Title: Care of Clients with Mood Disorders
Course: NUR 1521C Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing > Section: Module 4

Mood disorders have serious impact on society ranging from personal and family suffering to occupational impairment and expensive economic costs.  For these reasons, mood disorders are viewed as major public health problems.  Mood disorders are classified under the two major categories of depression and bipolar disorders. Depression is the fourth ranked illness in the world.

Mood fluctuations are experienced by most people and are not considered dysfunctional because they are triggered responses to life’s experiences such as grief.  Mood states of depression and elation are maladaptive, however, when they persist and interfere with an individual’s ability to function.  Physiological, behavioral, social, spiritual, and cognitive functioning is affected when the mood state is maladaptive. Suicide can be the result of untreated mood disorders. This unit explains how to best use the nursing process when providing care to clients with mood disorders.

Learning Outcomes: ADN Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

- Use effective communication skills appropriate for nursing.
- Apply clinical judgment in providing care throughout the lifecycle using the nursing process.
- Demonstrate a commitment to ethical/legal practice and continuous learning for personal and professional growth.
- Provide competent and safe client care in health care settings.
- Engage in teaching and learning with clients throughout the lifecycle.

Objectives

- Differentiate between the clinical types of mood disorders and the subgroups of each. (SLO#1)
- Explain biological and psychosocial theories of etiology related to mood disorders. (SLO#1)
- Utilize important assessment data and assessment tools related to mood disorders. (SLO#1,2,4)
- Identify assessment for depression and bipolar disorders. (SLO#1)
- Formulate nursing diagnoses, goals and expected outcomes, and evaluation for clients with mood disorders.(SLO#1,2,4)
- Clarify nursing interventions appropriate for clients with mood  disorders. (SLO#1,2,4)
- Identify the various medications, side effects, and teaching needs for clients with mood disorders. (SLO#1,5)
- Explain treatment options such as electroconvulsive therapy, light therapy and other non-pharmacological treatments available to clients experiencing mood disorders. (SLO#1,5)
- Give examples of teaching plans for client and family teaching related to mood disorders. (SLO#1,5)
- Explain the importance of knowledge about epidemiological factors related to suicide. (SLO#1)
- Identify key elements and tools used to assess suicide risk. (SLO#1,2)
- Select nursing diagnoses, interventions and evaluation for a suicidal client. (SLO#1,2,3,4)
- Identify key elements of suicide precautions, safety contracts and environmental safety factors in the hospital.(SLO#1,2,3,4)
- Interpret grief and loss and prioritize ways to help clients successfully mourn. (SLO#1,2,4)

Reading Assignments

Varcarolis,E.; Halter, M,. (2010). Foundations of Mental Health Nursing (6th ed.) St. Louis Missouri: Saunders/Elsevier.

- Chapter 13 Mood Disorders: Depression
- Chapter 14 Mood Disorders: Bipolar
- Chapter 24 Suicide
- Chapter 32 Grieving

Recommended Reading

Varcarolis,E.(2006). Manual of Psychiatric Nursing Care Plans (5th ed.)
St. Louis Missouri: Saunders/Elsevier

- Chapter  6 Depressive Disorders
- Chapter  7 Bipolar Disorders
- Chapter 16 Suicide Behaviors
- Chapter 18 Grieving and Dysfunctional Grieving

Internet Resources

- Note related web sites in textbook.
- Hospice Foundation