Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
A physical exam is usually part of mental health tests to rule out physical issues. This may include blood tests, urine tests or brain scans.
Psychologists utilize a variety tools for assessing mental health. These range from tests that are written on paper and pen to deep interviews or self-fill questionnaires sent to you by post.
Mood and affect
The doctor will first observe the patient's mood and affect. They define the patient's general emotional tone, which can range from joy to sadness or irritability to anger. The patient's mood can be measured through facial expressions, general behavior 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 is temporary, whereas mood is a state of constant emotion. It is often described as being either euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, which translates to depressed. Psychologists should be cautious to avoid confusion between the terms, as they are interpreted differently and can be affected by many factors.
The MSE is a helpful instrument for diagnosing clinical conditions, but it is difficult to interpret based on a subjective patient report. It is therefore important to inquire about how patients have been feeling in the last few weeks, instead of relying on physician observation only. Recent research showed that the assessment tools were different in their ability to detect a substantial part of symptoms. This included those that were classified under the same disorder. This can be because of the different emphasis on cognitive or emotional symptoms as well as the different time periods and frequency in the reporting of symptoms.
It is possible that the MSE is based solely on self-reporting which could be biased. For example, a patient who describes experiencing anxiety and a headache will likely report a lower score than a patient who reports only a headache. In addition, there is a tendency for patients to downplay negative emotions and underestimate the severity of positive feelings.
Mood and affect can have an impact on thought content. This can affect the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior, and physical function. They can be affected by fatigue, stress and social interactions. A positive mood can boost creativity and mental energy. However, a mood that is negative can reduce concentration and lead to confusion. A thorough and careful mental health assessment must take into account the patient's mood as well as affect as well as the fundamental factors.
Thought content
One of the most crucial aspects of a mental health exam is assessing how a patient thinks. Particularly, evaluating thought processes and thoughts. The thought process is the logic, coherence and organization of a patient's thoughts. The normal process of thinking is objective-oriented and rational. mental health assessment test can be altered in several mental health conditions. Examples include delusions, hallucinations and loose associations.
Insight and judgement are assessed during a mental state exam. Insight is being able to identify the presence of a problem. Judgment is the ability to make a rational decision after receiving information. Both are affected by various mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression. If a patient has impaired judgment or insight is at a higher chance of harming themselves or others. If they are in danger, their rational judgement would tell to leave the house immediately. A person with impaired judgment might suggest they stay in the building to try to get rid of the fire.
The content of a patient's thoughts encompasses their themes, subject matter, and beliefs. Generally, examiners comment on the clarity, relevance and the content of a patient's thinking. They will note tangential thoughts or circumstantial ones, and when a patient is digressing (digressions away from the subject of the conversation). They will also make comments on the pace at which a person is thinking, such as whether they seem to be more or less fast.
Other areas to be considered are whether the patient's thoughts are mood and in tune with their environment. A person suffering from depression could hear voices of anger, while a person suffering from schizophrenia might experience the illusion that a peaceful voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they've had any suicidal or homicidal ideas. Although these are rare but they could be life threatening and should be taken into consideration in every mental health evaluation.
Observation
The ability of nurses to observe is vital in the mental assessment. They include a careful review of appearance, behaviour as well as any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions), mood, and aspects of cognition (including attention, orientation, memory). A mental health assessment for nursing also includes observing the ability to move, which includes physical movement such as eating or drinking, brushing your teeth or using the toilet, as well as wearing shoes.
The Observation component of the mental state examination is vital in determining if the patient poses a risk to them or others. This is accomplished by determining whether the patient appears be moving in a deliberate way that suggests they're planning to harming themselves or someone else.
Additionally, a thorough assessment of thought content is done by monitoring the patient throughout the interview and determining their preoccupations. It is essential to determine whether the patient is suffering from suicidal, homicidal or delusional thoughts.
A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an assessment of a numerical score on a scale ranging from 0 to 100 that combines a person's ability to function in daily life and their ability to cope with the stresses in their lives. The GAF is an important component of the mental health exam and assists in guiding treatment decisions.
It is important to be aware that watching an individual's behavior can cause anxiety and it is essential that the process is conducted in a manner that does not provoke the patient and does not be uncomfortable for them. It is also crucial that the patient is fully aware of the reason for the observation and the length of time it will last.
Nursing observation is a crucial skill that must be the core of any nursing program. However, it should be noted that patients might be dissatisfied with the quality of observation and if they cannot reach an agreement with staff then they should have access to an advocate service which can represent their interests and support them in any discussions regarding their treatment. This should be part of local policy and practice, with the participation and the support of user groups.
Questioning
Many people have a hard to discuss their mental health issues, but loved ones are often able to tell when something is wrong. They can also urge the person to seek an assessment. These assessments are broad and cover a wide range of subjects, such as mood, appearance, memory, thought process and more. In addition to these tests, mental health professionals will also ask the person questions about their life, such as what's happened lately and what their feelings have been like.
The assessment also includes a cognitive evaluation that focuses on the person's ability to think clearly and recall information. The test subject may require the person to complete basic tasks, such as focussing on a list or objects, memorizing lists or completing math problems. The test can also check the ability of the individual 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 the mental health assessment is the patient's attitude towards others, himself and his illness. The tone of expression, facial expression and body language can indicate anger, hostility depression or a feeling of helplessness. It is important to check whether the patient appears to seek assistance or is accepting their situation.
In more serious instances the mental health assessment could include a thorough examination of the patient's thoughts that may 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 conditions because they can be extremely hazardous and even life-threatening.
In general, a mental health assessment should take a holistic approach and look at the person's connection to their social environment. A health professional may use images, music, or art, or any other electronic assessment tool to better understand the person. They should also talk about the issues that led to the person to seek help, and reassure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental health professional.