The psychiatric home health nurse is evaluating whether a client's level of functioning has improved since starting the prescribed psychotropic medication. What evidence does the nurse look for?

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The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score is a standardized tool used to assess a client's level of functioning before and after treatment. A higher GAF score indicates better functioning, so an increase in the GAF score would be evidence that the client's level of functioning has improved since starting the medication. No change in the GAF score may indicate that the medication is not having an effect, and a significant decrease in the GAF score may indicate that the medication is making the client's symptoms worse. If the client has fully recovered and no longer exhibits any significant symptoms, they would not qualify for a GAF score.

The Psychiatric Home Health Nurse Is Evaluating Whether a Client's