General Psychiatric Assessment
The difficulties of conducting mental health assessments in general medical settings are many. This includes privacy issues as well as ward rounds and assessments by other specialties, secure meal times and planned visits from family members.
It can also be difficult to quantify outcomes in this situation, due to 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 understand the patient's medical history. This will include information about their present condition and any medications they're taking, as well as any significant previous medical problems which may have influenced their health and wellbeing. This information can also help the professional decide the appropriate psychological tests and how many appointments will be needed before making a diagnose.
This process is often difficult to complete on medical wards due the limited space available and interruptions during ward rounds, assessments by other specialties and health professionals, protected mealtimes and planned visitors. It is worthwhile to schedule an appointment time that does not clash with any of these activities and find a quiet space for the examination to be conducted. It is also helpful to ask the person who refers you what their concerns are, so that you can determine precisely what type of psychiatric examination is required.
It is essential to be aware that physical health issues may affect or even overshadow the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Overshadowing by diagnosis is a frequent issue and is hard to avoid. If a patient is admitted with delirium but has an diagnosis of dementia in their medical records, it may be tempting to 'overshadow the delirium' by assuming that it is caused by their mental illness. This is rather than conducting a thorough screening for delirium to rule out treatable causes like stroke.
It is essential that the psychiatrist who is conducting the assessment of the patient seeks to establish the connection between the patient's physical and psychiatric issues and to inquire about any concerns or complaints that the patient might have regarding their treatment, care or the treatment they receive or the way their health issue is being managed. Reference Osborn & Warner (1998) recommends an approach to achieve this. However, it could 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 issues within your family. They'll also want to know about any incidents of abuse or trauma you've experienced and your current social situation (including work, relationships and whether you have a support system at home). You may be asked questions about your beliefs regarding religion and about your ambitions and dreams. The psychiatrist will then make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan to suit your requirements.
The psychiatrist should also check physical symptoms. They will test the patient's blood pressure, listen to the heart and lungs and examine for any other medical issues which could be causing or aggravate the symptoms of psychiatric illness.
It is beneficial for psychiatrists to receive a complete physical from the doctor who is treating the patient However, this may not always be possible, especially with those who are sick or are inpatients in psychiatric units. Those on these wards may only have sporadic face-to-face contact with psychiatrists, or perhaps none at all. In these instances it is essential that the psychiatrist's staff or care coordinators take an proactive role in ensuring the physical health needs of patients are fulfilled.
Psychiatrists should also be able to comprehend why a person has been referred, and what they expect to achieve through their psychiatric evaluation. They should be able to interpret medical letters, review reports of tests, and communicate effectively with the person's medical team to manage any medication or treatment.
The medical history is a key component of any psychiatric evaluation, and this must include the patient's own psychiatric diagnosis and past treatment and also details about their drug and alcohol use. It is also important to gather a thorough family history, if possible to determine the risk of certain disorders, such as bipolar disorder, which is known to be inherited by families. It is useful to use brief screens that gather all of the psychiatric records for a lifetime on informants and their first-degree relatives but it is equally important to obtain an entire family psychiatric history.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric assessment the doctor will ask you about your symptoms and how they've affected your life. Your psychiatrist will ask you about any relevant issues, such as your family history. The process can be uncomfortable at times, but it is essential that you answer honestly and fully so that a precise diagnosis can be given.
If you're suffering from mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, it is important to get a psychiatric evaluation to determine if you need treatment. While it is normal to have periods of stress or low mood from time to time, if these symptoms last longer than a few weeks and affect your daily functioning, it is likely that you require treatment.
Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and any other issues that are affecting you, such as family or work issues or abuse of substances. They will also inquire about your physical health, sleeping habits and if you have tried other ways to help your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist will 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 current situation. These tests could include personality assessments, questionnaires or cognitive tests that measure your level of distress.
If psychiatric assessment brighton finds that you suffer from psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions that are quite different from what is thought to be reality, then the psychiatrist may need to perform an in-depth exam and send you to the hospital to be observed. In such cases, you will need to be re-evaluated by another psychiatrist before you can return home.
If you're seeking a psychiatric evaluation, Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will provide you with the assistance and care you require. The team of helpful and experienced professionals is committed to giving you the information you require about your diagnosis and treatment options. You can schedule your psychiatric exam online or by phone today.
Psychological Tests
An essential part of a psychological evaluation is the use of different tests. Psychological tests are written assessments or verbal evaluations which measure unobserved aspects of a person's personality. They are used to evaluate the emotional state of a person and personality traits. They can also be used to determine the severity of a certain mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is usually conducted by a qualified psychologist and requires the patient to follow specific instructions to obtain exact results.
The psychiatric assessment may differ in regards to the number and types of psychological tests that are administered, based on an individual's symptoms. A general psychiatric assessment may be brief, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE) or more detailed and time-consuming, like a Montreal Cognitive Assessment. A thorough neuropsychological test can be used to assess the presence of brain injuries, concussions or other neurological issues.
All kinds of psychiatric examinations help provide a snapshot of the patient's overall psychological and emotional functioning. They are performed by psychologists, doctors and sometimes psychiatrists in hospitals to determine a person's current mood, emotional reactivity and cognitive capabilities. They are also conducted by private therapists in their offices to collect information to develop a treatment plan and to determine if a patient would benefit from medication or other types of therapy.
Some examples of psychological evaluations include intelligence & achievement tests, which measure certain kinds of cognitive functioning (often referred to as IQ) and performance in comparison to a standard group. Other tests are designed for evaluating the ability to perform tasks, like memory or word association test. Psychologists are the only professionals who have extensive training as well as experience administering and interpreting psychological tests.
A psychiatric examination is designed to connect the patient with a doctor that can provide treatment and treatment. The doctor will explain the diagnosis to the patient, and how it relates to the symptoms. The doctor will also discuss the prognosis, which means the way in which a specific diagnosis is expected to change in the future.