Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center nurses are now screening all admitted patients for depression, in what is one of the broadest depression screening programs in an American hospital.
The screening includes two questions about a patient's mood and energy level. If a patient's responses indicate possible depression, a nurse will then use a detailed questionnaire to further assess the patient.
"We know, based on multiple medical studies over several years, that addressing depression improves all aspects of patient health," said Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, vice president of nursing, CNO and director of nurse research at Cedars-Sinai, in the news release. "By routinely screening our patients for depression upon admission, we can ensure that they receive the appropriate treatment and protocol.
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