Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
A physical examination is typically included in mental health tests to rule out any physical issues. This can include blood tests, urine tests or even brain scans.
Psychologists use a variety of tools for assessing 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
Mood and affect are the most crucial elements of the mental state examination (MSE) and are the first thing to be observed by the clinician. They are the most accurate indicators of a patient's emotional tone. This can range from happiness to sorrow or irritability and anger. The affect can be assessed through facial expressions, general attitude and reaction to external or internal stimuli. smiling at a joke or crying at the loss of a loved one).
Affect is a feeling that lasts only a few minutes while mood is a longer-lasting emotional state. It is typically described as euthymic, dysphoric, or normal (meaning depressed). Professionals in psychiatry must be careful to not confuse the two terms, as they are defined differently and are affected by a variety of factors.
The MSE can be a useful tool for diagnosing clinical problems, but it is difficult to interpret from the subjective report of a patient. It is therefore beneficial to ask patients how they've felt over the past few weeks, as opposed to using only the observation of a physician. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of symptoms, including those that fall within the same disorder category, differ between assessment tools. This can be because of the different emphasis on cognitive or emotional symptoms as well as differences between time periods and frequency in symptom reporting.
It is possible that the MSE is based on self-reporting which is susceptible to bias. Patients who report both anxiety and a headache is likely to get a lower score compared to those who report only headache. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive feelings.
Mood and affect can have an impact on the content of thought. This can impact decision-making, interpersonal behavior, and physical functioning. They are affected by fatigue, stress and social interactions. A positive mood can actually enhance creativity and mental power. Conversely, a negative mood can reduce concentration and lead to confusion. Therefore, a careful and thorough mental health assessment needs to consider the patient's mood and state of mind as well as the underlying causes.
independent mental health assessment of the most important aspects of a mental health examination is assessing how the patient thinks. Particularly, evaluating thought processes and thought content. Thought process refers to the logic, organization and coherence of a patient's thinking. A normal thought processes is focused and rational. Thought processing may be altered in several mental health conditions. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
A mental health assessment also evaluates insight and judgement. Insight is the ability to see the presence of a problem, and judgement is the ability to make an informed decision when presented with information. Both are impaired in several mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression. If a patient suffers from impaired insight and/or judgement in any way, they are at greater chance of harming themselves or others. For instance, if they are at risk of burning their house down, sensible judgement would tell them to leave the building immediately. However, a person with impaired judgment may decide to stay in the building and attempting to put out the fire.
Thought content is the subject matter, themes and beliefs that a patient holds. Typically, examiners discuss the clarity, connection and the content of a patient's thinking. They will also note any tangential or circumstantial thoughts or thoughts, and also if the patient is prone to having a flurry of ideas (digressions from the subject of conversation). They will also provide feedback on the pace at which a person is thinking, such as if they seem to be faster or slower.
Other important areas to consider are whether the patient's thoughts are mood compatible or not in line with their surroundings. Patients suffering from depression may hear voices of anger, while someone suffering from schizophrenia may have the illusion that a peaceful voice is speaking. A patient should be questioned about any suicidal or homicidal thoughts. Although they are not common, they can be life-threatening and should be taken into consideration during every mental health assessment.
Watching
The nurse's ability to observe is essential in a mental assessment. They involve a thorough evaluation of appearance, behavior and any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such delusions or hallucinations), mood, and cognition (including attention, memory and orientation). The nursing mental status exam is also a way of observing motility. This includes any physical movement such as eating, drinking, or brushing teeth.
The Observation component of the mental health examination is a key component of determining whether the patient is posing the risk to themselves or others. This is accomplished by determining whether the patient appears be acting in a deliberate way that suggests they're planning to harm themselves or another person.
A detailed evaluation of the content of thoughts is also done by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining the concerns. It is crucial to determine whether the patient has suicidal, homicidal or delusional thoughts.
A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an assessment of a numerical score on a scale of 100 to 0 that measures the ability of a person to perform in daily life along with their capacity to handle the stressors in their life. The GAF is a vital part of the mental status examination and helps to guide treatment decisions.
It is crucial to be aware of the fact that observing a patient's behaviour can cause distress and it is important that the process is conducted in a manner that does not provoke the patient or make them be uncomfortable for them. It is also essential that the patient is aware of the reason for the observation and the length of time it will last.
Nursing observation is an important ability and should be a central element of the nursing process. However, it should be remembered that patients may be dissatisfied with the quality of observation and if they are unable to reach an agreement with staff then they should be able to access an advocate service which can represent their interests and support their discussions on their care. This should be part of local policy and practice, with the participation and the support of groups of users.
Questioning
A lot of people are hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, but family members can often detect if something is not right. They can also help the person take steps to get an assessment. These assessments are broad and cover a range of topics including mood, appearance and memory, thinking process and more. A mental health professional may also ask questions about the person's personal life. They will ask what they have been feeling and what's happened in the last few days.
The assessment includes an assessment of cognitive ability that focuses on a person's ability to think clearly and remember information. The person could be asked to complete basic tasks such as paying attention to a list of objects, memorizing lists or solving math questions. The test can also check the person's ability to make sound decisions and use judgment. The assessment determines a patient's insight which is their understanding of their illness and how it affects them.
The attitude of the patient towards others, himself and the illness is an important aspect of a mental evaluation. The patient's expression, facial expression and body language can convey hostility, anger depression or a feeling of insecurity. It is important to observe whether the patient appears be seeking help or accepting their situation.
In more serious situations an assessment of mental health may include an assessment of the patient's thinking that may include hallucinations (false sensory perceptions without real stimuli) or illusions (misperceptions of real stimuli). These conditions can be dangerous and even fatal.
In general, a mental health assessment should be holistic and consider the person's connection to their social environment. A health professional may use art, music or photos, or any other assessment tool to gain a better understanding of the individual. They should also discuss the issues that led to the person to seek help, and assure that there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental healthcare professional.