Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments often involve a physical examination, to rule out physical problems. This could involve blood tests, urine tests or brain scans.
Psychologists also utilize a variety of tools to assess mental health. These range from pen and paper test forms to deep interviews or self-fill questionnaires for postal delivery.
Mood and affect
The doctor will first observe the patient's mood and affect. They describe a patient's general emotional state. This could range from happiness to sorrow or irritability and anger. The degree of affect can be determined by observing facial expressions and overall manner of speaking as well as the reaction to external or internal stimuli (e.g. smiling at the joke or crying over the loss of a loved one).
Affect is a temporary emotion but mood is a more long-lasting emotional state. It is often described as being either euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, meaning depressed. However, psychiatrists should be cautious not to misunderstand the terms since they have different definitions and are affected by a range of factors.
The MSE can be a valuable tool for diagnosing clinical problems however, it can be difficult to interpret based on the subjective report of a patient. Inquiring about the feelings of patients in the last few weeks is more effective than relying solely on physician observations. Recent research revealed that assessment instruments differed in their capacity to capture a significant portion of symptoms. This included those that were grouped under the same disorder. This could be due the different emphasis placed on cognitive, emotional or physical symptoms as along with differences in duration and frequency of reporting symptom reports.
It is possible that the MSE is based on self-reporting which is susceptible to bias. For example, a patient who describes experiencing anxiety and headaches is likely to report a lower score than a patient who reports only a headache. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive feelings.
The affect and mood of a person have a direct impact on the content of thoughts which influences the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior, and physical functioning. They are affected by stress, fatigue, social interactions, global events, hormones and the weather. In reality, a positive mood has been shown to enhance thinking and creativity. A mood that is negative can cause confusion and decrease concentration. Therefore, a thorough and thorough mental health assessment is required to take into account the patient's current mood and state of mind as in addition to the underlying causes.
Thought content
Examining the way a patient thinks is one of the most crucial aspects of a mental health exam. Assessment of the thought process and its content. The thought process is the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient's thoughts. Normal thought processes are logical and goal-oriented. Thought processing can be altered in several mental health conditions. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
A mental state examination also examines judgment and insight. Insight is the ability to recognize that there is a problem, and judgement is the ability to make a considered decision based on information. Both can be impaired in many mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and depression. If a patient has impaired judgment or insight is at greater chance of harming themselves or others. For example when 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 house immediately. However, a person with impaired judgment might suggest staying in the building and trying to put out the fire.
The thoughts of a patient includes their subject matter, themes, and beliefs. Examiners will evaluate the clarity, connection and content of a patient's thoughts. They will note any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial or thoughts, and also if the patient is having flashes of thoughts (digressions from the topic of conversation). They will also make comments on a person's pace of thinking, for example, if they seem fast or slower.
Other areas to be considered are whether the patient's thoughts are mood congruent or incongruent with their environment. For example, a patient who is depressed might hear voices that are angry and threatening, while someone suffering from schizophrenia could have a hallucination of an ethereal and calm voice. Ask the patient if they've had any thoughts of suicide or homicide. They are not common, but they can be life-threatening and should be taken into account in every mental health assessment.
Observation
A nurse's observation skills play an important role in a mental health assessment. They include a careful examination of behavior, appearance and any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such delusions or hallucinations) and mood cognition (including attention, memory, orientation). A mental state examination for nurses also involves observing the ability to move, which includes physical activity like eating or drinking, brushing your teeth or using the toilet, as well as wearing shoes.
The observation component of the mental health examination is crucial in determining if the patient poses a risk to them or others. assessment mental health is done by assessing whether the patient appears to be acting in a deliberate way that suggests they're about harm themselves or another person.
A detailed evaluation of the thought content is also accomplished by observing the patient during the interview and determining the preoccupations. It is essential to determine whether the patient is experiencing suicidal, homicidal, or delusional thoughts.
A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is a numerical rating on a scale of 0 to 100 that combines the ability of a person to function in daily life and their ability to cope with the stresses in their lives. The GAF is a crucial part of the mental status assessment and aids in making treatment decisions.
It is crucial to realize that observing the behaviour of a patient may cause anxiety. It is therefore important that the process be conducted in a manner that does not cause discomfort or cause discomfort. It is also crucial that the patient is informed about the purpose of the observation as well as the length of time it will take.
Nursing observation is a vital skill that must be a central part of any nursing program. It is essential to remember that patients might disagree on the degree of observation. If they cannot reach an agreement with staff, they should be able to use an advocate service to represent their interests and assist them in any discussions regarding their treatment. This should be an integral part of local observation policy and practice, including the involvement of user groups to ensure that patients are involved in the development of written information as well as staff training to support this aspect of clinical governance.
Questioning
Many people have a hard to talk about their mental health issues, but loved ones will often be able to recognize the signs of something being wrong. They can also help the person to seek an assessment. These assessments can be a variety of subjects such as mood, appearance and thought process. In addition to these tests, the mental health professional will also ask the person questions about their life, including what's been happening recently and what their emotions have been like.
The assessment also includes a cognitive evaluation, which focuses on the person's ability to think clearly and retain information. The test subject may ask to complete a few basic tasks, like focusing their attention on the list of words or objects, memorizing simple lists or solving math problems. The test can also be used to check the individual's judgment and ability to make sound decisions. The test determines a person's awareness, which is the understanding of their condition and how it affects them.
The patient's attitude toward others, himself and the illness is an important element of a mental assessment. The tone of voice, the facial expressions, and body expressions of a patient could indicate depression, anger or a sense of utter powerlessness. It is important to check whether the patient appears seek help or accepting their situation.
In more serious situations the evaluation of mental health might include an examination the patient's thoughts, which may involve illusions or hallucinations. These conditions can be extremely dangerous and even deadly.
In general the mental health assessment should be holistic and look at the person's relationship to their social environment. A health professional can use images, music, or art or any other assessment tool to gain a better understanding of the individual. They should also talk with the person about the difficulties that have caused them to seek assistance and assure them that there is nothing wrong with seeking out a mental health professional.