Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments typically include a physical exam, to rule out physical ailments. This may involve blood work and urine tests as well as brain scans.
Psychologists employ a variety of instruments to evaluate mental health. These range from tests that are written on paper and pen to deep interviews or self-fill postal questionnaires.
Mood and affect
Mood and affect are among the most crucial elements of the mental state exam (MSE) and are the first to be viewed by the medical professional. They are the general mood that can range from joy to sadness, or anger to anger. Affect can be assessed by looking at facial expressions and attitude as well as response to external or internal stimuli (e.g. smiling at a joke or crying at the loss of a loved one).
Affect is a temporary emotion, whereas mood is a more sustained emotional state. It is generally described as euthymic or dysphoric or normal (meaning depression). Psychiatric professionals should be careful to avoid confusion between the terms, as they are different in their definition and are affected by a variety of factors.
The MSE can be a useful tool for clinical diagnosis however, it can be difficult to interpret based on a subjective patient report. It is therefore important to ask patients how they've felt over the past few weeks, instead of using only the observation of a physician. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of symptoms, including those that are grouped within the same disorder category, differ between assessment tools. This could be due to the different emphasis placed on cognitive or emotional symptoms as well as differences between time periods and frequency in the reporting of symptoms.
It is possible that the MSE relies on self-report which is susceptible to bias. A patient who reports both a headache and anxiety is likely to report a lower score compared to those who report only headache. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive feelings.
Mood and affect directly affect the content of thoughts which influences decision-making, interpersonal behaviour and physical functioning. They are influenced by fatigue, stress social interactions, world events, hormones and weather. A positive mood can enhance creativity and mental power. However, a mood that is negative can reduce concentration and lead to confusion. A thorough and careful mental health assessment must take into account both the patient's mood and affect, as well as underlying factors.
Thought content
One of the most essential aspects of a mental health examination is to determine how the patient thinks. Particularly, it is assessing thought process and thoughts. The term "thought process" refers to the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient's thoughts. Normal thought processes are rational and focused on a goal. In a variety of mental health conditions, however, thought processing is distorted. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
A mental state examination also evaluates insight and judgement. Insight is the ability to recognize problems. Judgment is the ability to make a well-considered choice after receiving information. Both are affected by various mental health conditions like depression and schizophrenia. A patient with impaired insight or judgment is more likely to harm themselves or others. If they are in danger, their rational judgement would tell to leave the house immediately. However, a patient with impaired judgment might suggest staying in the building and trying to put out the fire.
Thought content is the topics, subjects and beliefs that a patient holds. Examiners will comment on the clarity, relatedness and content of a thoughts of the patient. They will take note of any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial and also whether the patient is prone to having a flurry of ideas (digressions from the conversation subject). They will also discuss the speed of someone's thoughts, including whether they appear fast or slow.
It is also crucial to determine whether the patient's mood is similar to their environment. A person suffering from depression could be able to hear angry voices, whereas those suffering from schizophrenia may have an illusion that a calm voice is speaking. Patients should also be asked about any homicidal or suicidal thought. These are rare but can be life-threatening and should be considered in every mental health evaluation.
Watching
The nurse's ability to observe is essential in an assessment of mental health. They include a careful examination of appearance, behavior, any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such delusions or hallucinations) mood, cognition (including attention, memory and orientation). The nursing mental status exam is also a way of the observation of the movement. This is any physical activity, such as eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth.
The observation component of the mental state exam is essential in determining whether the patient poses a risk to them or others. This is determined by assessing whether the patient is moving in a way that suggests they may be threatening to harm themself or someone else.
In addition, a comprehensive thought content assessment is made by monitoring the patient throughout the interview and identifying their preoccupations. It is particularly important to determine if the patient has any suicidal or violent thoughts and to determine if they're experiencing delusions.
A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an assessment of a numerical score on a scale of 100 to 0 that measures the capacity of a person to perform in daily life along with their ability to cope with the stresses in their lives. The GAF is a crucial component of the mental state exam and aids in making the treatment decisions.
It is crucial to realize that observing the behaviour of a patient could cause anxiety. Therefore, mental health assessment uk is essential to conduct the procedure in a way that does not provoke or make the patient feel uncomfortable. It is also vital that the patient is aware of the reason for the observation and the length of time it will take.
Nursing observation is an essential skill that should be a central part of any nursing process. It is crucial to keep in mind that patients can disagree with staff about the extent of observation. If they cannot reach an agreement with staff members, they should be able to use an advocate service to represent their interests and aid them in any discussions about their care. 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 documents and staff training to support this aspect of governance in the clinic.
Questioning
Many people are hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, but family members can usually discern when something isn't right. They can also assist the person to take an assessment. These assessments can be very broad and cover a variety of subjects such as mood, appearance as well as memory, thinking process and much more. In addition to these tests, the mental health professional will also ask the individual questions about their life, including what has been going on recently and what their feelings have been like.
The test consists of an evaluation of the cognitive capacity that examines a person's ability to think clearly and retain information. The person may be required to complete basic tasks, such as focusing on a list or objects, recollecting lists or solving math questions. The test will also test the person's ability to make sound decisions and use their judgment. The test determines a person's perception, which is their knowledge of their condition and how it affects them.
Another vital aspect of a mental health assessment is the person's attitude towards others, himself and his illness. The patient's tone of voice, facial expressions and body language may convey hostility, anger depression or a feeling of helplessness. It is crucial to determine whether the patient seems to seek help or accepting their condition.
In more serious instances, a mental health assessment might include an examination of the patient's mental state that could include hallucinations (false perceptions of sensory stimuli that are not real stimuli) or illusions (misperceptions of real stimuli). It is vital to be aware of the presence of these disorders because they can be extremely hazardous and even life-threatening.
In general, a mental health assessment must be holistic and look at the person's interactions with their social world. Health professionals can employ art, music or photos or any other assessment tool to better understand the person. They should also talk about the challenges that led the person to seek help, and reassure them there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental healthcare professional.