Holistic care goes beyond the biological needs of an individual. Incorporeal needs such as the mind and spirit should also be fully assessed in order to determine one's overall well-being. Mental status cannot be evaluated by simply listening to one's heart or lung sounds; it requires a more in-depth observation and interpretation of one's behavior. This includes the study of consciousness, language, mood and affect, orientation, attention, memory, abstract reasoning, and thought process (Jarvis, 2016). It is important to analyze mental status in a health assessment because an individual's mental state affects how that person cares for themselves, cope with stressors, function at work and manage social relationships.
The mental status examination …show more content…
Even before any words are exchanged between the patient and the nurse, the patient's posture, clothing choices, grooming and hygiene, and whether body movements are smooth and voluntary can already be noted. To assess behavior, consider the patient's level of consciousness and facial expression. He or she should be alert, respond appropriately, maintain adequate eye contact, and clearly articulate at a moderate pace. Inquiring about how the patient feels today can give the nurse a glimpse of the patient's mood and affect and determine whether the person is willing to cooperate in the examination. Next, cognitive functions evaluate the individual's orientation (time, place, and person), attention span, and memory. Attention span can be tested by giving the patient a set of directions, such as, "Please hold this water bottle in your right hand, take a sip, shift it to your left hand, and place it back on the table." Pay attention to whether the patient completes the tasks in the exact given order. Patients who are experiencing anxiety, fatigue, or under the influence of drugs may perform poorly on this test. Recent and remote memory can be assessed by asking what he or she ate in the past 24 hours or to describe past events such as first job, birthday and anniversary
The mental status examination …show more content…
Even before any words are exchanged between the patient and the nurse, the patient's posture, clothing choices, grooming and hygiene, and whether body movements are smooth and voluntary can already be noted. To assess behavior, consider the patient's level of consciousness and facial expression. He or she should be alert, respond appropriately, maintain adequate eye contact, and clearly articulate at a moderate pace. Inquiring about how the patient feels today can give the nurse a glimpse of the patient's mood and affect and determine whether the person is willing to cooperate in the examination. Next, cognitive functions evaluate the individual's orientation (time, place, and person), attention span, and memory. Attention span can be tested by giving the patient a set of directions, such as, "Please hold this water bottle in your right hand, take a sip, shift it to your left hand, and place it back on the table." Pay attention to whether the patient completes the tasks in the exact given order. Patients who are experiencing anxiety, fatigue, or under the influence of drugs may perform poorly on this test. Recent and remote memory can be assessed by asking what he or she ate in the past 24 hours or to describe past events such as first job, birthday and anniversary