Nursing Depression Care Plan

Depression is a treatable disease.

Nursing Assessment of Depression

The nurse will assess depression according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 identifies three types of depression:

• Major depressive disorder (MDD)
• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
• Bipolar disorder

Goals and Outcomes for Depression

• Reduce symptoms of depression.
• Enhance the quality of life of the patient.
• Reduce the risk of suicide.
• Improve the patient’s ability to function in daily activities.
• Improve the patient’s ability to care for themselves and/or others (depending on age, level of functioning and diagnosis).
• Improve interpersonal relationships with family members, friends or other persons who interact with them regularly (elderly patients only).

Interventions for Depression

Interventions for Depression

• Medications: Antidepressants can reduce depressive symptoms, but their effectiveness may be limited. Up to 40% of people with depression don’t respond to antidepressants and are considered non-responders. Many factors contribute to poor response including pre-existing positive life circumstances, a significant personality trait called neuroticism, and the presence of other medical illnesses like heart disease.
• Talk therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered by many experts as the treatment of choice for depression when combined with medication; however, CBT alone also has been shown to be effective in treating milder forms of depression without medications. Through “dysfunctional” thought patterns or behaviors are identified and restructured into more adaptive ones that help individuals achieve their goals.
• Exercise: Exercises such as running or swimming can increase endorphin levels in the brain which helps relieve stress hormones that have been linked with negative moods like sadness or irritability during times when you’re feeling depressed (also known as dysthymia). However this type of exercise should not replace regular visits with your psychiatrist since too much exercise alone may worsen symptoms while under treatment!

Patient Education for Depression

Depression is a treatable disease, not a character flaw. Although depression cannot be cured, it can be treated. There are many medications and non-medication therapies that can help with the symptoms of depression. Depression is not a sign of weakness or personal failure. It does not mean that you have failed as a person or are inherently bad in some way; rather, it means your brain chemistry has been disrupted by chemical imbalances caused by stress or other factors such as genetics and environmental influences like diet, exercise and sleep patterns (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Depression is a treatable disease.

Depression is a treatable disease. In fact, depression is one of the most treatable of all mental disorders and is responsive to a variety of medications and psychotherapeutic interventions.

It’s important to understand that although depression can be treated, it’s not a weakness or character flaw. Depression isn’t a sign of personal failure or weakness; it’s an illness just like diabetes or heart disease—it requires treatment but doesn’t make you “less than.”