[A nursing experience of cognitive therapy with a major depression patient].

ABSTRACT

The increasing number of major depressive patients with negative thinking warrants that cognitive therapy be recommended to correct negative-automatic thinking and inculcate positive thinking as a way to face problems. The purpose of this paper was to describe the nursing experience and effectiveness of implementing individual cognitive therapy on a patient with major depression in an acute ward over a one-month period. Through observation, interviewing, and comprehensive nursing assessment, the patient's negative thinking toward herself and her problems was identified, and her thoughts of suicide emerged. The following three major health problems were identified risk of suicide, disturbed sleep pattern and ineffective coping. The patient underwent homework training throughout the ten individual cognitive therapy sessions, and was expected to use positive thinking instead of automatic thinking. After the intervention, the patient's depressive mood, sleep quality, and coping ability were improved. In addition, the patient no longer talked of suicide and was able to show stable emotions, maintain a homework, and attend church activities on her own initiative after discharge. It is therefore, suggested that cognitive therapy can be an effective intervention for nurses planning to care for this group of people.