NRNP 6550 ADVANCED
CARE OF ADULTS IN
ACUTE CARE SETTINGS II
WEEK 1
COMPREHENSIVE
INTEGRATED
PSYCHIATRIC
COMPLETE ASSESSMENT
LATEST GUIDE 2025 .
, Week 1 Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
Many assessment principles are the same for children and adults; however, unlike with
adults/older adults, where consent for participation in the assessment comes from the actual
client, with children it is the parents or guardians who must make the decision for treatment.
Issues of confidentiality, privacy, and consent must be addressed. When working with children,
it is not only important to be able to connect with the pediatric patient, but also to be able to
collaborate effectively with the caregivers, other family members, teachers, and school
counselors/psychologists, all of whom will be able to provide important context and details to aid
in your assessment and treatment plans.
Some children/adolescents may be more difficult to assess than adults, as they can be less
psychologically minded. That is, they have less insights into themselves and their motivations
than adults (although this is not universally true). The PMHNP must also take into consideration
the child’s culture and environmental context. Additionally, with children/adolescents, there are
lower rates of neurocognitive disorders superimposed on other clinical conditions, such as
depression or anxiety, which create additional diagnostic challenges.
In this Discussion, you review and critique the techniques and methods of a mental health
professional as the practitioner completes a comprehensive, integrated psychiatric assessment of
an adolescent. You also identify rating scales and treatment options that are specifically
appropriate for children/adolescents.
Resources
,
, Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
To Prepare
• Review the Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide on comprehensive,
integrated psychiatric assessment. Watch the Mental Status Examination B-
6 and Simulation Scenario-Adolescent Risk Assessment videos.
• Watch the YMH Boston Vignette 5 video and take notes; you will use this video as the
basis for your Discussion post.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Based on the YMH Boston Vignette 5 video, post answers to the following questions:
• What did the practitioner do well? In what areas can the practitioner improve?
• At this point in the clinical interview, do you have any compelling concerns? If so, what
are they?
• What would be your next question, and why?
Then, address the following. Your answers to these prompts do not have to be tailored to the
patient in the YMH Boston video.
• Explain why a thorough psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent is important.
• Describe two different symptom rating scales that would be appropriate to use during the
psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent.
• Describe two psychiatric treatment options for children and adolescents that may not be
used when treating adults.
• Explain the role parents/guardians play in assessment.
Support your response with at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources and explain
why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
CARE OF ADULTS IN
ACUTE CARE SETTINGS II
WEEK 1
COMPREHENSIVE
INTEGRATED
PSYCHIATRIC
COMPLETE ASSESSMENT
LATEST GUIDE 2025 .
, Week 1 Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
Many assessment principles are the same for children and adults; however, unlike with
adults/older adults, where consent for participation in the assessment comes from the actual
client, with children it is the parents or guardians who must make the decision for treatment.
Issues of confidentiality, privacy, and consent must be addressed. When working with children,
it is not only important to be able to connect with the pediatric patient, but also to be able to
collaborate effectively with the caregivers, other family members, teachers, and school
counselors/psychologists, all of whom will be able to provide important context and details to aid
in your assessment and treatment plans.
Some children/adolescents may be more difficult to assess than adults, as they can be less
psychologically minded. That is, they have less insights into themselves and their motivations
than adults (although this is not universally true). The PMHNP must also take into consideration
the child’s culture and environmental context. Additionally, with children/adolescents, there are
lower rates of neurocognitive disorders superimposed on other clinical conditions, such as
depression or anxiety, which create additional diagnostic challenges.
In this Discussion, you review and critique the techniques and methods of a mental health
professional as the practitioner completes a comprehensive, integrated psychiatric assessment of
an adolescent. You also identify rating scales and treatment options that are specifically
appropriate for children/adolescents.
Resources
,
, Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
To Prepare
• Review the Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide on comprehensive,
integrated psychiatric assessment. Watch the Mental Status Examination B-
6 and Simulation Scenario-Adolescent Risk Assessment videos.
• Watch the YMH Boston Vignette 5 video and take notes; you will use this video as the
basis for your Discussion post.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Based on the YMH Boston Vignette 5 video, post answers to the following questions:
• What did the practitioner do well? In what areas can the practitioner improve?
• At this point in the clinical interview, do you have any compelling concerns? If so, what
are they?
• What would be your next question, and why?
Then, address the following. Your answers to these prompts do not have to be tailored to the
patient in the YMH Boston video.
• Explain why a thorough psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent is important.
• Describe two different symptom rating scales that would be appropriate to use during the
psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent.
• Describe two psychiatric treatment options for children and adolescents that may not be
used when treating adults.
• Explain the role parents/guardians play in assessment.
Support your response with at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources and explain
why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
