What Do You Think? Heck Is General Psychiatric Assessment?
What Do You Think? Heck Is General Psychiatric Assessment?
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General Psychiatric Assessment
The difficulties associated with conducting mental health assessments in general medical settings are many. There are numerous challenges such as privacy issues, ward rounds, assessments by other specialists, secured meals and scheduled family visits.
It is also difficult to measure outcome in this situation, due to specific challenges for disease-specific outcomes and patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical Histories
The first step in a general psychiatric evaluation is to establish the medical background of the patient. This includes information about the patient's current condition as well as any medications they are taking and any significant past medical problems that could affect their current health and well-being. This information will also help the professional decide what psychological tests would be appropriate and how many appointments they may need to make before making a diagnosis.
This process is often difficult to complete on medical wards because of the limited space available and interruptions from visits to the ward, assessments by other specialties and health specialists, protected mealtimes and planned visits. It is worthwhile to find a time that doesn't clash with any of these activities and find a quiet space for the examination to be conducted. It is also useful to ask the referrer what their concerns are, so that you can identify precisely what type of psychiatric examination is required.
It is important to remember that physical health issues may influence or even shadow the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Overshadowing of diagnostics is a common issue and is very difficult to avoid. For instance, if an individual has been 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 as if that it is caused by an existing mental illness rather than carry out a full delirium screen to rule out causes that are treatable such as stroke.
It is crucial that the psychiatrist taking a look at the patient is trying to establish the relationship between the patient's physical and psychological issues, and also to identify any concerns or complaints the patient may have about their treatment, care or the manner in which their health condition is being treated. Reference Osborn and Warner (1998) suggests a basic model for achieving this. However, it could be difficult to implement in practice.
Family History
The psychiatrist will inquire about your family history to see if there are any mental health problems within your family. They'll also want to know about any experiences of abuse or trauma and your current situation in the social world (including your relationships, work and whether you have support at home). You might be asked about your religion, your dreams and ambitions. The psychiatrist will provide an assessment and design a treatment plan that meets your needs.
The psychiatrist should also look at physical symptoms. They will check the patient's blood pressure, listen to the heart and lungs and search for any other medical issues which could be causing or aggravating the psychiatric symptoms.
It is beneficial for a psychiatrist to receive an exhaustive physical from the patient's GP, but this might not always be feasible, particularly for patients who are extremely sick or inpatients in psychiatric units. Patients on these wards might have only sporadic face-toface contact with psychiatrists, or none at all. In these cases it is crucial that the psychiatrist's nurses or care coordinators play an active role in ensuring that the physical health needs of patients are satisfied.
Psychiatrists must also be able to comprehend why a person has been referred, and what they hope to gain through their psychiatric evaluation. They should be able to interpret medical letters, investigate reports of tests and communicate effectively with a patient's medical team to determine the best treatment or medication for the patient.
The medical history is an essential component of any psychiatric assessment. It should include details about the patient's psychiatric diagnosis and treatment history as well as any drug and alcohol usage. If it is possible, it is important to obtain a family history to determine the likelihood of developing certain disorders, such as bipolar disorder. It is beneficial to use brief screens that record all of the psychiatric records for a lifetime on informants and their first-degree relatives, but it is also important to obtain the complete psychiatric records of all family members.
Symptoms
In the course of a psychiatric assessment, your doctor may inquire about your symptoms and how they impact your life. Your doctor will also inquire about your family history and other issues that might be relevant. The interview may be uncomfortable at times, but it is essential that you answer honestly and completely so that a precise diagnosis can be given.
If you're suffering from mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety it is essential to undergo a psychiatric assessment to determine whether or not you require treatment. It is normal to experience periods of low mood and stress but when they last longer than one or two days or interfere with your daily functioning then you may need treatment.
In addition to discussing your symptoms, your psychiatrist will also inquire about any other issues that may be affecting you, such as issues with work and family or addiction issues. They will also ask you about your physical health, your sleeping habits, and whether or not you've tried other methods to help with your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist may also ask you questions about your previous experiences with mental illness and they might use standard assessment tools or psychological tests to gain more understanding of your situation. These tests can include personality assessments, questionnaires or cognitive tests that measure your level of distress.
If the psychiatric evaluation confirms that you are experiencing psychotic symptoms, which are marked by hallucinations or delusions that are a significant departure from the reality of consensual, the psychiatrist will need to conduct a more thorough examination and may need to admit you to hospital for observation. In such cases you'll need to be re-evaluated by another psychiatrist before you are able to return home.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will give you the support and care you require. The team of helpful and experienced professionals are committed to giving you the necessary information regarding the diagnosis you have received and possible treatment options. You can arrange a psychiatric evaluation on the internet or by phone today.
Psychological Tests
The use of a variety of tests is an essential part of a psycho-psychological examination. Psychological tests are written or oral evaluations designed to measure unobserved aspects. They are used to assess the emotional state of a person and personality traits. They can also be used to determine the severity of a specific mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is usually conducted by a trained psychologist and requires the patient to adhere to specific guidelines to get accurate results.
Psychiatric assessments can vary in the amount and type of psychological tests they use according to the individual and their presenting symptoms. A general psychiatric assessment may be short, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE), or more in-depth and time-consuming, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. A thorough neuropsychological test can be used to determine the presence of concussion, brain injury or other neurological issues.
All types of psychiatric evaluations can provide a picture of the patient's emotional and psychological functioning. They are conducted by doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists in the hospital setting to assess a person's current mood, emotional reactivity and cognitive abilities. They are also conducted by private therapists at their offices to gather data for a treatment plan as well as to determine if a patient would benefit from medication or other forms of therapy.
Intelligence & Achievement Tests are an example of psychological assessments. These here tests test cognitive functioning (often referred as IQ) in comparison to a normal group. Other tests are designed to assess the ability of a task, such as a memory test or a word association test. Psychologists are the only professionals with a vast amount of training and experience to administer and interpret psychological tests.
The purpose of a psychiatric assessment is to connect the patient with a doctor who can offer treatment and management. After the exam is complete, the doctor will inform the patient of the diagnosis and how it relates to their presenting symptoms. The doctor will also speak about the prognosis. This is how a diagnosis can be likely to develop in time.