Mental Health Nursing - Assessing Mental Health Mental health assessments often include a physical exam, to rule out physical conditions This can include urine tests, blood test or even brain scans Psychologists utilize a variety tools to assess 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 Mood and affect Mood and affect are among the most significant elements of the mental state examination MSE and are the first thing to be observed by a doctor They are the most accurate indicators of a patient's emotional tone This could vary from joy to sadness or anger and irritability The effect can be analyzed through facial expressions, overall behavior and reaction to internal or external stimuli smiling at the joke or crying over the loss of a loved one Affect is a feeling that lasts only a few minutes, whereas mood is a more sustained emotional state It is usually described as either euthymic normal or dysphoric, which translates to depressed Psychiatric professionals should be careful to avoid confusion between the two terms because they are interpreted differently and are affected by various factors While the MSE is a valuable diagnostic tool but it can be difficult to interpret based on subjective patient report It is therefore helpful to inquire about how patients have been feeling in the last few weeks, as opposed to relying on physician observation only A recent study found that a significant proportion of symptoms, even those that fall within the same disorder category, vary between assessment tools This could be due to the different emphasis on emotional or cognitive symptoms, as well as the different the time intervals and frequency of reporting symptoms It is possible that the MSE relies on self-reports which could be susceptible to bias For instance, a person who complains of anxiety and headaches will likely report an lower score than a person who describes only a headache In addition, there is the tendency for patients to minimize negative emotions and overestimate the severity of positive ones The mood and the affect of a person can have an impact on the content of thought This could affect decision-making, interpersonal behavior, and physical performance They can be affected by stress, fatigue social interactions, world events, hormones and the weather A positive mood can actually increase creativity and mental strength A mood that is negative can cause confusion and lower concentration Therefore, a careful and thorough mental health assessment needs to take into account the patient's mood and state of mind as in addition to the underlying causes Thought content One of the most essential aspects of a mental health examination is to determine how the patient thinks Assessment of the thought process and its content The thought process is the coherence, logic and structure of the patient's thoughts Normal thought processes are logical and focused on a goal Thought processing can be distorted in a variety of mental health conditions Examples include hallucinations and delusions as well as loose associations Insight and judgement are assessed during a mental state test Insight is the ability to recognize that there is a problem, and judgement is the ability to make a considered decision based on information Both can be impaired by several mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and depression Patients with impaired insight or judgement is more likely to harm themselves or others If https//jsfiddlenet/rubtune17/6kvx14dq/ are in danger, their rational judgment would advise them to leave the house immediately However, a person with impaired judgment may decide to stay in the building and trying to put the fire out Thought content includes the topics, subjects and beliefs that a patient holds Typically, examiners discuss the clarity, connection and quality of a patient's thought They will note tangential thoughts or those that are merely circumstantial, and in the event that the patient's thoughts diverge digressions away from the topic of the conversation They will also comment on the speed of someone's thoughts, such as whether they appear fast or slow It is also crucial to determine if the patient's mood matches the environment in which they live For instance, a patient who is depressed might hear voices that are angry and threatening, while someone suffering from schizophrenia could experience a hallucination of an ethereal and calm voice The patient should be questioned about any homicidal or suicidal thoughts Although these are rare, they can be life-threatening and must be considered in every mental health assessment Watching The ability of nurses to observe is vital in an assessment of mental health They are a thorough review of appearance, behaviour and any strange beliefs or perceptions such as hallucinations or delusions, mood, and aspects of cognition including attention to orientation, attention memory A mental state examination for nurses also incorporates observation of motility, including any physical movement such as eating or drinking, brushing your teeth using the toilet and wearing shoes The Observation component of the mental health exam is an essential element of determining whether or not the patient could pose an imminent risk to themselves or others This is determined by assessing if the patient appears to be moving in a deliberate manner that suggests they are about harm themselves or another person A detailed assessment of the thought content is also accomplished by observing the patient during the interview and determining their thoughts and concerns It is important to check whether the patient is suffering from suicidal, homicidal or delusional thoughts A global assessment of functioning GAF is an assessment of a numerical score on a scale from 100 to 0 that measures the capacity of a person to perform in daily life along with their ability to deal with the stresses in their lives The GAF is a vital component of the mental health examination and helps to guide treatment decisions It is important to understand that observing the behavior of a patient may cause distress Therefore, it is essential to conduct the procedure in a manner that does not cause discomfort or make the patient feel uncomfortable It is important that the patient be fully aware of the reason for the observation and the duration of the procedure Nursing observation is an important ability and should be a key element of the nursing process It is crucial to keep in mind that patients might disagree on the level of observation If they cannot come to an agreement with staff, they should be able to access an advocate service to represent their interests and assist them in any discussions regarding their care This should be a component of the local policy and practice, with the involvement and the support of groups of patients Questioning Many people are reluctant to talk about their mental health issues, but their family members are often able to tell when something is amiss They can also encourage the person to take a look at an assessment These tests can be a variety of subjects such as mood, appearance and thought process A mental health professional could also ask questions regarding the person's personal life They will ask them what they have been feeling and what has happened recently The test also includes a cognitive assessment that focuses on the ability of the individual to think clearly and remember information The test subject may ask to complete simple tasks, such as focusing their attention on the list of objects or words, memorizing simple lists or solving math problems The test can also be used to check the individual's judgment and ability to make informed choices The test also evaluates the patient's understanding, which reflects their knowledge of their illness and its impact on them Another vital aspect of a mental health assessment is the patient's attitude towards others, himself and his illness The tone of voice, facial expression, and body expressions of a patient could signal depression, anger or a sense of helplessness It is also important to know whether the patient appears to be seeking help or is content living with their health condition In more serious instances, a mental health assessment might include an assessment of the patient's thinking that could include hallucinations false sensory perceptions that do not correspond to real stimuli or illusions misperceptions of real stimuli These conditions can be harmful and even fatal A mental health assessment must be holistic and focus on the person's interaction with their social world A health professional may employ art, music, photos or a variety of electronic assessment tools to better understand the person and their unique perspective on the world around them They should also talk to the person about the challenges that have caused them to seek help and assure them that there is nothing wrong with seeing a mental health professional