The goal of this program is to assist nurses in recognizing depression and to identify supportive measures to help these patients and their loved ones.

After you study the information presented here, you will be able to:

• Describe the association between chronic medical conditions and the risk of depression and suicide.
• List three factors that make patients vulnerable to suicide.
• Differentiate among suicidal attempts, gestures, threats, and ideation, and identify three risk factors for suicide.
• Distinguish between mood and affect as they relate to the nursing assessment for depression.
• List the two core symptoms of major depression.
• Identify the difference between mood changes due to grief and those due to depression.
• Describe the nurse's role in supporting patients with depression.
• Describe the ability of health care professionals to recognize and treat depression.
• Explain the function of psychotherapy in the treatment of depression.
• Identify one method nurses may use to examine their own attitudes about the stigma of physical disease and/or depression.
• Describe two patient self-care treatment plan components.
• Identify two family education and support needs regarding depression.