NR 601 Week 6 Mental Health Care Screenings

Sample Answer

Conducting mental health screening is a crucial component of overall health across all stages of life. Psychological manifestations may serve as an indication of specific physiological ailments (Carroll et al., 2020). Specific psychiatric diseases might heighten the likelihood of acquiring physical health complications. This discussion presents the mental health screening methods in my clinical practicum setting.

Clinical Practicum Setting

I am currently completing my clinical practicum in a family practice setting. We offer a holistic approach to patient care, taking into account their mental, social, and physical health. We collaborate closely with patients of all age groups, encompassing both genders, to prioritize their general well-being and foster a lasting connection that facilitates their path toward improved health (Carroll et al., 2020). The majority of the patients we see are, however, the elderly population.

Mental Health Screening Tools

Our family practice clinic utilizes the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a mental health screening tool. The PHQ is a quick questionnaire designed to ask patients how often they encounter problems, including decreased activity pleasure, depressive or dismal sentiments, sleep disruptions, or difficulty focusing (Carroll et al., 2020). The PHQ also asks how these problems affect day-to-day operations. All patients at this institution are not screened for mental health issues except those who exhibit signs of anxiety, sadness, recent loss, divorce, unemployment, or sleeplessness.

Prioritizing mental health screening is essential because it allows for prompt detection and intervention, which closes the support and treatment gap. I would also recommend the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) as additional mental health screening instruments for our healthcare center.

Quality of Mental Health Care

At the family practice office, I have witnessed mental health challenges among older adults who suffer from chronic illnesses and struggle with self-care, individuals who have recently experienced the loss of loved ones or close friends, and those who live in solitude. These patients have received high-quality mental healthcare services. I noticed no disparities or biases during my practicum at the family practice office. In the family practice office, healthcare providers have access to reliable community resources to support older adults dealing with mental illness.

If an elderly individual who has recently experienced a bereavement requires assistance with daily tasks and meal preparation, they can seek support from a local home care agency. These agencies offer a range of services, from round-the-clock live-in care to shorter periods of nursing aid that can assist with activities of daily living (Rhema et al., 2020). Most of the aged population has Medicare, while some older people have Medicaid covering their services.

Screening Opportunities

Older persons are susceptible groups, and chances for mental health screening may be overlooked in a busy general practice clinic. When mental illness is not detected and appropriately treated in primary care settings, opportunities to enhance mental health and overall medical outcomes are lost.

The first adjustment I would make in my present family practice clinic is to test all patients who attend the office for depression rather than screening patients annually and asking PHQ-9 questions during an annual appointment since depression may strike at any moment (Carleton et al., 2019). One additional suggestion is to ensure that all patients, regardless of their risk level for depression, are informed about the helpline. This way, they will be aware of the available support in case they experience feelings of depression.

A considerable number of patients are unaware that a depression hotline exists. It is crucial to educate older adult patients about the importance of screening for depression, as they may mistakenly believe that it is a normal part of aging. Failure to comprehend the concept of screening can lead to the patient being unaware of their condition, resulting in a lack of diagnosis and subsequent absence of necessary treatment.

References

• Carleton, R. N., Afifi, T. O., Turner, S., Taillieu, T., Vaughan, A. D., Anderson, G., Ricciardelli, R., MacPhee, R. S., Cramm, H., Czarnuch, S., Hozempa, K., & Camp, R. D. (2019). Mental health training, attitudes toward support, and screening positive for mental disorders. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 49(1), 55–73. https //doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2019.1575900
• Carroll, H. A., Hook, K., Perez, O. F. R., Denckla, C. A., Vince, C. C., Ghebrehiwet, S., Ando, K., Touma, M., Borba, C. P., Fricchione, G. L., & Henderson, D. C. (2020). Establishing reliability and validity for mental health screening instruments in resource-constrained settings Systematic review of the PHQ-9 and key recommendations. Psychiatry Research, 291, 113236. https //doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113236 Links to an external site.
• Rhema, S. H., Verbillis-Kolp, S., Gray, A. E. L., Farmer, B., & Hollifield, M. (2020). Mental health screening. In Springer eBooks (pp. 215–227). https //doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47668-7_14Links to an external site.