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Mental Health Nursing – Assessing Mental Health Mental health assessments typically involve a physical examination, to rule out physical problems. This could involve blood tests and urine tests as well as brain scans. Psychologists also employ a range of tools to evaluate mental health. These range from tests that are written on paper and pen to in-depth interviews, or self-complete questionnaires sent to you by post. Affect and mood The clinician will first notice the patient's mood and affect. They define a patient's general emotional state. This could be anything from sadness to happiness or irritability and anger. The patient's mood can be measured by facial expressions, overall attitude and reaction to internal or external stimuli. You can express your emotions by smirking at a joke, or crying when you lose a beloved one. Affect refers to an emotion that is only temporary, whereas mood is a long-lasting emotion. It is generally described as euthymic, normal, or dysphoric (meaning depressed). Psychologists should be cautious to avoid confusion between the terms, as they are interpreted differently and can be affected by a variety of factors. The MSE can be a useful tool for clinical diagnosis however it is difficult to interpret from the subjective report of a patient. The process of asking patients to share their experiences over the past few weeks is more helpful than relying on just the observations of a doctor. Recent research has revealed that assessment tools differed in their ability to detect a substantial portion of symptoms. This included those that were grouped under the same disorder. This could be due to the different emphasis on cognitive or emotional symptoms as well as differences between time periods and frequency of reporting symptoms. It is possible that the MSE is based solely on self-reporting, which could be biased. For instance, a person who reports anxiety and headaches will likely report less than someone who has only the sensation of a headache. In addition there is a tendency for patients to minimize negative emotions and underestimate the severity of positive feelings. Affect and mood influence thoughts, which can influence the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior and physical functioning. They can be influenced by fatigue, stress and social interactions, as well as world events, hormones and the weather. Positive moods can increase creativity and mental strength. A mood that is negative can cause confusion and reduce concentration. Therefore, a thorough and thorough mental health assessment needs to consider the patient's current mood and affect as well as the underlying causes. Thought content The ability to determine how a patient thinks is one the most important aspects of a mental health exam. Assessment of the thought process and its content. The term “thought process” refers to the coherence, logic and organization of a patient's thoughts. The normal process of thinking is focused and logical. In a variety of mental health conditions, however, thought processing is altered. Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and loose associations. A mental health assessment also evaluates insight and judgement. Insight is the ability to identify that there is a problem, while judgement is the ability to make a considered decision when presented with information. Both can be impaired by a variety of mental health issues such as depression and schizophrenia. A patient with impaired insight or judgment is more likely to harm themselves or others. If they are in danger, their sensible judgement would suggest leaving the house immediately. However, a person with impaired judgment might recommend staying in the house and attempting to put out the fire. Thought content refers to the topics, subjects and beliefs that a patient holds. Generally, examiners comment on the clarity, relatedness and content of a patient's thoughts. They will be able to identify tangential ideas or circumstantial ones, as well as if the patient has digressions (digressions away from the topic of the conversation). They will also comment on the speed of a person's thoughts, for instance, whether they seem to be fast or slow. It is also essential to determine whether the patient's mood is in line with their surroundings. Patients suffering from depression may hear angry voices, whereas someone suffering from schizophrenia may experience a hallucination that a soothing voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they have any suicidal or homicidal ideas. Although they are not common, they can be life-threatening and must be considered in every mental health evaluation. Watching A nurse's observation skills play an important role in the mental health assessment. They include a careful review of appearance, behaviour and any strange beliefs or perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions) mood, and aspects of cognition (including attention, orientation memory). The nursing mental status exam also involves the observation of motility. This includes any physical movement, like eating, drinking and brushing teeth. The Observation component of the mental state examination is a crucial aspect of determining whether the patient is posing a risk to themselves or others. This is done by assessing if the patient appears to be acting in a way that suggests they're trying to harming themselves or someone else. A detailed evaluation of the thought-based content is also done by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining preoccupations. It is crucial to determine if a patient is suffering from suicidal or violent thoughts and to determine if they are experiencing delusions. A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is an assessment of a numerical score on a scale from zero to 100 that evaluates a person's ability to perform in daily life along with their ability to deal with the stresses that come with life. The GAF is a crucial component of the mental health assessment and aids in making the treatment decisions. It is crucial to be aware of the fact that observing the behavior of a patient can cause anxiety and it is crucial to conduct the procedure in a way that does not provoke the patient or make them make them feel uncomfortable. online mental health assessment uk is crucial that the patient is informed of the purpose of the observations and the length of the process. Nursing observation is a vital skill that must be a central part of any nursing procedure. However, it must be noted that patients might disagree with the level of observation and if they are unable to reach an agreement with the staff, they should be able to access an advocate service that can represent their interests and support their discussions on their treatment. This should be a fundamental part of the local policy and practice, including the participation of user groups to ensure that patients are involved in the creation of written information as well as staff training on this aspect of governance in the clinic. Questioning Many people are hesitant to discuss their mental health issues, however family members can usually detect if something is not right. They can also assist the person get an assessment. These assessments can be very broad and cover a range of subjects including mood, appearance, thought process, memory and more. A mental health professional could also inquire about the person's personal life. They will ask what they have been feeling and what's happened recently. The assessment includes an evaluation of the cognitive capacity which focuses on an individual's ability to think clearly and remember information. The person could be asked to complete basic tasks, such as focusing on a list or objects, recollecting lists, or solving math questions. The test can be used to test the ability of the person's judgement and to make sound decisions. The test also evaluates the patient's insight, which reflects their knowledge of their illness and its impact on them. Another crucial aspect of a mental health assessment is the person's attitude towards the world, himself and his illness. The tone of voice, the facial expressions, and body language of a patient can signal depression, anger, or a feeling of helplessness. It is crucial to determine whether the patient appears to be asking for help or accepting their condition. In more serious situations the evaluation of mental health may include an examination the patient's thoughts that may include hallucinations or illusions. It is important to note the presence of these disorders because they can be extremely risky and even life-threatening. In general, a mental health assessment should be holistic and look at the person's relationship to their social world. A health professional may employ art, music, photos or a variety of assessment tools that are electronic to help understand the person and their unique view of the world around them. They should also talk with the person about the issues that caused them to seek assistance and reassure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing an expert in mental health.