ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE - NURSING

Alternative Medicine - Nursing

Alternative Medicine - Nursing

Nick, a single, 25-year-old African American man, suddenly started crying and blurted out that he was very depressed and was thinking about a suicide attempt he had made when he felt this way as a teenager. His doctor referred him for a psychiatric evaluation. Nick is tall, bearded, muscular, and handsome. He is meticulously dressed in a white suit and has a rose in his lapel.

The first step towards making a diagnosis is to ask the patient what is wrong. Then a full history of the presenting condition and other relevant facts should be taken. After this, a general and detailed medical examination with specific focus on the presenting symptoms should be carried out. Nick present with or complain about certain symptoms. These are subjective reports. The physician carries out a medical examination to identify signs related to an illness or the presenting symptoms. The findings from this examination are objective. The general physical examination consists of:

• Basic observations, such as Nick's walk, skin tone, voice intonation and ability to hold a normal conversation.

• Taking the blood pressure and checking for basic signs of disease such as anaemia or swelling of the legs.

• Examining the various organ systems of the body; the heart, lungs, bowels, etc.

For Nick who is suffering with a psychiatric disorder, it is also important that a neurological examination is performed. This examination gives an understanding of the wellbeing of Nick's brain, mental function, nerves and muscles. It is the tool that physicians use to identify structural and psychiatric abnormality. A psychiatric examination is also performed to determine the individual's mental condition. This involves investigating the individual's abilities regarding orientation, attention span, concentration and memory. Any psychopathology must also be identified, for example abnormalities ...