Geriatric Depression Scale
Outcomes addressed in this Assignment:
MN585-03: Formulate an evidence-based management plan for the frail elderly patients in the primary care setting with acute, episodic, and chronic illnesses, taking consideration of gender, culture, and ethnicity.
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to help nurse practitioner students understand the importance of assessing cognitive functioning and mental status with valid and reliable tools.
This assignment focuses on application and interpretation of the Geriatric Depression Scale to assess symptoms of depression in a frail elderly patient.
Please take a moment to watch this Assignment Introduction, or read the presentation transcript.
Instructions
- The student is to complete the Geriatric Depression Scale to assess symptoms of depression in a frail elderly patient. The Geriatric Depression Scale can be downloaded from The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
- Score the patient’s responses to the 15 questions on the Geriatric Depression Scale.
- Prepare a 1 to 2 paragraph summary of the scored Geriatric Depression Scale for the patient medical record and action plan based on the patient’s final score
- Discuss the findings and implications of the Geriatric Depression Scale with the patient
- Describe your area of greatest learning from completing this assignment
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
This assignment focuses on the Geriatric Depression Scale and its application in assessing symptoms of depression in frail elderly patients. As a medical professor, it is important to provide opportunities for students to understand the significance of assessing cognitive functioning and mental status in older patients. This assignment is designed to help students formulate an evidence-based management plan for the frail elderly patients in the primary care setting with acute, episodic, and chronic illnesses, taking consideration of gender, culture, and ethnicity.
Answer:
The assignment requires the student to complete the Geriatric Depression Scale to assess symptoms of depression in a frail elderly patient, score the patient’s responses to the 15 questions on the scale, prepare a summary of the scored scale for the patient medical record and action plan based on the patient’s final score, discuss the findings with the patient, and describe their area of greatest learning from completing the assignment. By completing this assignment, students will learn the importance of using valid and reliable tools in assessing cognitive functioning and mental status in older patients. They will also understand the significance of developing an evidence-based management plan for frail elderly patients in the primary care setting.
#Geriatric #Depression #Scale
