Mood and Affect
This is the patient's internal, subjective emotional state.
What is mood?
A patient must have symptoms for at least this long before meeting criteria for Major Depressive Disorder.
What is 2 weeks?
True or False: Asking a patient about suicide increases the likelihood they will attempt suicide.
What is FALSE?
This postpartum condition commonly occurs within days of delivery and typically resolves within two weeks.
What are the postpartum blues?
This affect is characterized by rapid and unpredictable shifts in emotional expression.
What is labile affect?
This term describes the outward, observable expression of emotion.
What is affect?
This screening tool is commonly used to assess depression severity.
What is the PHQ-9?
This behavior involves deliberate self-harm without the intent to die.
What is Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)?
Persistent sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and anhedonia occurring after childbirth are characteristic of this condition.
What is postpartum depression?
Name one risk factor that increases the likelihood of mood disturbances.
What is genetics/family history, trauma, chronic illness, stress, substance use, or social isolation?
A patient presents with a flat affect and reports persistent sadness. What is the nurse's priority assessment intervention?
What is assessing the duration, severity, and effect of the mood disturbance on daily functioning?
Using SIGMECAPS, the "I" stands for this symptom.
What is loss of interest (anhedonia)?
When assessing suicide risk, nurses should ask about these four critical components.
What are ideation, plan, means, and intent?
This screening tool is commonly used to assess postpartum depression.
What is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)?
A patient sleeps 12 hours a day, misses work, and says, "Nothing matters anymore." What is the nurse's highest priority concern?
What is safety? What is suicide risk?
Name two neurotransmitters associated with mood regulation.
What are serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine?
A patient diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder has remained in bed for several days and reports no interest in activities. What nursing intervention is most appropriate?
What is promoting structured activity and engagement while providing support and encouragement?
A patient begins giving away valuable possessions and suddenly seems calm after weeks of hopelessness. These are considered what?
What are warning signs of suicide risk?
Hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and severe disorganized behavior after delivery suggest this psychiatric emergency.
What is postpartum psychosis?
During an assessment, a nurse asks, "You're not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?" Why is this poor practice?
What is it is leading/judgmental and may discourage honest disclosure of suicidal thoughts?
A patient reports feeling happy but is tearful throughout the interview. The nurse would document this type of affect.
What is incongruent affect?
A patient reports fatigue, low mood, weight changes, and irritability. Before assuming depression, the nurse should consider this endocrine disorder that can mimic MDD.
What is a thyroid disorder?
A patient states, "I don't think I'll be a problem much longer." What is the nurse's priority intervention?
What is asking directly about suicidal thoughts and conducting a suicide risk assessment?
A mother reports that God told her her newborn is dangerous. What is the nurse's priority action?
What is ensuring immediate safety and obtaining emergency psychiatric evaluation/hospitalization?
What therapeutic communication technique is most important when discussing self-harm behaviors?
What is using a nonjudgmental, direct, and supportive approach?