether the patient appears to be moving in a deliberate way that suggests they're trying to harm themselves or another person.
Additionally, a thorough assessment of thought content is done by observing the patient throughout the interview and determining their main concerns. It is crucial to check if the patient has any suicidal or homicidal thoughts and to determine if they are having thoughts of suicide or delusions.
A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an evaluation of the numerical value on a scale of 0 to 100 that combines a person's ability to function in everyday life and their ability to deal with the stresses that come with life. The GAF is a crucial component of the mental state examination and helps guide the treatment decisions.
It is essential to be aware of the fact that observing the behavior of a patient can cause distress and it is important to conduct the procedure in a manner that doesn't provoke the patient and doesn't feel intrusive. It is also crucial that the patient is informed about the purpose of the observation and the length of time it will last.
Nursing observation is an essential skill and it must be an integral element of the nursing process. However, it must be kept in mind that patients could be dissatisfied with the quality of observation. If they are unable to reach an agreement with staff, then they should have access to an advocate service that can represent their interests and assist them in any discussions regarding their care. This should be a fundamental part of local observation policy and practice with the involvement of user groups to ensure that patients are a part in the development of written information as well as staff training for this aspect of governance in the clinic.
Questioning
Many people are reluctant to discuss their mental health issues, but their family members are often able to discern when something isn't right. iampsychiatry can also assist the person to take an assessment. These assessments be a variety of subjects, including mood, appearance and the thought process. In addition to these tests, a mental health professional will also ask the person questions about their personal life, such as what's been happening recently and what their emotions have been like.
The test also includes a cognitive evaluation that is focused on the ability of the individual to think clearly and retain information. The person could be asked to complete basic tasks such as focusing on a list or objects, memorizing lists or solving math questions. The test can be used to test the person's judgment and ability to make informed choices. The test also evaluates the patient's knowledge and level of understanding about their illness and its impact on them.
Another crucial aspect of an assessment of mental health is the person's attitude towards other people, himself and the illness. The tone of voice, the facial expression, and the body expressions of a patient could convey anger, depression, or a feeling of helplessness. It is important to observe whether the patient seems to be asking for help or accepting their situation.
In more serious instances the mental health assessment might include an assessment of the patient's thinking that may include hallucinations (false perceptions of sensory stimuli that are not real stimuli) or illusions (misperceptions of real stimuli). These conditions can be extremely dangerous and even fatal.
In general an assessment of mental health should be holistic and examine the person's relationship to their social life. A health professional may employ images, music, art or a variety of electronic assessment tools to help the person understand themselves and their unique view of the world around them. They should also talk with the person about the difficulties that led them to seek help and reassure them that there is nothing wrong with seeking out a mental health professional.