This post will talk about the major depressive disorder (major depression) and its probable nursing diagnosis. Please read below to know about some effective nursing diagnosis for depression along with nursing care plans to help patients cope-up with their condition.
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Major Depression or Major Depressive Disorder – What Is It?
Major depression or major depressive disorder is a condition which categorizes under mood disorders. They mainly occur due to conflicts in a person’s mood and behavior, which hinders their ability to function normally. These disturbances are unlike any normal fluctuations in mood and behavior seen in people.
In most cases, these mental turbulences result due to the following factors.
- Feeling of guilt
- Inability to focus
- Weariness or lethargy
- Experiencing hopelessness
- Feeling helpless
- Loss of their mood reactivity
- Anhedonia
- Persistent sad mood lasting more than 2 (or more weeks)
- Thoughts of self-harm and harming others
- And suicidal thoughts (which occurs in 15% of patients suffering from major depressive episodes)
This medical condition is also known as Unipolar Major Depression. And it is a prevalent condition seen in lots of people.
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Probable Nursing Diagnosis for Depression with NCP
Nursing diagnosis for depression defines as a clinical evaluation of a patient’s response to their mental and health condition. It analysis how a patient reacts to different life processes and their existing weaknesses for that response!
Such a nursing diagnosis for depression helps determine the appropriate nursing interventions/medications for struggling patients to achieve the desired outcomes. These nursing diagnoses rely on the relevant data of the patient through their assessment. And that helps nurses come up with a suitable care plan for their recovery.
Here’s Looking into some effective nursing diagnosis for depression with Nursing Care Plans for Major Depression!
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1. Condition 1 – Patients Suffering From Chronic Low Self-Esteem
It’s Nursing Diagnosis – Patients who continuously struggle with negative feelings about their capabilities.
The Condition Could Relate To the Following –
- Feeling remorse and guilt repeatedly
- Damaged cognitive self-praise
- Repeated history of past failures
- Due to some neuro-physiological imbalances
- Having no realistic expectations from self
And This Condition Is Probably Seen –
- In patients who considers themselves unable to handle events and situations
- Who consistently struggles with negative thoughts of low self-abilities
- Who express feelings of worthlessness
- In patients who rejects all positive feedback
- Who are unable to identify their memorable past achievements
- And who harshly criticizes themselves repeatedly
The Expected Outcomes –
- Patients will learn to verbalize self-belief and acknowledgment
- They will express a decreased feeling of remorse, self-hate, and shame on a scale of 1-10
- Patients will pick three harsh terms to describe themselves best and will also identify objective conditions to replace them
- They will find out two of their strengths every day and express them without hesitation
- Patients will also show their ability to change their unrealistic expectations from themselves
- They will reveal a zest for life along with their ability to enjoy their present life
- Eventually, patients will demonstrate four non-judgemental traits about them and express two or more characteristics which they wish to improve upon
The Appropriate Nursing Interventions
- Patients will perform personal care activities like self-grooming
- They will engage in fun and easy recreational activities
- After completing a task, they will have to give positive feedback
- Patients will take part in group therapy with other members having the same problem
- They will learn visualization techniques to assist them in replacing all negative self-thoughts with positive and happy ones
- Evaluating the patients’ need for confidence-boosting training tools to help them pursue whatever they want
- Arranging for their desired training via community programs and one-to-one counseling
- Working with patients to determine their cognitive distortions that cause such negative self-verbalizations and self-blame
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2. Condition 2 – Patients Suffering From Disturbed Thought Processes
It’s nursing diagnosis – Patients who demonstrate a disruption in their thought process and perform cognitive activities.
The Condition Could Relate To the Following –
- Devastating life situations
- Long-sustained grief reactions
- Extreme anxiety and prolonged state of depressive mood
- Biochemical or neuro-physical imbalances
- Constant feeling of severe anxiety, fear, and anguish
And This Condition Is Probably Seen –
- In patients showing reduced problem-solving capabilities
- Who suffer from impaired insight
- Patients who suffer from memory deficits and retention problems
- Patients with the inability to pay attention for long
- Who suffers from the state of hypervigilance
- Who are unable to come up with independent thoughts
- Patients who cannot interpret their surrounding environment
- Who suffers from negative ruminations
- And those with impaired judgment and decision making
The Expected Outcomes –
- Patients will practice to process thoughts, information and make decisions accordingly
- They will share two irrational thoughts about themselves and 2 for others at every day’s end
- Patients will learn to recall recent information accurately
- They will remember to keep their daily appointments and to participate in thought-provoking activities
- They will also not forget to groom themselves without any or with minimal reminders
- Patients will identify their negative feelings and learn to counter them with positive intentions over two weeks
- Patients will demonstrate examples proving that their short-term memory and ability to retain concentration has improved
- They will display a more cohesive thought process along with their improved capability to make sound decisions when interacting with the nurse
The Appropriate Nursing Interventions
- Patients will get ample time to think and then rephrase their thoughts and feelings using simple, concrete phrases
- They will get more time to finish off their daily activities like eating, grooming, bathing, dressing and so on
- Patients in an extreme depressive state will get minimal responsibilities to reduce anxiety, remorse, and pressure
- Patients will practice identifying their negative feelings and learn to overcome them with a healthier and more positive outlook on life
- Nurses will involve family members to structure an environment with appropriate activities and predictable routines that are easier to remember and meet
3. Condition 3 – Patients Who Are At High Risk of Inflicting Self-Harm or Thoughts of Death
It’s nursing diagnosis – Patients at more risk of suicide attempt(s) and who demonstrate signs of being physically, mentally, and sexually harmful to others.
