Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health A physical examination is typically included in mental health assessments to rule out any physical issues This could include urine tests, blood test or even brain scans Psychologists employ a variety of tools for assessing mental health They can use tests that are written on paper and pen to deep interviews or self-fill questionnaires sent to you by post Mood and affect Mood and affect are among the most important components of the mental status exam MSE and are the first to be viewed by the medical professional They describe a patient's general emotional tone It can vary from joy to sadness or anger and irritability The degree of affect can be determined by observing facial expressions and overall demeanour as well as the reaction to external or internal stimuli eg smiling at a joke or crying at the loss of a loved one Affect refers to an emotion that is temporary, whereas mood is a state of constant emotion It is typically described as euthymic, or normal, or dysphoric meaning depressed Psychologists should be cautious to not confuse the two terms, as they are defined differently and are affected by various factors The MSE can be a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis however, it can be difficult to interpret based on a subjective patient report It is therefore beneficial to inquire about how patients have been feeling over the last few weeks, instead of using only the observation of a physician Recent research showed that the assessment tools differed in their ability to capture a significant portion of symptoms This included those that were classified under the same disorder This can be due to the differing emphasis on emotional, cognitive or physical symptoms as along with differences in the duration and frequency of reporting symptom reports It is possible that the MSE relies solely on self-reporting which could be biased For instance, a patient who complains of a headache and anxiety is likely to report an lower score than someone who has only a headache Patients tend to minimize negative feelings while exaggerating positive ones Affect and mood directly affect the content of thoughts and can affect decision-making, interpersonal behaviour and physical functioning They can be affected by stress, fatigue, social interactions, world events, hormones, and the weather In reality positive moods have been proven to boost the ability to think and be creative However, a mood that is negative can decrease concentration and cause confusion Therefore, a careful and thorough mental health assessment needs to consider the patient's mood and emotional state as well as the underlying causes Thought content Examining the way a patient thinks is one of the most crucial aspects of a mental state examination Particularly, it is assessing thought process and thought content The thought process is the coherence, logic, and organization of the patient's thoughts Normal thought processes are goal directed and logic-based In a variety of mental health conditions however, the thought process can be altered Examples include hallucinations, delusions, and loose associations Insight and judgement are assessed in a mental status test Insight is the ability to see that there is a problem, and judgement is the ability to make an informed decision when presented with information Both are affected by a variety of mental health issues such as schizophrenia and depression A person who isn't able to see or judgment is more likely to hurt themselves or others For instance, if they are in danger of burning their house down the sensible judgment would tell that they should leave the premises immediately However, a patient with impaired judgment might decide to stay in the building and trying to put out the fire The contents of a patient's mind encompasses the subject matter, themes and beliefs Examiners will assess the clarity, relatedness and the content of the thoughts of the patient They will take note of any thoughts that are tangential or circumstantial or thoughts, and also if the patient is prone to having a flurry of thoughts digressions from the conversation subject They will also provide feedback on the pace at which a person is thinking, for example, if they seem to be faster or slower Other important aspects to consider are whether the patient's thoughts are mood compatible or not in line with their environment Patients suffering from depression may be able to hear angry voices, whereas a person suffering from schizophrenia might experience the illusion that a peaceful voice is speaking Patients should be questioned about any suicidal or homicidal ideation Although they are uncommon but they could be life-threatening and should be considered in every mental health evaluation Observation A nurse's observation skills are essential to an assessment of mental health They are a thorough examination of appearance, behavior as well as any peculiar beliefs or perceptions such delusions or hallucinations, mood, and cognition including memory, attention and orientation 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 component of the mental state exam is an essential element of determining whether a patient may pose the risk to themselves or others This is determined by assessing whether or not the patient appears to be moving deliberately in a way which suggests they are in danger of harming themselves or someone else A detailed assessment of the thought-based content is also made by monitoring the patient during the interview and determining thoughts and concerns It is crucial to determine whether the patient is suffering from suicidal, homicidal or delusional thoughts A global assessment of functioning GAF is a numerical rating on a scale from 0 to 100 that combines the capacity of a person to function in everyday life along with their ability to cope with the stresses in their lives The GAF is an important element of the mental state examination and helps to guide treatment decisions It is important to understand that observing the behaviour of a patient can cause distress Therefore, it is essential that the process be conducted in a way that doesn't cause or cause discomfort It is also vital that the patient is fully informed about the purpose of the observation and the amount of time it will last Nursing observation is a crucial skill that should be a central element of the nursing process It is important to remember that patients may disagree about the level of observation If they cannot reach an agreement with staff, they should be able to access an advocate service that can represent their interests and aid them in any discussions regarding their treatment This should be a fundamental element of the 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 to support this aspect of clinical governance Questioning Many people are reluctant to discuss their mental health issues, but family members are often able to discern when something isn't right They can also help the person take steps to take an assessment These assessments can be a variety of topics that include mood, appearance and thought process In addition to these tests, mental health professionals will also ask the individual questions about their personal life, including what has been going on recently and what their feelings have been like The test also includes a cognitive evaluation that focuses on the ability of the person to think clearly and retain information https//wwwopenlearningcom/u/westhbatchelor-sfp4ht/blog/11FauxPasThatAreActuallyOkayToMakeWithYourPrivateMentalHealthAssessment could be asked to complete simple tasks such as focusing on a list or objects, recollecting lists or completing math problems The test will also test the ability of the individual to make informed decisions and make good judgments The test determines a person's awareness, which is the understanding of their illness and how it affects them Another vital aspect of a mental health assessment is the person's attitude towards the world, himself and his illness The patient's tone of expression, facial expression and body language may convey anger, hostility, depression or a sense of powerlessness It is also important to know whether the patient is seeking help or just living with their health condition In more serious instances the evaluation of mental health might include a thorough examination of the patient's thoughts which could include illusions or hallucinations These conditions can be harmful and even deadly In general, a mental health assessment should be holistic and look at the person's connection to their social world A health professional may employ photographs, music, art or a range of electronic assessment tools 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 have caused them to seek assistance and assure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental health professional