For the reflection of the simulation experience, I am going to focus on the patient named Carla who is exhibiting a manic episode associated with Bipolar Disorder. Things that went well during the interview were that the students tried to talk with the patient even though the patient kept talking over them instead of giving up and not talking. They asked if the patient was sleeping, about her nutrition and hydration status, they tried to clarify statements the patient made, they asked about alcohol and drug use, and they asked if she was compliant with her medications. Also, they asked what the patient had been doing and if she thought it was dangerous to be doing those activities, as well as, stressing the importance of sleep,  nutrition, and hydration to the patient during the interview. Some things that could have gone better during the interview were that the students could have introduced themselves in the beginning instead of waiting for the patient to ask who they were, they could have asked more questions about what the patient drank in the middle of the interview where it could have been harmful, and they could have assessed the overall safety of the patient. 

            During the interview, the students addressed many areas of mental health, but one major one that was not addressed was if the patient had suicidal thoughts or behaviors. I believe this is an assessment that should be performed because of the importance to patients safety that this plays. If the patient was having these thoughts of suicide, the students would have caught it during the interview and could have offered the patient some help. The students used therapeutic communication strategies effectively such as restating the patients statements and asking clarifying questions. They could have also asked the patient broad questions and made some observations to the patient. 

            For this patient, three main concerns that the nurse would address would be the amount of sleep they were getting, the nutritional intake and hydration status of the patient, and the risky behaviors that the patient is taking during the episode that could cause harm to the patient or other people around them.