The Condition Could Relate To the Following –
- Loneliness
- Substance abuse
- Extreme personality disorder
- Social isolation
- Helplessness
- Hopelessness
- And Anhedonia
And This Condition Is Probably Seen –
- In patients who have a suicidal plan(s) and have known to take violent attempts previously
- Who show suicidal tendencies by whatever available means
- And in those who can very well attempt suicidal projects once their depression lifts momentarily
The Expected Outcomes –
- Patients will receive help from a registered nurse whenever they demonstrate self-violence impulses
- Patients will show other ways to deal with their emotional depression and negative feelings
- They will comply with any treatment and medication inside the next 2-weeks
- Patients will admit that they wish to live
- Patients will cease to inflict any harm to self and others
- They will point out 2-3 people whom they can rely on emotional support and guidance whenever they have thoughts of self-harm
- They will demonstrate satisfaction with their present social situations and realizations of life goals
The Appropriate Nursing Interventions
- Encouraging patients to unhesitantly express their feelings of anger, hatred, remorse and come up with other ways to overcome it
- Identifying the level of suicide risks in patients and taking precautionary measures accordingly
- Monitoring the medicine supply availability in 3-day intervals
- Encouraging patients take part in therapeutic meetings be it at a clinic or inside the hospital
- Contacting the family members to help patients diminish their feelings of hopelessness, isolation, and worthlessness
- Arranging for a safe environment for patients showing higher risks of suicidal tendencies with constant supervision
- Implementing a no-suicide contract to reinforce the patients’ actions whenever they have feelings of suicide
4. Condition 4 – Patients with Impaired Social Interactions
It’s nursing diagnosis – Patients suffering from ineffective social exchanges or interactions.
The Condition Could Relate To the Following –
- Anergia – (which means a lack of motivation or energy)
- Feeling helpless and worthless
- Fear of abandonment or rejection
- Lacking any support system from friends and family members
- Conflicting thought processes
And This Condition Is Probably Seen –
- In patients having verbal discomfort in social scenarios
- Patients who continue to avoid any contact with other people, senses seclusion and is afraid to make eye contact
- Who has a dysfunctional relationship with their family, friends, relatives, and others
- And who’s family and peers have reported a change in their style and pattern of speaking and interacting over a period
The Expected Outcomes –
- Patients will engage in one activity by day’s end
- They will discover feelings which lead to inappropriate social interactions
- They will take part in social leisure activities and community interactions (like going to church)
- Patients will also mingle with their siblings, friends and other known acquaintances
- Patients will voluntarily take part in group/one-to-one therapeutic sessions within the hospital
- They will even verbalize that they enjoyed mingling and communicating with others as they did before entering into the depressive state
- Patients will even point out 2-3 of their behavior which could prevent others from communicating or making contact
- Plus, they will also talk about 2-3 alternative ways to resort to when wanting to withdraw
The Appropriate Nursing Interventions –
- Making patients take part in activities which don’t require much thinking like board games, drawing
- Involving patients in minimal mobile activities like walking
- Making them take part in one-to-one activity when they’re in their most depressive state
- Slowly involving patients more in group activities such as art therapy, group interactions, dancing therapy and so on
- Invariably maximizing the patients’ contact with family members and others
- Referring to the patient and family for self-help groups in the community to gain support and strength from others around
Important Advice
Along With These, Prescribed Medicinal Procedures Should Be Followed Without Lapses
In addition to psychiatric mental health nursing, one must follow the doctor’s prescribed medicines without any lapses.
Major depression is a severe condition for anyone to be can be affected by this. Henceforth, to accomplish a proper nursing diagnosis for depression, patients must be treated with utmost care and dedication.
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