title: Formulation and testing of a nursing assessment form for mental patients as a basis for individualized nursing care.
abstract: The study described here was designed to develop and test a form of nursing assessment of mental patients for use as a basis for individualized holistic nursing care in any setting. Nursing assessment was made of 581 mental patients receiving care in either mental hospitals, psychiatric departments of general hospitals or in mental health centres. Subjects were observed, interviewed and asked to complete a structured assessment form. Major variables studied were physical nursing problems/needs with nine categories, psychosocial nursing problems/needs with nine categories, sex, age, and physical and psychiatric disorders. Data were analysed with frequency distribution and comparative techniques, correlational procedures, and the multiple linear regression statistical procedure. The frequency distribution of psychiatric diagnoses showed that schizophrenic disorders were the most frequent in the total sample. However, there were more depressive patients in the general hospital group. Physical nursing problems/needs were significantly related with psychosocial nursing problems/needs, affective-depressive disorders, sex and age as well as negatively related with psychotic and anxiety disorders. Psychosocial nursing problems/needs were significantly related with schizophrenic and psychotic disorders, physical disorders and with the younger age groups. It was concluded that the psychiatric nursing assessment should encompass the areas of personal characteristics, and physical and psychological problems of the patient, and thus lead to practicing psychiatric nursing, that is, holistic psychosomatic nursing.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raya
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mantas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Priami
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrea
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brokalaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kyritsi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Androulaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*