General Psychiatric Assessment
The difficulties of conducting mental health assessments in general medical settings are many. They include privacy concerns, ward rounds and assessments by other specialties, secure time for meals and visits from family members.
It can be difficult to determine the outcome in this situation, due to specific challenges for disease-specific outcomes and patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical Histories
The first step of the general psychiatric examination is to understand the medical history of the patient. This includes details of their current health and any medications they're taking, as well as any previous medical issues that could have affected their current health and wellbeing. This information will also help the physician determine what psychological tests might be appropriate and how many appointments they may have to schedule before making an assessment.
This process is often difficult to complete on medical wards due to the limited space available and interruptions during the ward's rounds, examinations by other specialties and allied health specialists, protected mealtimes and planned visits. It is worthwhile to arrange an appointment time that is not in conflict with the other activities listed above and find a quiet space for the examination to be conducted. Inquiring about the referrer's specific concerns will help you determine the type of psychotherapy evaluation is needed.
When carrying out psychiatric assessments on medical wards of general hospitals it is important to remember that the physical health problems patients present with may affect or even obscure their psychiatric symptoms and behaviour. Diagnostic overshadowing is a very common issue and is very difficult to avoid. For instance when the patient was admitted to a delirium hospital and they have a pre-existing diagnosis of dementia on their medical records it can be tempting to "shadow" the delirium and assume it is due to their mental illness, rather than conduct a complete screening for delirium to rule out treatment-able causes like stroke.
It is important that the psychiatrist assessing the patient is able to establish a connection between the physical and psychiatric concerns of the patient as well as to solicit complaints or concerns from the patient about their treatment, care or how their health condition is being managed. The basic model recommended in the reference Osborn and Warner (1998) is an easy method to achieve this, but it could be a challenge to implement it in real life.
Family History
The psychiatrist will ask you about your family history in order to determine if there's a mental health problem within your family. They will also inquire about any experiences you've had with trauma or abused, as well as your current status in the social world (including your relationships, work and whether you have assistance from your home). You could be asked about your religious beliefs, your dreams and ambitions. The psychiatrist will then make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan that will meet your needs.
Physical symptoms are also crucial and it is vital that the psychiatrist examine these too. They will examine their blood pressure, listen to and feel the lungs and heart and also examine for any other medical conditions that could cause the psychiatric symptoms.
It is helpful for psychiatrists to get a complete physical from the patient's doctor however this might not always be feasible, particularly for those who are sick or are inpatients in psychiatric units. The patients on these wards may have only sporadic face-toface contact with psychiatrists, or perhaps none at all. In such cases it is important that psychiatric nurses or care coordinators play an active part in ensuring these patients' physical health needs are taken care of.
Psychiatrists must also understand why a person has been referred and what they expect to achieve with their psychiatric examination. They should be able to interpret medical letters and review the results of tests provided by an GP or other health professional. They must be able to communicate effectively with the person's medical team about what investigations have been completed so that any treatment or medication can be coordinated.
The medical history is an essential element of any psychiatric examination. It must include information about the patient's psychiatric diagnosis as well as past treatment, as well as drug and alcohol usage. It is also crucial to collect a detailed family history, if it is possible to determine the risk of certain disorders, such as bipolar disorder, which is known to occur in families. Brief screens to collect lifetime psychopathological information from informants and first-degree relatives are helpful, but there is the benefit of obtaining a complete family psychiatric history as well.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric examination Your doctor may inquire about your symptoms and how they impact your life. Your psychiatrist will ask you about any pertinent questions, such as your family history. The interview may be uncomfortable at times, but it's important to answer honestly and fully so that a precise diagnosis can be made.
It is important to have an evaluation of your psychiatric condition if you suffer from mental health issues, like anxiety or depression. This will tell you if you need treatment. It is normal to have periods of depression and stress however if they last more than several days or impact your daily activities, then you may need treatment.
In addition to discussing your symptoms, your psychiatrist will also ask about any other issues that may be affecting your health, such as problems at work or with your family, or abuse of substances. They will also ask you about your physical health, your sleeping habits and whether or not you've tried any other ways to alleviate your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist might also ask you about your experiences with mental illness. They can also use standardized assessment tools, or psychological tests, to help you understand your current situation. These tests could include questionnaires, personality tests or cognitive tests to measure your level of distress.
If your psychiatric examination indicates that you are suffering from psychotic symptoms, like hallucinations or delusions that differ significantly from what is considered to be real, the psychiatrist might have to perform an in-depth exam and send you to the hospital to be observed. In such cases, you will need to be examined by a different psychiatrist before returning home.
If you are in need of a psychiatric evaluation, Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will provide you with the support and care you need. The team of skilled and knowledgeable professionals are committed to ensuring that you have the information you need about your diagnosis and treatment options. You can book your psychiatric examination online or by phone today.
Psychological Tests
An essential part of a psychological examination is the use of a variety of tests. Psychological tests are written or oral evaluations designed to measure unobserved aspects. They are commonly used to determine the personality of a person and their emotional functioning. They can be used to identify a mental illness' severity, like depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is usually conducted by a psychologist who is trained and requires the patient to adhere to specific guidelines to get exact results.
Psychological assessments can differ in the number and type of psychological tests they utilize, depending on the person's condition and symptoms. A general psychiatric assessment may be brief, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE), or more in-depth and time-consuming tests, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Neuropsychological testing can be used to determine if there's a concussion or brain injury.
All kinds of psychiatric tests provide a look at the patient's emotional and psychological functioning. They are carried out by psychologists, doctors, and sometimes psychiatrists in hospitals to evaluate a person's present mood, emotional reactivity, and cognitive abilities. They are also conducted by private therapists in their offices to gather information for a treatment plan as well as to determine if a patient may benefit from medication or other forms of therapy.
Intelligence and Achievement Tests are a type of psychological tests. These tests test cognitive performance (often referred as IQ) in comparison to a normated group. Other tests are designed to assess the ability to perform a task, such as an assessment of memory or a word association test. Psychologists are the only professionals with extensive training and expertise to administer and interpret psychological tests.
The aim of a psychiatric assessment is to match the patient with a medical professional who can get more info offer treatment and treatment. The doctor will explain the diagnosis to the patient and how it is related to the symptoms. The doctor will also inform the patient about the prognosis. This is how a diagnosis can be expected to progress over time.