Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
A physical exam is usually part of mental health tests to rule out physical issues. This can include urine tests, blood tests tests or even brain scans.
Psychologists also utilize a range of tools to evaluate mental health. These tools can range from paper and pencil test forms to more in-depth interviews or self-completed postal questionnaires.
Affect and mood
The doctor will first be aware of the patient's mood and emotional state. They define the patient's general emotional state, which can range from happiness to sadness or irritability to anger. Affect can be measured by watching facial expressions and demeanour as well as the reactivity to internal or external stimuli (e.g. smiling at an absurd joke or crying over the loss of a loved one).
Affect refers to an emotion that is temporary, while mood is a state of constant emotion. It is often described as either euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, which means depressed. Professionals in psychiatry must be careful to not confuse the two terms because they are different in their definition and are affected by a variety of factors.
While the MSE is a helpful diagnostic tool however, it isn't always easy to interpret based upon subjective patient report. It is therefore helpful to ask patients how they've felt over the past few weeks, as opposed to relying on physician observation only. A recent study revealed that a large proportion of symptoms, which includes those that fall under the same disorder category, differ between assessment tools. This can be because of the different emphasis on emotional or cognitive 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 instance, a patient who reports anxiety and headaches will likely report less than a patient who reports only the sensation of a headache. Additionally there is the tendency for patients to minimize negative emotions and overestimate the severity of positive ones.
Mood and affect can have an impact on the thought content. This could affect the way people make decisions, their interpersonal behavior and physical performance. They are affected by stress, fatigue and social interactions. In fact positive moods have been proven to boost thinking and creativity. A negative mood can lead to confusion and reduce concentration. A thorough and thoughtful mental health assessment must consider the patient's mood as well as affect as well as the underlying factors.
Thought content
One of the most essential aspects of a mental state examination is to determine how the patient thinks. Evaluation of thought process and content. Thought process refers to the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient's thoughts. The normal process of thinking is objective-oriented and logical. Thought processing can be altered when a person suffers from mental health issues. Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and loose associations.
A mental health assessment also evaluates insight and judgement. Insight is being able to identify the presence of a problem. Judgement is the process to make a well-considered choice after receiving information. Both can be impaired by several mental health conditions like depression and schizophrenia. A patient with impaired insight or judgment is more prone to harm themselves or others. For instance when they are in danger of burning their house down the sensible judgment would tell that they should leave the premises immediately. A patient with impaired judgement might suggest they stay in the building to try and get rid of the fire.
Thought content refers to the topics, subjects and beliefs that a patient has. Examiners will assess the clarity, relevance, and content of thoughts of the patient. They will also note any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial and also whether the patient has flights of thoughts (digressions from the topic of conversation). They will also make comments on the speed of a person's thoughts, including whether they appear fast or slow.
It is also essential to determine whether the patient's mood is in line with their environment. A person suffering from depression could be able to hear angry voices, whereas those suffering from schizophrenia might experience a hallucination that a soothing voice is speaking. The patient should be questioned about any suicidal or homicidal thought. Although they are uncommon, they can be life-threatening and must be considered in every mental health evaluation.
Watching
A nurse's observation skills are essential to an assessment of mental health. They include a careful examination of appearance, behavior, any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such hallucinations or delusions) mood, cognition (including memory, attention and orientation). A mental state examination for nurses also includes observing motility, including any physical activity like eating or drinking, brushing your teeth or using the toilet, as well as taking off shoes.
The Observation component of the mental health examination is a key component of determining whether the patient is posing a risk to themselves or others. This is determined by assessing whether or not the patient is moving deliberately in a way that suggests that they are about to harm themself or someone else.
Additionally, a thorough assessment of thought content is done by monitoring the patient throughout the interview and identifying their thoughts and concerns. It is crucial to determine whether the patient is experiencing 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 the ability of a person to function in everyday life and their ability to cope with the stresses in their lives. The GAF is a crucial component of the mental health examination and aids in making treatment decisions.
It is important to be aware that watching the behavior of a patient can cause anxiety and it is important that the process is conducted in a manner that doesn't provoke the patient or make them feel intrusive. It is crucial that the patient is informed of the purpose of the observations and the length of the procedure.
Nursing observation is a crucial skill that should be a central part of any nursing procedure. It is important to remember that patients can disagree with staff about the level of observation. If assessment mental health IamPsychiatry are unable to reach a consensus with staff, they should be able to access an advocate service that can represent their interests and assist them in any discussions about their treatment. This should be a part of the local policy and practice, with the participation and support of user groups.
Questioning
Many people have a hard to discuss their mental health problems However, loved ones can often notice when something is wrong. They can also help the person take an assessment. These assessments be a variety of subjects that include mood, appearance and the thought process. A mental health professional may also inquire about the person's private life. They will ask what they've been feeling and what's happened in the last few days.
The assessment includes a cognitive evaluation which focuses on an individual's ability to think clearly and retain information. The person may be required to complete basic tasks, such as focussing on a list or objects, recollecting lists or completing math problems. The test may also test the ability of the individual to make sound decisions and use judgment. The test measures a patient's insight which is their understanding of their condition and how it affects them.
The attitude of the patient towards himself, others and the illness is also an important part of a mental assessment. The patient's voice, facial expression and body language can indicate hostility, anger, depression or a sense of insecurity. It is important to observe whether the patient seems to seek assistance or is accepting their situation.
In more serious situations the assessment of mental health may include a thorough examination of the patient's thinking, which may involve illusions or hallucinations. These conditions can be harmful and even fatal.
A mental health assessment should be holistic and examine the person's interactions with their environment. A health professional might use images, music, art or a variety of assessment tools using electronic technology to help understand the person and their unique view of the world around them. They should also speak to the person about the challenges that have led them to seek help and assure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental health professional.