How Much Can Assessing Mental Health Experts Earn?
Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health
Mental health assessments often include a physical exam to rule out physical ailments. This could involve blood tests, urine tests or brain scans.
Psychologists use a variety of tools for assessing mental health. These tools vary from pencil and paper test forms, to in-depth interviews or self-completed questionnaires for postal mail.
Mood and affect
The affect and mood are the most significant elements of the mental state exam (MSE) and are the first things to be observed by the medical professional. They are the general mood that can range from joy to sadness, or even irritability to anger. The effect can be analyzed through facial expressions, overall behavior and reaction to internal or external stimuli. You can express your feelings by smiling at an absurd joke, or crying when you lose a loved one.
Affect is a feeling that lasts only a few minutes but mood is a more long-lasting emotional state. It is usually described as euthymic (normal) or dysphoric, which translates to depressed. Professionals in psychiatry must be careful to avoid confusion between the terms, as they are defined differently and can be affected by a variety of factors.
The MSE can be a useful tool for diagnosing clinical problems however it is difficult to interpret based on an individual patient's report. It is therefore beneficial to ask patients how they've been feeling in the last few weeks, rather than using only the observation of a physician. A recent study revealed that a significant percentage of symptoms, including those that fall under the same disorder category, differ between assessment tools. This can be because of the different emphasis placed on emotional or cognitive symptoms, as well as the different the time intervals and frequency of symptom reporting.
It is possible that the MSE relies solely on self-reporting, which could be biased. For instance, a person who complains of anxiety and headaches will likely report less than a patient who reports only the sensation of a headache. In addition there is an inclination for patients to downplay negative feelings and overestimate the severity of positive emotions.
Affect and mood have a direct impact on the content of thoughts which influences decision-making, interpersonal behaviour and physical performance. They are affected by stress, fatigue and social interactions. A positive mood can enhance creativity and mental power. A mood that is negative can cause confusion and reduce concentration. A thorough and meticulous mental health evaluation must take into account both the patient's mood and affect and the fundamental factors.
Thought content
Examining the way a patient thinks is among the most important aspects of a mental health exam. Assessment of the thought process and its content. The thought process is the coherence, logic, and organization of a patient’s thoughts. Normal thought processes are rational and focused on goals. Thought processing can be distorted in a variety of mental health conditions. Examples include hallucinations, delusions and loose associations.
A mental status examination also assesses the quality of insight and judgement. Insight is the ability to identify the presence of an issue, and judgement is the ability to make a considered decision based on information. Both are impaired in several mental health conditions, such as depression and schizophrenia. If a patient has impaired insight and/or judgement is at a higher risk of harming themselves or others. For instance if they are at risk of destroying their home, sensible judgement would tell them to leave the house immediately. However, a patient with impaired judgment might decide to stay in the building and trying to put the fire out.
Thought content is the subject matter, themes and beliefs that a patient has. Examiners will comment on the clarity, connection and the content of the patient's thoughts. They will take note of any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial and also whether the patient is having flashes of ideas (digressions from the subject of conversation). They will also make comments on the pace of a person's thoughts, for instance, whether they seem to be fast or slow.
Other important areas to consider are whether the patient's thoughts are mood and in tune with their environment. A patient with depression might be able to hear angry voices, whereas those suffering from schizophrenia might experience a hallucination that a soothing voice is speaking. Ask the patient if they are experiencing any suicidal or homicidal ideas. These are rare but can be life-threatening and should be taken into consideration in every mental health evaluation.
Observation
A nurse's observation skills are essential to an assessment of mental health. They are a thorough review of behavior, appearance as well as any unusual beliefs or perceptions (such as hallucinations or delusions), mood, and aspects of cognition (including attention to the environment, orientation, memory). A mental state examination for nurses also includes observing mobility, which includes any physical movement such as eating, drinking, brushing teeth or using the toilet, as well as putting on shoes.
The Observation portion of the mental state examination is essential in determining whether a patient poses a risk to them or anyone else. This is determined by assessing whether the patient is moving deliberately in a way that suggests they are in danger of harming themself or someone else.
A thorough assessment of the content of thoughts is also made by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining concerns. It is important to check whether the patient is suffering from suicidal, homicidal, or delusional thoughts.
Global assessment of functioning (GAF) which is a numerical rating between 0 and 100, measures the capacity of an individual 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 important to recognize that observing the behaviour of a patient can cause anxiety. It is therefore important to conduct the procedure in a way that doesn't cause or cause discomfort. mental health assessments is essential that the patient be fully aware of the goal of the observation and the duration of the process.
Nursing observation is an essential ability and should be a key part of the nursing process. However, it should be noted that patients might be dissatisfied with the quality of observation. If they are unable to reach an agreement with staff then they should be able to access an advocate service which can represent their needs and help their discussions on their care. This should be a fundamental part of local observation policy and practice, including the involvement of user groups to ensure that patients are a part in the development of written information and staff training on this aspect of clinical governance.
Questioning
Many people have a hard time talking about their mental health problems however, family members are often able to tell when something is wrong. They can also help the person to take a look at an assessment. These assessments can cover a wide range of topics, including mood, appearance and the thought process. A mental health professional can also ask questions regarding the person's personal life. They will ask what they feel and what's happened in the last few days.
The assessment also includes a cognitive evaluation that is focused on the person's ability to think clearly and recall information. The test subject may ask to complete simple tasks, such as keeping their attention on the list of objects or words as well as storing lists and lists for solving math problems. The test can also check the ability of the individual to make informed decisions and use judgment. The assessment also determines the patient's understanding, which reflects their knowledge of the illness and its effects on them.
Another important component of an assessment of mental health is the patient's attitude towards others, himself and his illness. The patient's tone of voice, facial expression and body language can convey hostility, anger depression or a feeling of powerlessness. It is also important to determine whether the patient appears to be seeking help or resigned to living with their condition.
In more serious situations, an assessment of mental health may include a thorough examination of the patient's thinking which could include hallucinations or even illusions. These conditions can be dangerous and even deadly.
In general the mental health assessment should be holistic and look at the person's connection to their social environment. A health professional might use photographs, music, art or a variety of assessment tools that are electronic to help understand the person and their unique perspective on the world around them. They should also talk to the person about the issues that caused them to seek help and reassure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing an expert in mental health.