Wk 9 assignment 1 | Nursing homework help
The HPI (History of Present Illness) for the client is as follows: The client is a 41 year old female who presented to her primary care physician with complaints of difficulty sleeping, low energy levels, feeling overwhelmed by life and lack of motivation. She reported having had these symptoms for about 6 months and that they have been getting worse in recent weeks. She also reported having episodes of mild depression throughout her adult life but has never sought out help until now.
The clinical impression from this information is that the client may be suffering from some form of major depressive disorder; however, further assessment will be needed to determine the exact diagnosis and what course of treatment would be most appropriate. A thorough physical exam should be conducted along with laboratory testing to rule out any physiological causes for the patient’s symptoms such as hormonal imbalances or deficiencies in essential vitamins or minerals that could contribute to her mood changes. Additionally, a mental health assessment should also be completed which would involve an in-depth evaluation into past medical history, family history, current stressors and symptoms experienced so far. This should include administering screening tools such as Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) if applicable in order to gain more insight into the severity and type of depressive episode being experienced by the patient. Based on all these factors combined, an accurate diagnosis can then be reached and appropriate management plan devised accordingly.