Please Help!

[Lisa CCU RN, RN]

I need to know how to assess a depressed psych patient's developmental stage in Erickson's. I really don't get it!

My patient is very hopeless and at risk for suicide because of past suicide attempts.

What stage are they in according to Erickson's?

Please Help! This is for tommorow.

[bookwormom]

I sometimes think we make too much of Erikson, but here's my advice: Place your patient in the stage that goes with her age and life experience (intimacy vs Isolation? or generativity vs stagnation?). Then describe her behaviors in the resolution of the conflict. For example, if Intimacy vs Isolation, say how she is leaning toward isolation.

This is what I would look for as an instructor.