Report on Professional Portfolio Progress: Mental Health Competency

This report documents a student's progress on a professional portfolio, specifically focusing on mental health and addiction competency M-2, which involves mental health and addiction assessment and intervention, with a subcategory of demonstrating knowledge and ability to recognize signs and symptoms of changes in mental health. The student reflects on a significant learning experience, detailing the knowledge and ability gained in identifying behavioral, emotional, intellectual, motor, perceptual, and suicidal ideation changes related to mental health and addiction. The student rates themselves as excellent in this competency due to enhanced knowledge and ability gained through course materials, enabling them to diagnose patients effectively and recommend appropriate interventions. The significance of this learning lies in the early detection of mental health changes, allowing for proactive intervention. The student plans to apply this knowledge in nursing practice to assess and intervene in cases of mental health and addiction within the community, educate clients, and create awareness of available resources, ultimately empowering them to take control of their health.

Running head: REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO 1
Report On Progress of Professional Portfolio
Name
Institution

REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO 2
REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO
DESCRIPTION OF ONE
SIGNIFICANT LEARNING
EXPERIENCE IN THIS COURSE
M- Mental Health and Addiction
Competency: M-2 Mental Health and Addiction Assessment and
Intervention
Subcategory: M-2-3 Demonstrate knowledge and ability to
recognize signs and symptoms of changes in mental health
including:
Behavioral
Emotional
Intellectual
Level of alertness
Motor
Perception of reality
Suicidal ideation
WHAT I LEARNED
For this competency, I have learned about the mental health and
addiction assessment and intervention. Specifically, I have been able
to gather knowledge as well as the ability to acknowledge signs
together with the symptoms of the alterations in mental health. This
entails such changes as behavioral, emotional, intellectual, motor,
perception of reality, and suicidal ideation. I can now easily identify
any slight change in these areas and how they affect the individual
mental health and addiction. I am now well equipped with the
essential knowledge and ability to diagnose mental illness. I have
become increasingly astute in the identification of mental health
conditions as well as behavior attributable to such conditions
(Meldrum, Venn & Kutcher, 2009). I have gathered effective
knowledge and ability useful in identifying signs and symptoms of
the anxiety or even agitation in the acute care context. I can now
understand why someone is addicted and effectively recommend the
best intervention to help a person tackle addiction problem. Further,
I have learned how to engage my clients in programs that can help
them lead better lifestyles in order that they do not suffer from
mental health and addiction issues. This is because I know how to
effectively identify the symptoms and signs of the mental health
changes.
PROFICIENCY RATING

REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO 3
In this competency, I rated myself excellent. This is because I have
subsequently gained substantial knowledge and ability in this
competency in identifying symptoms and signs in mental health.
Prior to taking Mental Health and Addiction course, I only had an
extremely little knowledge and ability regarding health issues
especially, Mental Health and Addiction Assessment and
Intervention in the community and my area of specialization
(Topolovec-Vranic, 2015).
Through reading articles and text books about Mental Health and
Addiction Assessment and Intervention, I have really enhanced my
knowledge and ability in identifying symptoms and sigs of changes
in mental health. Moreover, I have subsequently gained a better
understanding of the particular symptoms and signs in mental
health. For example, I now have the required knowledge in
behavioral, emotional, intellectual, level of alertness, motor,
perception of reality, suicidal ideation changes and how they
contribute to the understanding of mental health and addiction. This
knowledge has enhanced my ability to address the issues facing the
mental health patients. This is because I can easily diagnose them by
merely observing these changes and recommend effective course of
action that brings results. For this reason, I have been able to work
closely with my clients based on effective and interactive
communication making my clients to feel valued when I talk to
them to know their problems.
WHY IT WAS MEANINGFUL/
SIGNIFICANT
The single most important thing I have learned in this competency is
the significant role that knowledge in mental health and addiction
assessment and intervention play in the early detection of the
symptoms and signs of mental health changes. This is because I
have realized that by gaining this knowledge, I can immediately
identify the problem my patients have without having to diagnose
them in more advanced settings. This is due to the fact that I have
had a mastery of each change and the possible condition or cause
and the most appropriate interventions that I can easily recommend
to help the patient in time (Brown, 2011). This knowledge remains
quite meaningful in the face of increasing instances of mental
illness. Thus, by having this immense knowledge, I will be able to
share my insights with my patients and even those who are at high
risk of mental health issues in a proactive manner to keep them safe.
This is because, this is knowledge is unknown to many despite being
at increased risk of mental health issues. Therefore, my knowledge
on symptoms and signs of mental health and addiction will help me
boost my work performance.

REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO 4
HOW I WILL APPLY THIS
LEARNING IN NURSING
PRACTICE
The learning experience I have had remains increasingly important
in my practice. This is because I will be able to apply the knowledge
and ability I have gained from this class when assessing and
intervening on cases of mental health and addiction in the
community I serve. By demonstrating knowledge and ability to
acknowledge signs alongside symptoms of changes in mental health
(behavioral, emotional, intellectual, level of alertness, motor,
perception of reality, suicidal ideation) and how they contribute to
mental health, I will be able to help my patients to change to better
lifestyles thus avoiding addiction (DiSano, 2015).
Also, it will be helpful in my future work as a nurse because, I will
be able to apply the ability and knowledge gained when thinking
critically in order to prioritize community healthy habits that can
lead to addiction. The gained ability and knowledge of assessing and
intervening in case of mental health and addiction remain essential
in helping me educate and empower my clients. As a future nurse, I
will be able to use the ability and knowledge gained from this
competency to create awareness of the resources available in the
community that can be used by my clients to change their harmful
habits to mental health. This will help me empower them so that
they can effectively take control of their own health and decision
making processes. I will do this by helping my clients identify their
weaknesses and strengths and provide the opportunities available
around them to help them have better lifestyle. This will even help
them pass the knowledge to other members in the community who
have not been reached. In the process, the resultant community is
one which is empowered to tackle its mental health and addiction
issues.

REPORT ON PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO 5
References
Brown, L. (2011). Mental health top issue facing schools, coalition says. Toronto Star.
DiSano, C. L. (2015). Nurses' Knowledge of Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety and Agitation.
Meldrum, L., Venn, D., & Kutcher, S. (2009). Mental health in schools: How teachers have the
power to make a difference. Health & Learning Magazine, 8, 3-5.
Topolovec-Vranic, J., Zhang, S., Wong, H., Lam, E., Jing, R., Russell, K. ... & Violence
Research Team. (2015). Recognizing the symptoms of mental illness following concussions in
the sports community: a need for improvement. PLoS one, 10(11), e0141699.