Depression is a common mood disorder affecting people worldwide. Unlike brief episodes of sadness or hopelessness, depression is persistent and can affect daily activities like self-care, work performance, and enthusiasm for previously enjoyed hobbies.
A nursing diagnosis for depression is a serious thing. Understanding nursing interventions for depression is vital to developing a nursing care plan based on intervention strategies for each patient’s unique needs.
Let’s dive into how you can learn more about the signs and symptoms of depression, complete a mental health assessment, and develop a nursing care plan that meets your patient’s needs.
Depression, also termed clinical depression or major depressive disorder, can cause many physical and emotional issues impacting the quality of life.
People who suffer from depression may display signs like:
Depression can affect all areas of life, potentially leading to more serious illnesses like substance use, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts or tendencies. The incidence of this mental health disorder is high and can impact men, women, adults, teens, and children.
While not all patients may show all the symptoms listed above, the frequency and duration of these symptoms can significantly limit an individual’s daily functioning and feelings of self-worth.
Patients suffering from these symptoms can likely benefit from a combination of psychotherapy, a designated support system or group, and antidepressant medication management .
The causes of depression are vast and can include several factors, including:
Depression is not something someone can just “snap out of.” This mental health illness can be difficult for patients to verbalize and even feel debilitating. As the first point of contact, nurses like you can learn to recognize this mental illness and create a nursing care plan.
The health care provider (HCP) involved in patient care will follow a series of steps for diagnosing depression.
These steps include:
A nursing care plan for depression is a set of goals designed to help your patient reach optimum health and wellness. With an assessment of your patient’s level of impairment, stressors, and present coping abilities, you can apply individualized outcomes and appropriate interventions in your nursing profession.
Some priority things to consider when creating a nursing care plan for a person with depression symptoms include any previous suicide attempts, suicidal behavior, or a suicide plan. Suicidal tendencies can play a significant role when your patient lacks friends or a support system.
A patient with a high risk of suicide may require hospital supervision, while a low-risk patient may be safe at home with friends or family members.
The nursing care plan you create for your patients’’ depression treatment should include several things, including:
Check out our example below for details on creating a nursing care plan for a patient battling depression.
The following is an example of a psychiatric nursing care plan for a fictional patient who shows symptoms of major depression and disordered eating. This plan documents and provides the patient with a list of goals related to their diagnosis.
Testing & Evaluation
Desired Patient Outcomes
Nursing care plans provide effective interventions and the rationale for each diagnosis in the care plan. These interventions offer suggestions and choices tailored to the patient’s mental illness and personal needs.
The rationale portion is rarely included in the patient’s physical copy of the care plan. Still, it’s a valuable component of mental health nursing and shows future health care providers (HCP) how the interventions are based on the rationale principles.
Nursing interventions for a patient with depression symptoms may appear as the following (rationales for each intervention appear in parentheses):
Working in mental health can be a rewarding experience for nurses. The American Psychiatric Association notes the increasing demand for mental health services will soon outnumber practicing psychiatrists, and the demand for qualified nurses will increase with this shortage.
At SimpleNursing , we help nursing students pass school exams. We have thousands of videos, creative cheat sheets, test-prep questions and their corresponding rationales, and much more.
Join the most trusted global resource for nursing students here .
Education: Associate Degree in Nursing, Cerritos Nursing School Master of Science in Nursing, Capella University | Specialization: Nursing Education
Mike Linares has over a decade of experience in the medical field, beginning with four years as an ambulance worker in Orange County followed by another four years as an EMT, during which he also taught EKG for paramedics.
Education: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Indiana State University Master's of Science in Nursing Management & Leadership, Western Governors University
Mackenzie has spent over a decade leading high-impact nursing programs.