Depression is a common condition that may plague a number of patients you work with on travel nursing jobs. There are several forms of the disorder that people may be diagnosed with, so it's important that you have a working knowledge of the differences.
Forms of depression
Feelings of sadness can develop for an individual over the period of a couple of days or on a regular basis. As a result, some people are unable to go about their day-to-day activities. Variations include:
- Minor cases of depression that generally last for two or more weeks, but the symptoms are not as severe as those that qualify as major depression. Without treatment, patients risk developing major depression.
- Dysthymia, or chronic depression, is a type of long-term depression in which symptoms persist for two or more years. However, most patients suffering from this disorder are able to go about living their daily lives without much disruption.
- Major depressive disorder is likely to affect a person's ability to work, sleep, eat and enjoy previously-pleasurable activities. This, of course, interrupts a patient's daily routine and can occur over a single episode or multiple times throughout his or her lifetime.
There are other forms of depression that are more difficult to characterize, such as bipolar disorder, psychotic depression and seasonal affective disorder.
Providing treatment
Recently, two studies have been conducted that may be able to provide sufferers of depression with relief on a low-cost basis. The first, a randomized trial conducted by professionals from Johns Hopkins University, took on the goal of finding a method of treatment for older African Americans who were experiencing depressive symptoms. The researchers found that home-based intervention that was provided by social workers was effective in reducing these issues and helping the participants increase their quality of life.
The other study, also conducted by doctors from Johns Hopkins, focused specifically on African Americans who were dealing with depression as well as financial strains. Through a randomized control trial, a total of 208 participants who were 55 years and older and experiencing mild to severe symptoms of depression were provided with Beat the Blues depression intervention. By offering the patients tips for managing their financial strains, the doctors were able to decrease the occurrence of depressive symptoms.
Although you may not be able to treat depression as a travel nurse, it's important that you work to improve your communication skills in order to notice the signs that are associated with the common disorder. If you have reason to believe a patient is struggling with depression, be sure to ask a colleague how you should proceed and be familiar with mental health resources available in the area.