Geriatric Depression Inventory
Student will engage the geriatric patient, age 60 or older, in an assessment interview with a focus on completing a geriatric depression scale and a mental status examination.
The student will submit a type-written summary, including, but not limited to the following:
Describe the setting for the interview.
How did I engage the patient to complete the interview?
Completed Scored Geriatric Depression Scale (Sheikh/Yesavage, 1986).
Results of the Mental Status Examination. (Each of the 17 categories of the Mental Status Exam must be fully described and not simply rated as “good”, “normal” “appropriate” etc. Write a few sentences justifying (describing) how or why you came to your conclusion.
Describe your clinical impressions of the interview. (As an RN, what is your overall impression of the patient? Is there early dementia. Does the MSE support the results of the depression scale? Do you think referrals need to be made?)
Outline a plan of treatment for the depressed geriatric patient. You should have multiple interventions with the rationale explained for each intervention. (see grading rubric) You should try to find an individual who is, in fact, depressed. If the person you interview is not depressed according to their score, you must still outline a plan of treatment that would be appropriate if they were depressed. You may not just skip this component. It is an optimal learning experience if the person you assess is not depressed, that you seek out and assess another individual who is in fact depressed rather than outline a plan of treatment that would be appropriate if there was depression.
Explain my countertransference reaction to the patient.
Categories of the Mental Status Examination
General appearance
Behaviors during the interview
Social skills
Motor activity
Speech patterns
Concentration and attention span
Orientation
Memory
Intellectual functioning
10. Affect
11. Mood
Thought clarity
Thought content
Thought processes
Insight
Judgment
Motivation
Grading Guidelines for the Geriatric Depression Inventory
Criteria
Exceeds Expectations
= 4
Meets Expectations
= 3
Meets Most Expectations
= 2
Does Not Meet Expectations
= 1
Assignment Not Accepted
= 0
Followed the Directions for the Assignment
All aspects of the assignment were completed at an exceptional level
All aspects of the assignment were adequately completed
Most aspects of the assignment were adequately completed
Aspects of the assignment were missing, incomplete or poorly addressed.
Assignment not turned in on due date
Spelling and Grammar
No spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors
One to two spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors.
Three to five spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors.
Six to eight spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors
Grammar, punctuation, and/or spelling are poor. Document is difficult to read and/or it is unclear what the author is describing.
Mental Status Exam
Complete with full descriptions for the categories of the MSE at an exceptional level
Adequate descriptions for all categories of the MSE
Adequate descriptions for most categories of the MSE
Minimal description for categories of the MSE
Missing categories of the MSE
Treatment Plan
Comprehensive and congruent with the patient at an exceptional level. Seven or more implemen-tations
Comprehensive and congruent for the patient. Seven or more implemen-tations
Adequate for the patient. Seven or more implemen-tations
Aspects of the treatment plan were missing, incomplete, or poorly addressed.
Treatment plan not appropriate or personalized for the patient.
The following scale will be used when translating the score from the grading rubric to the Clinical Evaluation Tool.
Score on the grading rubric
Score on the Clinical Evaluation Tool
14– 16 points
4
10 – 13 points
3
6 – 9 points
2
3 – 5 points
1
0 – 2 points
0
