Nursing Competencies: Assessment and Case Formulation

This chapter presents and explores concepts foundational to assessment with case formulation, treatment planning, and evaluation. The concepts of trauma and violence-informed care along with cultural identity, cultural competence, and cultural safety will be highlighted. Collecting, processing, and organising information and formulating an approach will be reviewed. Clinical judgement skills and actuarial screening tools to determine the level of strengths, vulnerabilities, risks, and resources will be discussed. Critical pathways and case formulation will be highlighted. Clinical knowledge, theory, judgement, and collaboration with clients will be discussed including how it helps to determine the selection of the intervention. Utilising evidence-based information to provide confidential, ethical, culturally competent, safe, effective, and efficient care consistent with mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and cultural needs of the individual are paramount. These will be discussed using the bio/psycho/social/spiritual model as a conceptual framework for understanding and responding to health problems in partnership with clients, to promote health and foster recovery and resilience.