Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments usually include a physical exam, to rule out physical ailments. This could involve blood tests, urine tests or brain scans.
Psychologists also utilize a variety of tools to assess mental health. These tools vary from pencil and paper test forms to more in-depth interviews or self-completed postal questionnaires.
Mood and affect
The affect and mood are the most significant elements of the mental state exam (MSE) and are the first thing to be viewed by the clinician. They describe the patient's general emotional state that can range from happiness to sadness, or even irritability to anger. The effect can be analyzed through facial expressions, overall demeanor and the response to external or internal stimuli. You can express your feelings by smiling at a joke, or crying when you lose a beloved one.
Affect refers to an emotion that is temporary, whereas mood is a long-lasting emotion. It is usually described as either euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, meaning depressed. However, psychiatric specialists should be cautious not to misunderstand the terms because they have different definitions and are affected by a variety of factors.
The MSE can be a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis however it is difficult to interpret from the subjective report of a patient. It is therefore helpful to ask patients how they have been feeling over the last few weeks, as opposed to relying on physician observation only. Recent research showed that the assessment tools differed in their ability to detect a substantial part of symptoms. This included the symptoms that were classified under the same disorder. This can be because of the different emphasis placed on emotional or cognitive symptoms, as well as the different time periods and frequency of reporting symptoms.
It is also possible that the MSE relies on self-reports which could be susceptible to bias. For instance, a person who describes experiencing anxiety and headaches will likely report less than a patient who reports only the sensation of a headache. In addition, there is an inclination for patients to downplay negative emotions and overestimate the severity of positive emotions.
The mood and the affect of a person can have a direct influence on thought content. This can affect decision-making, interpersonal behavior, and physical performance. They can be influenced by fatigue, stress social interactions, global events, hormones and the weather. A positive mood can increase creativity and mental strength. However, a mood that is negative can decrease concentration and cause confusion. A thorough and thoughtful mental health assessment must consider the patient's mood as well as affect, as well as underlying factors.
Thought content
One of the most important elements of a mental status examination is assessing how the patient thinks. Evaluation of thought process and content. Thought process refers the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient's thought processes. Normal thought processes are rational and focused on a goal. In several mental health conditions, however, thought processing is distorted. Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and loose associations.
A mental status examination also assesses the quality of insight and judgement. Insight is being able to spot a problem. Judgement is the process to make a rational decision after receiving information. Both are affected by various mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression. Patients with impaired insight or judgement is more likely to hurt themselves or others. For instance if they are at risk of destroying their home and they have a good sense of judgement, it would be wise for them to leave the building immediately. However, a patient with impaired judgment may suggest staying in the building and trying to put the fire out.
The content of a patient's thoughts encompasses their themes, subject matter and beliefs. Typically, examiners discuss the clarity, relatedness and content of a patient's thinking. They will be able to identify tangential ideas or circumstantial ones, as well as if the patient has digressions (digressions off from the main topic of the conversation). They will also discuss the pace of a person's thoughts, such as whether they seem fast or slow.
It is also crucial to determine whether the patient's mood is similar to their environment. Patients suffering from depression may hear angry voices, whereas someone suffering from schizophrenia may experience an illusion that a calm voice is speaking. The patient should be questioned about any suicidal or homicidal ideation. Although they are not common, they can be life-threatening and must be taken into account in every mental health assessment.
Watching
The nurse's ability to observe is vital in the mental assessment. They include a careful review of behavior, appearance as well as any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions) mood, as well as aspects of cognition (including attention, orientation, memory). The nursing mental state exam is also a way of observing motility. This includes any physical movement, like eating, drinking or brushing your teeth.
The observation component of the mental status examination is a key component of determining whether the patient could pose an imminent risk to themselves or others. This is done by assessing whether the patient appears be acting in a deliberate way that suggests they are trying to harm themselves or another person.
In mental health assessment uk , a detailed assessment of the content of thoughts is conducted by keeping track of the patient throughout the interview and identifying their main concerns. It is crucial to determine if the patient is suffering from suicidal or homicidal ideas and to determine if they are having delusions.
Global assessment of functioning (GAF) is which is a numerical score ranging between 0 and 100, measures the capacity of the person to function in daily life along with their capacity for managing stressors. The GAF is an essential part of the mental state examination and assists in making the treatment decisions.
It is important to understand that observing the behavior of a patient may cause anxiety. It is crucial to conduct the procedure in a way that does not cause discomfort or feel intrusive. It is also vital that the patient is fully aware of the reason for the observation and the length of time it will take.
Nursing observation is an important ability and should be a central element of the nursing process. However, it must be kept in mind that patients could disagree with the level of observation and if they are unable to reach an agreement with staff then they should have access to an advocate service that will represent their interests and assist patients in any discussions about their treatment. This should be a fundamental part of local observation policy and practice, including the involvement of user groups, to ensure that patients are a part in the development of written documents and staff training for this aspect of governance in the clinic.
Questioning
Many people are reluctant to discuss their mental health issues, however family members can often discern when something isn't right. They can also assist the person obtain an assessment. These assessments can be conducted on a variety of subjects that include mood, appearance and thought process. A mental health professional could also ask questions regarding the person's personal life. They will ask what they've been feeling and what's happened in the last few days.
The assessment includes an assessment of cognitive ability which focuses on an individual's ability think clearly and retain information. The test subject may ask to complete a few basic tasks, such as keeping their attention on a list of objects or words, memorizing simple lists or solving math problems. The test can also be used to check the individual's judgment and ability to make informed choices. The assessment also determines the patient's insight that reflects their knowledge of their illness and its impact on them.
The patient's attitude towards himself, others and the illness is also an important aspect of a mental assessment. The patient's tone of voice, facial expression and body language may convey hostility, anger, depression or a sense of powerlessness. It is also important to know whether the patient is seeking help or just living with their illness.
In more serious situations the evaluation of mental health might include a look at the patient's thinking, which may involve hallucinations or even illusions. It is crucial to recognize the presence of these disorders because they can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening.
A mental health assessment must be comprehensive and look at the person's interaction with their environment. Health professionals can employ art, music or photos, or any other electronic assessment tool to better understand the person. They should also discuss the issues that led to the person to seek help, and reassure that there is nothing wrong with seeking out a mental healthcare professional.