Lecture Notes: Mood and Affect in Nursing

Key Topics

• Differentiation between mood and affect assessment
• Characteristics of normal mood and affect
• Types of mood spectrum disorders
• Characteristics of mood

Self-Concept in Mood and Affect

• Self-concept: How an individual perceives themselves
  • Influences: Relationships, development stage, physical health
• Four main components:
  • Body Image: Self-perception of physical appearance
  • Role Performance: Fulfillment of roles (e.g., student, parent)
  • Personal Identity: Self-visualization, relation to others
  • Self-Esteem: Positive or negative self-view

Psychosocial Nursing Diagnostics

• Nurses cannot diagnose depression but assess mood variations
• Examples of nursing diagnoses:
  • Risk for loneliness (e.g., isolation due to new environment)
  • Compromised family coping (e.g., dealing with terminal illness)
  • Role conflict (e.g., inability to fulfill roles due to illness)

Assessing Mood and Affect

• Mood: Expression of feelings and emotions
• Affect: Display of emotions (e.g., sad expression)
• Observations of behavior and verbal cues
  • Look for safety issues in extreme statements

Anxiety and Its Spectrum

• Anticipation of threat, not immediate issue
• Anxiety levels:
  • Mild: Normal, can motivate
  • Moderate: Focus shifts to anxiety, with physical signs
  • Severe: Unable to relax, heightened physical symptoms
  • Panic: Irrationality, extreme symptoms

Depression

• Maladaptive response to life events
• Causes: Family history, low self-esteem, traumatic loss, etc.
• Nurses identify signs, apply nursing diagnoses for safety
• Emphasis on listening and observing

Mood Spectrum Disorders

• Bipolar Disorders: Alternating depression and mania
  • Bipolar I: Severe mania requiring hospitalization
  • Bipolar II: Episodes of hypomania and depressive episodes
  • Management: Reduce stimuli in manic states

Practice Questions and Scenarios

• Listening to patient concerns is a priority
• Recognizing role performance conflicts in self-concept

Conclusion

• Understanding mood and affect is crucial in nursing
• Encourage open communication and assessment
• Further reading recommended for deeper understanding

• Reach out on discussion boards for clarification and questions.