Mental Health Progress Note
A lot of people often do not want to admit they suffer from a mental health problem, they may have a tendency to deny it. Since not everyone is as open as they perceive themselves to be. In some countries, mental health is often hushed up and it is difficult for those who suffer to find help. A person’s mental health is not something that could be joked upon nor something that could be taken lightly. As this concerns those who suffer from it and are looking for ways to understand. For others, they are looking for a solution to it.
Neither is their progress in therapy or in a hospital where they may be treated. As this is a serious matter, a lot of people often know that it is important to take down notes on the patient in question. In addition to that, it is also best to know how far or if there is any progress the patient has made during their stay. For those who work in the medical field or in healthcare, they often cater to people who suffer from mental health and keep a progress note to trace their progress. To know more about what a mental health progress note is, check out the article below.
6+ Mental Health Progress Note Examples
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7. Adult Mental Health Progress Note
What Is a Mental Health Progress Note?
A mental health progress note is a type of note that nurses, health care personnel, or anyone working in the medical field uses to trace out the progress of their patients. It is also the type of note that has the basic information about the patient. This includes the patient’s mental problem and the medical solution if there is any. In addition to that, it also features the progress that is being plotted by the medical personnel who was in charge of that patient.
A mental health progress note allows doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and health care people to find a way to help out the patient who may be suffering from a mental disorder. The importance of having a mental health progress note is not only to keep track of the progress, but to understand the background or the history of the patient’s problems. It is also used as notes for future study. This is usually done by doctors and for those who may want to know about what may cause it and how to find a solution for others who may also be suffering from it as well.
How to Write a Mental Health Progress Note?
Ever wondered what a mental health progress note would look like? For those who work in the medical and healthcare field would know how. But if you are someone who is curious or someone who may still want to learn how, you can also check this one out. Of course, every person writes their progress note quite differently. So it is really okay if your progress note is not the same as others, as each patient is different. To know more about how to write the progress note for mental health, check it out below. Remember, these tips are only made to help out. How you do your mental health progress note should always be up to you.
1. Correct Information
Correct information includes the general information of your patient. Their name, age, location and their mental health history. Most of the time, the information is filled out by the nurse or the medical staff who attend to the patient, but there are others who let the patient fill it out to the best of their knowledge. While some tend to ask the closest person which is the family member to fill out the information. The reason the information has to be correct is because this is used as a record for their progress.
2. Add the Process
The process here is the steps you took to understand the mental health issue the patient may have. This includes the examinations you may have given, whether they may be physical, emotional, psychological and mental. The results should also be placed in your progress note. As this is also the most important part for your notes to be complete.
3. Major and Minor Events
Anything major or minor events that may have been observed should also be listed down. As this is still part of the progress report. Your patient may have any improvements regardless of how small or huge they are. It should still be written down. These major and minor events are simply milestones if they show any improvement.
4. Keep Your Progress Note Professional
Keep your progress note in a professional manner. Avoid using jargon that may be too hurtful or wrong for the patient. Avoid saying anything negative in your notes as these notes are going to be read by others to use for comparison. In addition to that, your progress note should always contain the correct professional information and should not be made as something that you guessed. As any information that may not be true or correct may give out some risks. This should be avoided at all costs.
5. Keep a Copy of Your Progress Notes
Always keep a copy of your progress notes. You may find it also quite useful and in demand. As there may be times you need to compare with others, you have your own to study or to use.
FAQs
What is a mental health progress note?
A note that records the progress of a patient. Whether it is a small or a huge progress. Often used by nurses, psychologists, health care workers or anyone working in the medical field.
What is the purpose of the progress note?
People working in the medical field use these notes as a way to understand how far the patient has gone or if there is any improvement from the therapy or the medications being given to them. They then record the progress of the patient’s progress note.
Why should saying anything bad about a patient be avoided?
Your progress note should always be in a professional level and manner. Bad mouthing a patient for their slow progress is a huge no. As this is not helping the patient at all. In addition to that, others are able to read your progress note, and may see what you have done.
A mental health progress note is a useful tool when you have to write down every single detail or every single progress a patient has made. As this can also be used to trace back if anything has gone wrong.