Conducting a Mental Status Exam
Initial Post
I need help writing my essay – research paper view and select one of the patients depicted in the following videos. Both patients have different diagnoses and presentations—the diagnosis is apparent from the titles and not the focus of the assignment.
The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the patient and write up a mental status exam on what you observe in the video that you choose.
Your initial post should identify which video you have chosen and should include a detailed mental status exam write-up of that patient. The intent of this exercise is to help you to develop your skills in the assessment of a patient’s mental status and documentation of the mental status exam. Make sure you know the components of a thorough mental status exam prior to completing this assignment. Your texts have many good examples.
Videos to Watch
I need help writing my essay – research paper watch the following video clips and write up a mental status of the patients:
· Nathan, Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Episode, Severe, Depression Assessment (17:27 minutes)
o Nathan, Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Episode, Severe, Depression Assessment Video Transcript
· Mania (4:20 minutes)
o Mania Video Transcript
______________________
I chose to watch the video of Nathan, Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Episode, Severe, Depression Assessment.
Appearance and General Behavior
Nathan is a 45-year-old male who presents to the emergency department with complaints of depression. He is well-groomed and dressed in clean, appropriate clothing. He is sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands and appears to be crying. When I approach him, he looks up at me with sad eyes and says, “I just can’t do this anymore.”
Level of Consciousness and Attention
Nathan is alert and oriented to person, place, and time. He is able to follow simple commands and answer questions appropriately.
Motor and Speech Activity
Nathan’s motor activity is slow and deliberate. He speaks in a soft voice and his speech is slow and halting.
Mood and Affect
Nathan’s mood is depressed. He reports feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless. His affect is congruent with his mood.
Thought and Perception
Nathan’s thought process is linear and logical. He is not experiencing any hallucinations or delusions.
Attitude and Insight
Nathan is cooperative and expresses a desire to get help. He acknowledges that he is depressed and that his symptoms are interfering with his life.
Reaction Evoked in the Examiner
Nathan’s presentation evokes feelings of sadness and empathy in me. I feel a sense of urgency to help him.
Higher Cognitive Abilities
Nathan’s cognitive abilities are intact. He is able to remember recent events and to calculate simple problems.
Overall Impression
Nathan is a 45-year-old male with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, recurrent episode, severe. He is experiencing significant symptoms of depression, including sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness. His symptoms are interfering with his life and he is seeking help.
