Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
A physical exam is often included in mental health assessments to rule out any physical issues. This may include blood tests or urine tests, as well as brain scans.
Psychologists also utilize a array of tools to measure mental health. They can use pen and paper test forms to deep interviews or self-fill questionnaires for postal delivery.
Affect and mood
The doctor will first be aware of the patient's mood and affect. They define the patient's general emotional tone, which can range from happiness to sadness, or even irritability to anger. Affect can be measured by observing facial expressions and overall attitude as well as reaction to external or internal stimuli (e.g. You can express your emotions by smiling at the joke or crying when you lose a beloved one.
Affect refers to an emotion that is only temporary, whereas mood is a state of constant emotion. It is generally described as euthymic, dysphoric or normal (meaning depression). Professionals in psychiatry must be careful to avoid confusion between the two terms because they are interpreted differently and are affected by many factors.
While the MSE is a helpful tool for clinical use, it can be difficult to interpret based upon subjective patient reports. Asking patients about their feelings during the past few weeks is more effective than relying on just observations from a physician. Recent research showed that the assessment tools were different in their ability to detect a substantial part of symptoms. This included those that were grouped under the same disorder. This could be due to the different emphasis placed on emotional, cognitive or physical symptoms as well as differences in duration and frequency of reporting symptoms.
It is possible that the MSE is based solely on self-reporting, which could be biased. A patient who has a headache and anxiety is likely to have lower scores than those who report only migraine. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive ones.
Affect and mood can have a direct impact on the thought content. This can affect the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior, and physical performance. They can be influenced by fatigue, stress and social interactions, as well as world events, hormones, and the weather. In reality positive moods have been shown to enhance creativity and thinking power. A negative mood can lead to confusion and lower concentration. A thorough and careful mental health assessment must be able to consider both the patient's mood and affect as well as the fundamental factors.
Thought content
Assessing how the patient thinks is one of the most important aspects of a mental state exam. Specifically, evaluating thought process and thoughts. The term "thought process" refers to the coherence, logic and organization of a patient's thought processes. Normal thought processes are rational and goal-oriented. In a variety of mental health conditions however, thought processing is altered. Examples include hallucinations and delusions as well as loose associations.
Insight and judgement are also evaluated during a mental status test. Insight is the ability to see the presence of an issue, and judgement is the ability to make a rational decision based on information. Both can be impaired in many mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. If a patient is impaired in judgment and/or insight in any way, they are at a higher chance of harming themselves or others. If they are in danger, their rational judgement would tell to leave the premises immediately. However, a person with impaired judgment may decide to stay in the building and attempting to put out the fire.
Thought content refers to the topics, subjects and beliefs that a patient holds. Examiners will assess the clarity, relatedness and content of a patient's thoughts. They will note any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial, and whether the patient is having flashes of ideas (digressions from the conversation subject). They will also comment on the speed at which someone is thinking, for example, if they seem to be more or less fast.
It is also important to determine whether the patient's mood is similar to the environment in which they live. Patients suffering from depression may hear voices of anger, while a person suffering from schizophrenia may experience a hallucination that a soothing voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they are experiencing any thoughts of suicide or homicide. Although these are rare, they can be life-threatening and must be considered during every mental health assessment.
Watching
The nurse's ability to observe is crucial in a mental assessment. They involve a thorough evaluation of behavior, appearance as well as any peculiar beliefs or perceptions (such hallucinations or delusions), mood, and cognition (including attention, memory, orientation). The nursing mental state exam is also a way of observing the movement. This is any physical activity, such as eating, drinking and brushing your teeth.
The Observation component of the mental health exam is an essential element of determining if a patient may pose an imminent risk to themselves or others. mental health assessment service IamPsychiatry is determined by assessing whether or not the patient is acting in a manner that suggests they are about to harm themself or someone else.
Additionally, a thorough assessment of the content of thoughts is conducted by monitoring the patient throughout the interview and identifying their preoccupations. It is essential to determine whether the patient is experiencing suicidal, homicidal or delusional thoughts.
Global assessment of functioning (GAF) which is an assessment of functioning in numerical form, ranging from 0 to 100, combines the ability of an individual to perform in everyday life along with their capacity for dealing with stressors. The GAF is a vital component of the mental health examination and helps to guide the treatment decisions.
It is important to be aware of the fact that observing a patient's behaviour can cause anxiety and it is important that the process is conducted in a manner that does not cause anxiety for the patient and does not feel intrusive. It is crucial that the patient is aware of the goal of the observations and the duration of the process.
Nursing observation is an essential skill and it must be an integral element of the nursing process. It is important to remember that patients might disagree on the extent of observation. If they are unable to reach an agreement with 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 a fundamental part of the local policy and practice with the involvement of user groups to ensure that patients are a part in the development of written information as well as staff training for this aspect of clinical governance.
Questioning
Many people are hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, but their family members can usually tell when something is amiss. They can also urge the person to take a look at an assessment. These tests can be conducted on a variety of topics, including mood, appearance and thought process. In addition to these tests, the mental health professional will also ask the individual questions about their personal life, such as what's been happening recently and what their feelings have been like.
The assessment also includes a cognitive assessment, which focuses on the ability of the individual to think clearly and retain information. The test taker may be asked to complete simple tasks, such as keeping their attention on the list of words or objects, memorizing simple lists or solving math problems. The test can be used to test the individual's judgment and ability to make informed choices. The test measures a patient's perception, which is their knowledge of their condition and how it affects them.
Another vital aspect of an assessment of mental health is the patient's attitude towards others, himself and his illness. The tone of voice, the facial expression, and body expressions of a patient could indicate depression, anger or a sense of helplessness. It is also important to note whether the patient is seeking help or is content living with their illness.
In more serious situations the evaluation of mental health might include a look at the patient's mental state that may include hallucinations or even illusions. These conditions can be harmful and even fatal.
A mental health assessment must be comprehensive and look at the person's interaction to their world. A health professional may use images, music, or art 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 that there is nothing wrong with seeking out an expert in mental health.