"Ask Me Anything": Ten Responses To Your Questions About General Psychiatric Assessment
General Psychiatric AssessmentThere are a variety of challenges when completing psychiatric evaluations in general medical settings. There are many challenges such as privacy concerns, ward rounds, assessments by other specialists, secured meals and planned family visits.
It can be difficult to measure outcome in this setting, with particular difficulties for outcomes specific to diseases and patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical Histories
The first step in a comprehensive psychiatric examination is to learn about the patient's medical history. This will include details of their present condition and any medication they are taking, as well as any significant previous medical problems that could have affected their health and wellbeing. This information will help the professional decide what psychological tests are appropriate and how many appointments may be needed before making an assessment.
This process can be difficult to complete on medical wards due to the limited space and interruptions from the ward's rounds, examinations from other specialties or allied health professionals as well as scheduled meal times. It is worthwhile to find a time that does not clash with any of these activities, and find a quiet space for the assessment to be conducted. It is also useful to inquire from the referrer what their concerns are to determine exactly what kind of psychiatric examination is required.
It is essential to be aware that physical health issues can affect or even overshadow the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Overshadowing by diagnosis is a frequent issue and is hard to avoid. For example the case where an individual has been admitted for a delirium and they have a pre-existing diagnosis of dementia on their medical record it can be tempting to 'overshadow' the delirium and assume that it is caused by an existing mental illness instead of conduct a complete delirium screen to rule out treatment-able causes such as stroke.
It is essential that the psychiatrist assessing the patient tries to establish the connection between the patient's physical and mental issues, and also to identify any concerns or complaints that the patient has about their treatment, care or the treatment they receive or the way their health issue is being managed. Reference Osborn and Warner (1998) suggests the most basic approach to accomplishing this. However, it can be difficult to implement in real life.
Family History
The psychiatrist will inquire about your family history to determine if there are any mental health problems within your family. They'll also want to be aware of any traumas or abuse you've had and your current social circumstances (including relationships, work and whether you have a support system at home). You may be asked about your religious beliefs, your dreams and ambitions. The psychiatrist will make an assessment and develop a treatment program that suits your needs.
The psychiatrist should also check physical symptoms. They will check their blood pressure, listen to and feel the lungs and the heart and also look for other medical conditions that may be causing the psychiatric sign.
It is often helpful for the psychiatrist to get an all-encompassing physical from the general practitioner but it's not always possible particularly for those who are seriously ill and those who are inpatients on psychiatric wards. Those on these wards may only have sporadic face-to-face contact with psychiatrists, or none at all. In these cases, it is important that psychiatrists' nurses or care coordinators play an active part in ensuring these patients' physical health issues are addressed.
Psychiatrists also need to understand why the person has been referred, and what they expect to accomplish from their psychiatric assessment. They must be capable of interpreting medical reports and investigate reports of tests received from the GP or another health professional, and they must communicate effectively with person's medical team about the tests completed so that any medications or other treatments can be coordinated.
The medical history is a key aspect of any psychiatric examination and must include the patient's own mental health diagnosis and previous treatment and information about their drug and alcohol use. It is also crucial to collect a detailed family history, if you can, in order to establish the risk of certain disorders, like bipolar disorder, which tends to occur in families. It is useful to use brief screens that gather lifetime psychiatric data on informants and their first-degree relatives, but it is equally important to obtain a complete family psychiatric record.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric assessment your doctor will inquire with you about your symptoms and how they've affected your life. Your psychiatrist will also inquire about any pertinent issues including your family history. It may be uncomfortable at times, but you must provide a complete and honest answer to ensure that you receive a correct diagnosis.
It is important to have a psychiatric assessment when you are suffering from mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. This will tell you if you need treatment. It is normal to experience periods of stress and low mood but should they last for more than a few days or affect your daily life, then you may require treatment.
Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and any other issues that are impacting you, like family or work-related issues, or substance abuse. They will also inquire about your physical health, sleeping habits and whether or not you have tried other methods to treat your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist may also ask you about your experiences with mental illness. They may also use assessments that are standardised such as psychological tests to get a better understanding of your current situation. These tests can include personality tests, questionnaires or cognitive tests that measure your level of distress.
If your psychiatric assessment shows that you have psychotic symptoms, for example hallucinations and delusions which are quite different from what is considered to be real, the psychiatrist might need to conduct an extensive exam and admit you to the hospital to be observed. In these cases, you will need to be examined by a different psychiatrist before you are able to return home.
If you are in need of an evaluation of your psychiatric condition, Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will provide you with the assistance and care you require. The team of caring and experienced professionals are committed to providing you with the information you require about the diagnosis you have received and possible treatment options. You can schedule a psychiatric assessment on the internet or by phone today.
Psychological tests
The use of different tests is an important part of a psycho-psychological assessment. Psychological tests are written or verbal assessments that are designed to test unobserved aspects. They are commonly used to evaluate the personality of a person and their emotional functioning. They can be used to determine the severity of a certain mental illness, for example, depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is usually done by a psychologist who is trained and requires the patient to follow certain instructions in order to get exact results.
Psychological assessments can differ in regards to the number and types of psychological tests that are administered, based on the individual's symptoms. A general psychiatric examination could be short, like the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE), or more in-depth and time-consuming, like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Neuropsychological tests that are in-depth can be used to assess the presence of a brain injury, concussion or other neurological disorders.
All types of psychiatric examinations provide a look at the patient's emotional and psychological functioning. In the hospital doctors, psychologists, and sometimes psychiatrists conduct these tests to evaluate a patient's mood emotional reactivity, cognitive abilities. Private therapists are also able to conduct them in their offices to gather data to develop the development of a treatment plan and to determine whether patients would benefit from medication or a different form of therapy.
A few examples of psychological assessments include tests of intelligence and achievement that measure various types of cognitive functioning (often called IQ) and performance in comparison to a standard group. Other tests are designed to evaluate the ability to complete tasks, like memory tests or the test of word association. Psychologists are the only experts who have the training and experience to conduct and interpret psychological tests.
A psychiatric examination is designed to connect the patient with a physician who can offer treatment and management. The doctor will psych assessment near me explain the diagnosis to the patient, and how it relates to their symptoms. The doctor will also discuss the prognosis, which means how a particular diagnosis is likely to develop over time.