Psychosocial Integrity / Topic 6
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Since COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increased emphasis on mental health. Nonetheless, mental health assessment has always been a fundamental part of nursing care for clients.
In this learning experience, learners will gain knowledge and insights into mental health concepts, specifically focusing on assessing clients for impaired cognition and identifying acute and chronic mental illness, as well as providing appropriate care to these clients.
6.1 Assessment of Clients for Impaired Cognition
Clients with impaired cognition experience disruptions in their cognitive and thinking abilities, operations and activities (Burke, 2023).
Nursing should assess clients for the following signs and symptoms of impaired cognition as identified by Burke (2023):
It is also important to assess clients for primary disorders that can lead to impaired cognition (Burke, 2023), including:
It is important for assessment findings to be thoroughly documented. Nurses and other healthcare team members should work collaboratively to manage the care of clients with impaired cognition.
6.2 Assessment of Clients for Acute and Chronic Mental Illness
Nurses are tasked with assessing clients for both acute and chronic mental health disorders. For a comprehensive understanding, Table 1 offers a detailed list of mental illnesses, along with examples, and key assessment findings for some of them.
Table 1
Acute and Chronic Mental Illnesses and Assessment Findings
Adapted from Burke, A. (2023). Mental Health Concepts: NCLEX-RN. https://www.registerednursing.org/nclex/mental-health-concepts/; Kaplan Nursing. (2023). NCLEX-RN Content Review Guide: Preparation for the NCLEX-RN Examination (9th ed.). Kaplan Test Prep.
Nurses can use the following tools as recommended by Burke (2023), to assess their clients for:
6.3 Providing Care to Clients with Acute and Chronic Psychosocial Issues
Nurses provide care to clients experiencing acute and chronic psychosocial issues that impact their mental health. After assessing their clients for impaired cognition and mental illness, care plans are developed. Burke (2023) outlines key aspects of nursing care for these clients, including:
Upon completing this learning experience, the learner will have acquired a thorough understanding of mental health concepts. The main goals are to prepare learners for successful performance on the NCLEX examination and their clinical competency in mental health care.
After reviewing the resources provided, it is important to identify areas that need further improvement. Focusing on these areas will help in improving the necessary skills for effective mental health care and professional practice.
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