Nursing unit 8 assignment

Unit 8 Assignment Introduction

Include each of the following in your assignment:

1. Depression Scale

2. Clock Drawing Test

3. Mini-Mental Status Examination

Depression Scale:

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to help nurse practitioner students understand the importance of assessing

cognitive functioning and mental status with valid and reliable tools.

This assignment focuses on application and interpretation of the Geriatric Depression Scale to assess

symptoms of depression in a frail elderly patient.

Instructions

1. Complete the Geriatric Depression Scale on an individual >75 years of age to assess symptoms of

depression in a frail elderly patient. The Geriatric Depression Scale can be downloaded from The

Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing https://consultgeri.org/try-this/general-assessment/issue-4

2. Score the patient’s responses to the 15 questions on the Geriatric Depression Scale.

3. Prepare a 1 to 2 paragraph summary of the scored Geriatric Depression Scale for the patient medical

record and action plan based on the patient’s final score.

4. Discuss the findings and implications of the Geriatric Depression Scale with the patient.

5. Describe your area of greatest learning from completing this portion of the assignment.

Clock Drawing Test

Purpose

One of the greatest challenges for nurse practitioners is determining when a frail elderly patient is no longer

capable of performing certain tasks with safety. For example, this is particularly relevant issue when a frail

elderly patient is still driving and family members do not want to take their car keys away. Nurse practitioners

have a legal and ethical obligation to meet standards of care and while many decisions like taking the driver’s

license of a frail elderly patient may not be popular it is necessary to protect not only the patient but society as

well. The purpose of this assignment is to help the student become familiar with the Clock Drawing Test (CDT)

and determine its relevance and significance in making critical and important decisions in patient care when

dealing with the frail elderly population.

Instructions

1. Administer the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) to an elderly patient > 75 years of age to test the patient’s

executive level of functioning to determine whether or not this patient should be allowed to drive. Submit

School of Nursing

Unit 8 Assignment MN 584

a copy of the CDT result.

2. Score the CDT.

3. Provide a summary report of the CDT Test including planning (circle size), organizing (placement of

numbers) sequencing (inclusion of all numbers in the correct order) and abstraction (hands of the clock

placement and length).

4. Should this patient be allowed to drive? Why/why not?

5. Describe your area of greatest learning from completing this assignment.

Folstein Mini-Mental Status Examination

1. Administer the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) found here

https://www.parinc.com/Products/Pkey/237 on an elderly patient > 75 years of age to test the patient’s

executive level of functioning to determine whether or not this patient should be allowed to drive. Submit

a copy of the actual MMSE result.

2. Score the MMSE.

3. Is this patient cognitively impaired? Why or why not?

4. Describe your area of greatest learning from completing this portion of the assignment.

To view the Grading Rubric for this Assignment, please visit the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Resources. Assignment Requirements: Before finalizing your work, you should:

● be sure to read the Assignment description carefully (as displayed above); ● consult the Grading Rubric (under the Course Resources) to make sure you have included everything

necessary; and ● utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.

Your writing Assignment should:

● follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);

● be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;

● display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and

● use APA 7th edition format.

Please see the Writing Center located in the student portal for assistance with writing, APA, and online communication.

How to Submit: Submit your Assignment to the unit Dropbox before midnight on the last day of the unit. When you are ready to submit your Assignment, select the unit Dropbox then attach your file. Make sure to save a copy of the Assignment you submit.