Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health A physical examination is typically included in mental health assessments to rule out any physical ailments. This may include blood tests and urine tests as well as brain scans. Psychologists utilize a variety tools for assessing mental health. These range from pen and paper test forms to deep interviews or self-fill postal questionnaires. Mood and affect Mood and affect are the most crucial components of the mental status examination (MSE) and are the first thing to be viewed by the medical professional. They define the patient's general emotional state that can range from joy to sadness, or anger to anger. Affect can be measured by observing facial expressions and overall demeanour as well as the response 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 longer-lasting emotional state. It is typically described as euthymic, or dysphoric or normal (meaning depression). However, psychiatrists 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 helpful diagnostic tool but it isn't always easy to interpret based on a subjective patient reports. The process of asking patients to share their experiences over the past few weeks is more helpful than relying on just physician observations. A recent study found that a large proportion of symptoms, even those that are grouped under the same disorder category, vary between assessment tools. This could be due to the different emphasis placed on emotional, cognitive or physical symptoms as along with differences in the duration and frequency of reporting symptoms. It is possible that the MSE relies on self-reporting, which could be biased. For instance, a person who describes experiencing anxiety and headaches will likely report an lower score than a person who describes only an occasional headache. Additionally, there is the tendency for patients to downplay negative emotions and underestimate the severity of positive ones. Affect and mood directly affect thought content, which can influence decision-making, interpersonal behaviour and physical functioning. They are affected by fatigue, stress and social interactions. In actual fact positive moods have been proven to boost the ability to think and be creative. A negative mood can cause confusion and decrease concentration. A thorough and thoughtful mental health assessment must be able to consider the patient's mood as well as affect as well as the other factors. Thought content The ability to determine how a patient thinks is one the most important aspects of a mental state examination. Evaluation of the thought process and its content. Thought process refers the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient's thought processes. Normal thought processes are logical and goal-oriented. Thought processing can be distorted in a variety of mental health conditions. Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and loose associations. A mental status examination also evaluates insight and judgement. Insight is the ability to spot problems. Judgment is the capability of making a well-considered decision after receiving information. Both can be impaired by several mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and depression. If a patient is impaired in judgment or insight in any way, they are at greater risk of causing harm to themselves or others. If they are in danger, their rational judgement would suggest leaving the house immediately. A patient with impaired judgement may suggest that they stay in the building to try and put out the flame. Thought content is the subject matter, themes and beliefs that a patient has. Generally, examiners comment on the clarity, relatedness and content of a patient's thinking. They will note any tangential or circumstantial thoughts or thoughts, and also if the patient is prone to having a flurry of ideas (digressions from the topic of conversation). They will also make comments on the pace of a person's thoughts, for instance, whether they seem fast or slow. Other areas to be considered are whether the patient's thoughts are compatible or not in line with their surroundings. Patients suffering from depression may be able to hear angry voices, whereas those suffering from schizophrenia may have the illusion that a peaceful voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they have any thoughts of suicide or homicide. Although they are uncommon, they can be life-threatening and must be taken into consideration in every mental health evaluation. Watching A nurse's observation skills are essential to an assessment of mental health. They include a careful review of behavior, appearance and any strange beliefs or perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions), mood, and aspects of cognition (including attention, orientation, memory). A nursing mental status examination also involves observing motility, including any physical activity like eating, drinking, brushing teeth using the toilet and putting on shoes. The Observation element of the mental health examination is a key component of determining if the patient could pose the risk to themselves or others. This is accomplished by determining if the patient appears to be acting in a way that suggests they're trying to harming themselves or someone else. In addition, a detailed assessment of thought content is done by keeping track of the patient throughout the interview and determining their thoughts and concerns. It is crucial to determine if a patient is having suicidal or homicidal thoughts and to determine if they're having delusions. Global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an assessment of functioning in numerical form, ranging between 0 and 100, combines the ability of an individual to function in daily life along with their capacity for managing stressors. The GAF is an important component of the mental health examination and helps to guide treatment decisions. It is essential to be aware that observing a patient's behaviour could cause anxiety, and it is essential to conduct the procedure in a way that does not provoke the patient or make them be uncomfortable for them. It is important that the patient is fully informed of the purpose of the observation and the duration of the process. Nursing observation is a vital ability that should be the core of any nursing process. It is crucial to keep in mind that patients can disagree with staff about the level of observation. If they cannot reach an agreement with the staff, they should be able to use an advocate service to represent their interests and assist in any discussions about their care. This should be an integral part of the local policy and practice, including the participation of user groups to ensure that patients are included in the creation of written information as well as staff training on this aspect of governance in the clinic. Questioning Many people have a difficult to talk about their mental health problems However, loved ones are often able to tell when something is wrong. They can also urge the person to take a look at an assessment. These assessments can be a variety of topics, including mood, appearance and the thought process. In addition to these tests, a mental health professional will also ask the person questions about their personal life, including what's happened recently and what their feelings have been like. The test includes an assessment of cognitive ability which focuses on an individual's ability to think clearly and retain information. The test taker may be asked 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 be used to test the person's judgment and ability to make informed choices. The test also evaluates the patient's insight, which reflects their level of understanding about their condition and its effects on them. Another important component of an assessment of mental health is the person's attitude toward other people, himself and the illness. The tone of voice, the facial expression, and body language of a patient can indicate depression, anger or a sense of helplessness. It is important to observe whether the patient appears to be asking for help or accepting their condition. In more serious cases, a mental health assessment might include an examination of the patient's mental state 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 disorders because they can be extremely hazardous and even life-threatening. In general an assessment of mental health should take a holistic approach and look at the person's connection to their social world. A health professional could use art, music, photos or a range of assessment tools that are electronic to help the person understand themselves and their unique view of the world around them. They should also talk to the person about the challenges that have caused them to seek assistance and reassure them that there is nothing wrong with seeking out a mental health professional.
mental health assessments
