SCENARIO
You are admitting a 27-year-old woman to your unit for work-up of weight loss. While conducting an admission interview, you learn that she has recently lost her job and has a strong family history of depression and suicide. How would you construct your interview? What measures would you take with the information you have gathered? Why?
RESPOND
I would begin with introduction and clarification of the information received. I would ensure that the environment is professional, relaxed and nonjudgmental, so that the patient will feel comfortable divulging her health information. A nutritional assessment will be necessary to see how and or why the weight loss took place. I would inquire about her job and the events which led to her separation, as well as assess her mental state regarding her job loss. Given her family history of depression and suicide, an assessment of her emotional well being is necessary to include if she thought of a plan to end her life. Active listening will be key to this assessment.
Assessment data collection includes labs, i.e. PreAlbumin, and 24 hour food intake recall to assess nutritional. BMI will be assessed.
Psych eval would be necessary just for further evaluation and counseling needs.
