A nurse is educating a support group about depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. Which statement accurately describes a symptom of a depressive episode?

Choice B rationale:

Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions is the primary goal of the nursing process during the implementation phase for a patient with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition that requires ongoing management, and interventions are implemented to address both manic and depressive symptoms. By evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, the nurse can determine if the patient's symptoms are improving, worsening, or remaining stable. This information guides further adjustments to the care plan, ensuring that the patient receives the most appropriate and beneficial treatment.

Choice A rationale:

Collecting data about the patient's physical status is an important aspect of the assessment phase, not the implementation phase, of the nursing process. While physical status assessment informs the development of the care plan, the primary focus of implementation is to put the planned interventions into action and evaluate their outcomes.

Choice C rationale:

Planning evidence-based interventions for the patient is a crucial step in the planning phase of the nursing process. During this phase, the nurse identifies interventions that are tailored to the patient's specific needs and based on evidence-based practice. Once the planning is complete, the nurse moves on to implementing the interventions and subsequently evaluating their effectiveness.

Choice D rationale:

Administering pharmacological treatments is an action that falls within the implementation phase of the nursing process. However, it is not the primary goal of this phase for a patient with bipolar disorder. While pharmacological treatments may be part of the interventions, the primary focus is on evaluating the outcomes of these interventions to ensure the patient's symptoms are being effectively managed.

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Choice A rationale:

Documenting signs of psychomotor agitation is crucial when assessing a client with bipolar disorder experiencing a mixed mood state. Psychomotor agitation is a hallmark of mixed states, which are characterized by the simultaneous presence of manic and depressive symptoms. Documenting these signs helps the nurse to monitor the severity of agitation, which can inform the treatment plan and interventions.

Choice B rationale:

Observing the patient's thought content is essential during a mixed mood state assessment. Clients in a mixed mood state may experience racing thoughts, flight of ideas, or rapid speech, which are indicative of the manic component. Conversely, they may also have negative and depressive thought content due to the depressive aspect. Assessing thought content helps the nurse understand the client's mental state and make appropriate clinical judgments.

Choice C rationale:

Assessing the patient's physical status is a high-priority assessment aspect. Clients in a mixed mood state can exhibit a range of physical symptoms, including changes in sleep patterns, appetite disturbances, and psychomotor agitation. These physical manifestations are integral to the overall presentation of the mixed mood state and contribute to the formulation of an effective care plan.

Choice D rationale:

Measuring the patient's weight and height is not directly relevant to assessing a client with bipolar disorder experiencing a mixed mood state. While monitoring a patient's weight and height might be important for general health assessments, they are not specific priorities when evaluating the symptoms of a mixed mood state.

Choice E rationale:

Monitoring signs of flat affect is not a primary priority when assessing a client with bipolar disorder experiencing a mixed mood state. Flat affect is more commonly associated with depressive states rather than mixed states. While it's important to consider affect, other symptoms like psychomotor agitation and thought content are more indicative of a mixed mood state.