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Mental Health Nursing – Assessing Mental Health Mental health assessments often involve a physical examination, to rule out physical conditions. These can include blood tests, urine tests or even brain scans. Psychologists employ a variety of tools to assess mental health. These range from tests that are written on paper and pen to in-depth interviews or self-complete postal questionnaires. Affect and mood Mood and affect are the most important elements of the mental state examination (MSE) and are the first thing to be observed by the doctor. They define a patient's general emotional tone. It can be anything from sadness to happiness or irritability and anger. The patient's mood can be measured through facial expressions, overall behavior and response to external or internal stimuli. You can express your emotions by smirking at an absurd joke, or crying when you lose a beloved one. Affect is a short-term emotion, whereas mood is a longer-lasting emotional state. It is usually 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 interpreted differently and can be affected by many factors. While the MSE is a valuable diagnostic tool however, it isn't always easy to interpret based upon subjective patient report. It is therefore important to ask patients how they have been feeling in the last few weeks, rather than relying solely on the observations of doctors. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of symptoms, including those that fall under the same disorder category, differ between assessment tools. This could be due to the different emphasis placed on emotional or cognitive symptoms, and also the differences between the time intervals and frequency of the reporting of symptoms. It is possible that the MSE relies on self-reporting, which can be biased. For example, a patient who reports a headache and anxiety will likely report less than a patient who reports only the sensation of a headache. Additionally there is an inclination for patients to minimize negative feelings and overestimate the severity of positive emotions. Affect and mood influence thoughts and can affect the way we make decisions, our interpersonal behavior and physical performance. They can be affected by fatigue, stress and social interactions. A positive mood can boost creativity and mental energy. A negative mood 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 their underlying factors. Thought content Examining the way a patient thinks is one of the most important aspects of a mental state examination. Assessment of thought process and content. Thought process refers to the coherence, logic and organization of a patient's thought processes. Normal thought processes are logical and goal-oriented. In a variety of mental health conditions, however, thought processing is altered. Examples include delusions, hallucinations and loose associations. A mental state examination also examines judgment and insight. Insight is being able to spot problems. Judgment is the capability of making a well-considered decision after receiving information. Both are impaired in various mental health conditions, such as depression and schizophrenia. Patients with impaired insight or judgement is more likely to hurt themselves or others. For instance when they are in danger of destroying their home the sensible judgment would tell that they should leave the premises immediately. However, someone with impaired judgment may suggest staying in the building and attempting to put the fire out. The content of a patient's thoughts includes their subject matter, themes and beliefs. Examiners will comment on the clarity, connection and the content of the patient's thoughts. They will take note of any thoughts that are circumstantial or tangential and also whether the patient is prone to having a flurry of ideas (digressions from the topic of conversation). They will also discuss the speed of someone's thoughts, for instance, whether they seem to be fast or slow. It is also essential to determine whether the patient's mood is similar to their environment. A patient with depression might hear voices of anger, while someone 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 they are not common, they can be life threatening and should be taken into account during every mental health assessment. Observation The nurse's ability to observe is crucial in an assessment of mental health. They are a thorough examination of appearance, behavior, any peculiar beliefs or perceptions (such delusions or hallucinations) and mood cognition (including memory, attention, orientation). A mental health assessment for nursing also includes observing motility, including any physical activity like eating or drinking, brushing your teeth or using the toilet, as well as putting on shoes. The Observation component of the mental state examination is essential in determining whether a patient poses a risk to themselves or anyone else. This is accomplished by determining whether or not the patient is acting in a manner that suggests they may be threatening to harm themself or someone else. In addition, a comprehensive assessment of the content of thoughts is conducted by keeping track of the patient throughout the interview and determining their main concerns. It is crucial to determine if the patient is suffering from suicidal or homicidal thoughts and to determine if they're experiencing delusions. A global assessment of functioning (GAF) is a numerical rating on a scale ranging from zero to 100 that evaluates the capacity of a person to perform in daily life along with their ability to deal with the stressors in their life. The GAF is a vital part of the mental status assessment and aids in making treatment decisions. It is important to be aware that observing a patient's behaviour can cause anxiety and it is essential that the process is conducted in a way that does not provoke the patient and doesn't be uncomfortable for them. It is also vital that the patient is informed about the purpose of the observation and the length of time it will take. Nursing observation is a crucial ability and should be a key element of the nursing process. It is crucial to keep in mind that patients can disagree with staff about the extent of observation. If they are unable to reach an agreement with staff members, they should be able to access an advocate service that can represent their interests and assist them in any discussions about their care. This should be part of the local policy and practice, with the participation and support of groups of users. Questioning Many people have a hard time talking about their mental health issues However, loved ones will often be able to recognize the signs of something being wrong. They can also help the person take steps to obtain an assessment. These assessments can be conducted on a variety of subjects, including mood, appearance and the thought process. A mental health professional may also inquire about the person's private life. They will ask what they feel and what's happened in the last few days. The test also includes a cognitive evaluation, which focuses on the person's ability to think clearly and recall information. The person could be asked to complete basic tasks, such as focussing 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 good choices. The test determines a person's awareness, which is the understanding of their condition and how it affects them. The attitude of the patient towards himself, others and the illness is also an important element of a mental assessment. The patient's tone of voice, facial expression and body language can indicate anger, hostility, depression or a sense of powerlessness. It is important to observe whether the patient appears to be seeking help or accepting their situation. In more serious cases the mental health assessment might include an examination of the patient's mental state, which could involve hallucinations (false sensory perceptions without real stimuli) or illusions (misperceptions of real stimuli). These conditions can be harmful and even fatal. In general the mental health assessment should take a holistic approach and consider the person's relationship to their social world. A health professional might use images, music, art or a variety of electronic assessment tools to help understand the person and their unique view of the world around them. They should also discuss the issues that led to the person to seek help, and assure that there is nothing wrong with seeking out an expert in mental health.