Citation

Plawecki LH, Amrhein DW. J. Gerontol. Nurs. 2010; 36(5): 15-18.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Healio)

DOI

10.3928/00989134-20100330-11

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Depression and suicide are two major mental health problems afecting old-er adults, this country's fastest growing population. As such, more nurses must become educated on assessing their geriatric patients for the signs and symptoms of each. These subjects are very diicult to breach and often are not discussed unless rapport has been established through nurses' use of positive, therapeutic communication. When confronted, professional nurses are placed in the diicult situation between maintaining the patient's privacy or conidentiality, respecting their federally protected health information, and the duty to care for the patient. Open discussion between the nurse and other members of the treatment team is vital to identifying the issue and providing older patients with the mental health care they require. Copyright © SLACK Incorporated.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; United States; Aged; Communication; human; Depression; suicide; Suicide; aged; Safety Management; safety; depression; nursing; Nurse-Patient Relations; psychology; Confidentiality; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatric Nursing; Disclosure; Trust; interpersonal communication; informed consent; health insurance; organization and management; nurse patient relationship; confidentiality; patient advocacy; Patient Advocacy; trust; nurse attitude; Nurse's Role; nursing assessment; Nursing Assessment; geriatric nursing; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; legislation and jurisprudence; procedures; statistics and numerical data; geriatric assessment; Duty to Warn