Assessment of anxiety, depression, and suspiciousness in the home care setting

Home care nurses who are not trained as psychiatric nurses can meet the challenge of caring for clients with anxiety, depression, or suspiciousness. The home care setting provides more opportunity for prolonged periodic nurse-client interaction in the client's usual surroundings. Home care nurses have a further advantage over acute care nurses in that they tend to have a more developed concept of cultural and environmental influence. Assessing psychosocial issues requires nontangible tools, the most crucial of which is the ability to listen--to listen with ears and heart. Although test instruments may be useful, most assessment involves interview and observation. Drawing on these special opportunities and skills, the home care nurse can objectively collect and evaluate data to determine the presence of anxiety, depression, or suspiciousness in preparation for appropriately intervening.