Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health A physical exam is usually part of mental health tests to rule out any physical ailments. This can include urine tests, blood testing, or even brain scans. Psychologists use a variety of tools for assessing mental health. These range from pen and paper test forms to deep interviews or self-fill postal questionnaires. Affect and mood mental health assessments will first observe the patient's mood as well as their affect. They are the general mood that can range from joy to sadness, or even irritability to anger. The degree of affect can be determined by observing facial expressions and overall demeanour as well as the reaction to external or internal stimuli (e.g. You can express your feelings by smirking at an absurd joke, or crying when you lose a beloved one. Affect is a feeling that is temporary, whereas mood is a state of constant emotion. It is often described as either euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, which means depressed. However, psychiatric specialists should be cautious not to confuse the terms as they have varying definitions and are affected by a variety of factors. While the MSE is a valuable tool for clinical use but it isn't always easy to interpret based on subjective patient reports. Inquiring about the feelings of patients during the past few weeks is more effective than relying on only the observations of a doctor. Recent research revealed that assessment instruments differed in their capacity to detect a substantial part of symptoms. This included those that were grouped under the same disorder. This can be because of the different emphasis placed on cognitive or emotional symptoms as well as the different time periods and frequency in reporting symptoms. It is possible that the MSE relies on self-report, which may be prone to bias. A patient who has anxiety and headache is likely to report an lower score than one who reports only headache. Patients tend to minimize negative emotions while exaggerating positive ones. Affect and mood can have a direct impact on the content of thought. This can affect the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior, and physical functioning. They are influenced by fatigue, stress social interactions, global events, hormones and the weather. In reality positive moods have been proven to boost thinking and creativity. Conversely, a negative mood can affect concentration and cause confusion. A thorough and meticulous mental health assessment should be able to consider both the patient's mood and affect and the underlying factors. Thought content One of the most important aspects of a mental health exam is assessing how a patient thinks. Evaluation of thought process and content. The thought process is the coherence, logic, and organization of the patient's thoughts. Normal thought processes are logical and focused on goals. In several mental health conditions however, the thought process is altered. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations. A mental health assessment also examines judgment and insight. Insight is being able to recognize problems. Judgment is the ability to make a rational decision after receiving information. Both can be impaired in various mental health conditions, like schizophrenia and depression. A person who isn't able to see or judgement is more likely to hurt themselves or others. If they are in danger, their sensible judgement would tell to leave the premises immediately. A patient with impaired judgement may suggest that they stay in the house to try to put out the fire. The content of a patient's thoughts include the subject matter, themes and beliefs. Examiners will comment on the clarity, relatedness and the content of the thoughts of the patient. They will also note tangential thoughts or circumstantial ones, and if the patient has digressions (digressions off from the main topic of the conversation). They will also make comments on the speed of a person's thoughts, for instance, whether they seem fast or slow. It is also crucial to determine whether the patient's mood is similar to their surroundings. For instance, a person 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 have any suicidal or homicidal thoughts. Although they are not common however, they can be life threatening and should be taken into account in every mental health assessment. Watching A nurse's observation skills play an important role in a mental health assessment. They are a thorough review of the appearance, behavior, any unusual beliefs and perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions) mood, as well as aspects of cognition (including attention to the environment, orientation memory). The mental status exam for nurses also includes the observation of the movement. This is any physical activity, like eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. The observation component of the mental status examination is a crucial aspect of determining whether a patient may pose an imminent risk to themselves or others. This is determined by assessing if the patient appears to be acting in a way that suggests they are trying to harm themselves or another person. A detailed evaluation of the thought-based content is also done by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining concerns. It is essential to determine if a patient has any suicidal or homicidal ideas and to determine if they are experiencing thoughts of delusion. Global assessment of functioning (GAF) is a numerical rating between 0 and 100, measures the capacity of the person to perform in everyday life along with their capacity for coping with stressors. The GAF is a crucial component of the mental state exam and helps guide treatment decisions. It is essential to be aware of the fact that observing a patient's behaviour could cause anxiety, and it is crucial that the process is conducted in a manner that does not provoke the patient and does not make them feel uncomfortable. It is also essential that the patient is informed about the purpose of the observation and the length of time it will last. Nursing observation is an essential ability that should be the core of any nursing procedure. It is important to remember that patients may disagree about the extent of observation. If they are unable to come to an agreement with staff, they must be able access an advocate service that can represent their interests and aid them in any discussions about their care. This should be a fundamental part of the local policy and practice with the participation of user groups to ensure that patients are a part in the development of written information and staff training for this aspect of governance in the clinic. Questioning Many people are reluctant to talk about their mental health issues, but their family members can usually detect if something is not right. They can also help the person to obtain an assessment. These assessments are broad and cover a variety of topics including mood, appearance, memory, thought process and much more. In addition to these tests, a mental health professional will also ask the individual questions about their life, including what's been happening lately and what their feelings have been like. The test also includes a cognitive test, which focuses on the person's ability to think clearly and retain 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 be used to check the person's judgment and ability to make sound decisions. The test determines a person's perception, which is their knowledge of their illness and how it affects them. The patient's attitude towards himself, others and the illness is also an important aspect of a mental evaluation. The patient's tone of voice, facial expression and body language can indicate hostility, anger, depression or a sense of powerlessness. It is also important to know whether the patient appears to be seeking help or just living with their condition. In more serious cases, a mental health assessment might include an examination of the patient's thoughts that may include hallucinations (false sensory perceptions that do not correspond to real stimuli) or illusions (misperceptions of real stimuli). These conditions can be dangerous and even fatal. In general an assessment of mental health should be holistic and look at the person's relationship to their social world. A health professional may employ photographs, music, art or a range of electronic assessment tools to better understand the person and their unique perspective on the world around them. They should also discuss the challenges that led the person to seek help, and assure them that there is nothing wrong in seeing an expert in mental health.
mental health assessments
