Question

The nurse is caring for a patient in an inpatient psychiatric facility. Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness?

1) The patient is able to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real."
2) The patient reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety
3) The patient describes difficulty making a decision about whether to change jobs.
4) The patient reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood

Answer 1

Main Answer:

The assessment finding that most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness is:

4) The patient reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.

Explanation:

The key indicator pointing towards a potential mental illness is the patient reporting a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood. This finding suggests a persistent and pervasive emotional state that goes beyond occasional sleeplessness and anxiety (option 2) or difficulty making a decision about changing jobs (option 3). While the ability to describe the difference between "as if" and "for real" (option 1) indicates cognitive functioning, it doesn't necessarily pinpoint the presence of a mental illness.

In the context of psychiatric care, a sustained negative emotional state like persistent sadness is often a significant symptom that warrants attention. Patients reporting such emotions may be exhibiting signs of mood disorders like depression, which is crucial information for the nurse to consider in the overall assessment. Understanding and addressing the emotional well-being of the patient is essential for providing appropriate psychiatric care. Monitoring and addressing persistent sad and hopeless moods can be central to developing an effective care plan tailored to the patient's mental health needs.

Therefore, the correct answer is 4) The patient reports a consistently sad, discouraged, and hopeless mood.