Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments typically include a physical exam to rule out physical ailments. This can include blood tests, urine test or even brain scans.
Psychologists utilize a variety instruments to evaluate mental health. These tools be anything from pencil and paper test forms, to in-depth interviews or self-completed questionnaires for postal mail.
Affect and mood
The clinician will first notice the patient's mood as well as their affect. They define the patient's general emotional state, which can range from happiness to sadness or irritability to anger. The effect can be analyzed through facial expressions, general attitude and reaction to internal or external stimuli. You can express your feelings by smiling at an absurd joke, or crying when you lose a loved one.
Affect is a feeling that lasts only a few minutes while mood is a longer-lasting emotional state. assessment for mental health is usually described as euthymic, or dysphoric, or normal (meaning depression). However, psychiatric specialists should be cautious not to mix the two because they have different definitions and are influenced by a variety of factors.
While the MSE is a valuable tool for clinical use however, it can be difficult to interpret based upon subjective patient reports. The process of asking patients to share their experiences during the past few weeks can be more beneficial than relying on only the observations of a doctor. A recent study found that a significant percentage of symptoms, including those that are grouped under the same disorder category, vary between assessment tools. This can be because of the different emphasis on emotional or cognitive symptoms, as well as differences between time periods and frequency in the reporting of symptoms.
It is possible that the MSE relies on self-reporting, which could be biased. A patient who has anxiety and headache is likely to report a lower score compared to one who reports only a migraine. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive ones.
Affect and mood directly affect thought content, which can influence the way people make decisions, their interpersonal behavior and physical performance. They can be influenced by fatigue, stress social interactions, world events, hormones and the weather. A positive mood can actually increase creativity and mental strength. A negative mood can lead to confusion and lower concentration. A thorough and thoughtful mental health assessment must consider the patient's mood as well as affect, as well as other factors.
Thought content
Examining the way a patient thinks is among the most crucial aspects of a mental state exam. Particularly, evaluating thought processes and thoughts. The thought process is the logic, coherence and organization of the patient's thoughts. Normal thought processes are focused and rational. Thought processing may be altered when a person suffers from mental health issues. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
A mental health assessment also examines judgment and insight. Insight is being able to identify problems. Judgment is the ability to make a well-considered choice after receiving information. Both are affected by various mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression. Patients with impaired insight or judgment is more likely to hurt themselves or others. If they are in danger, their rational judgement would tell to leave the premises immediately. However, someone with impaired judgment might suggest staying in the building and trying to put out the fire.
The contents of a patient's mind includes their themes, subject matter, and beliefs. Examiners will comment on the clarity, relatedness and the content of the thoughts of the patient. They will take note of any thoughts that are circumstantial or tangential, and whether the patient has flights of ideas (digressions from the conversation subject). They will also comment on the pace of a person's thoughts, such as whether they seem fast or slow.
Other important areas to consider are whether the patient's thoughts are mood and in tune with their surroundings. A patient with depression might be able to hear angry voices, whereas someone suffering from schizophrenia may experience the illusion that a peaceful voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they've had any suicidal or homicidal thoughts. These are uncommon, but could be life-threatening and should be taken into account in every mental health evaluation.
Observation
The ability of nurses to observe is vital in a mental assessment. They involve a thorough evaluation of behavior, appearance as well as any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such hallucinations or delusions) and mood cognition (including memory, attention and orientation). The mental status exam for nurses also includes the observation of motility. This includes any physical movement such as eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth.
The Observation element of the mental status examination is a crucial aspect of determining whether a patient may pose a risk to themselves or others. This is accomplished by determining whether the patient is moving in a way which suggests they are in danger of harming themselves or someone else.
A thorough assessment of the content of thoughts is also done by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining their thoughts and concerns. It is essential to check if the patient has any suicidal or homicidal thoughts and to determine if they're having thoughts of suicide or delusions.
Global assessment of functioning (GAF), which is a numerical score ranging from 0 to 100, evaluates the ability of an individual to function in daily life with their ability of coping with stressors. The GAF is a key part of the mental state exam and assists in making treatment decisions.
It is important to be aware of the fact that observing an individual's behavior can cause distress and it is essential that the procedure is carried out in a manner that does not provoke the patient or make them be uncomfortable for them. It is essential that the patient be fully aware of the reason for the observation and the duration of the procedure.
Nursing observation is a vital skill that must be at the heart of any nursing procedure. However, it must be kept in mind that patients could not agree with the degree of observation. If they are unable to reach an agreement with the staff, they should have access to an advocate service that will represent their needs and help them in any discussions regarding their treatment. This should be a fundamental part of the local 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 on this aspect of clinical governance.
Questioning
Many people are hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, however family members can often discern when something isn't right. They can also help the person take steps to obtain an assessment. These assessments are broad and cover a range of subjects, including mood, appearance as well as memory, thinking process and much more. In addition to these tests, mental health professionals will also ask the person questions regarding their personal life, such as what's happened recently and what their feelings have been like.
The assessment includes a cognitive evaluation that focuses on a person's ability to think clearly and retain information. The test taker may be asked to complete basic tasks, such as focusing their attention on the list of words or objects, memorizing simple lists or solving math problems. The test may also test the ability of the individual to make good decisions and make good judgments. The test determines a person's awareness, which is the understanding of their illness and how it affects them.
The patient's attitude towards himself, others and the illness is an important part of a mental assessment. The tone of voice, facial expressions and body language can convey hostility, anger, depression or a sense of powerlessness. It is important to check whether the patient appears be asking for help or accepting their situation.
In more serious instances the evaluation of mental health may include an examination the patient's thinking which could include hallucinations or illusions. It is important to note the presence of these conditions as they can be extremely hazardous and even life-threatening.
In general, a mental health assessment should take a holistic approach and examine the person's interactions with their social life. A health professional may use art, music or photos, or any other electronic assessment tool to gain a better understanding of the individual. They should also discuss the difficulties that prompted the person to seek help, and assure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing an expert in mental health.