Psychiatric Facility Client Intake Form Analysis
Critique of an Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Client Intake Form Upon initial review of the blank Client Self-Assessment Form, the client is asked to fill out his/her name and, if the client is unable to fill the form out himself/herself or the client is under the age of 14, the person completing the form on behalf of the client is asked to identify himself/herself. For the purposes of this paper, the client himself/herself will be referred to as the person who is filling out the Client Self-Assessment Form. The first two questions that the client is asked to answer two open-ended questions. Question one asks that the client describe in detail the reasons that he/she is seeking services while the second question asks the client how long he/she
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has been experiencing the problems that he/she is seeking help for and what he/she has done so far to alleviate the problem(s). Allowing the client to answer open-ended questions benefits the client as he/she can relay, in much more detail, what his/her presenting problems are We clinicians benefit in multiple ways as well. Not only are we able to be informed of the client’s issues prior to completing the biopsychosocial, but we are able to get a better understanding of the client’s issues, but we have a better opportunity to quickly identify other possible contributing issues such as altered mental status, psychosis, impairment, or low level of functioning based on the client’s answers and handwriting. The next four sections involve check lists, asking the client to identify which items relate to him/her. The first checklist involves 64 adjectives and issues that the client feels describes him/her, both positive and negative. The options vary from different emotional issues, medical issues, drug and alcohol issues. The second section with a check list provides 9 options to describe how the client did academically and behaviourally while in school while the third checklist includes 14 adjectives with two columns, one for the client’s mother and one for the client’s father. The client is asked to check off which adjectives relate to his/her parents. The last checklist section involves childhood experiences, mainly listing negative factors, such as fears, stammering, bedwetting, and unhappy childhood. The only positive item listed is happy childhood. The Client Self-Assessment Form concludes with an open-ended question, asking client about his/her experience while filling out the form and if there is any further information that they can provide in order for the facility better serve him/her. The form is extremely helpful with assisting clients in narrowing down their own problems and it helps the clinicians to identify the current presenting issues the client is seeking services for. Factors that may have led up to the client’s current problems, such as childhood experiences, as well as how the problems have negatively affected the client’s day to day life, such as experiencing suicidal thoughts or substance abuse issues, can be identified. The form is one page, double sided. Most clients are often overwhelmed with paperwork so the idea of seeing only one piece of paper to fill out to elaborate on his/her present issues can be a relief. This is especially true for the facility in which this writer works in since it is an inpatient psychiatric facility so the clients that come into the facility are in crisis and not is the most stable state of mind. The three open-ended questions allow the client to elaborate as much as he/she wants while the checklist sections can be completed at a swifter rate and allows the client to identify issues that he/she may not have remembered to put on the open-ended sections. The Client Self-Assessment Form, while helpful, is not universal in this writer’s opinion.
First, the form is to be completed by clients who are age 14 and up. A 14-year old’s vocabulary is often not up to par with that of an adult. In addition, there are many adult clients who are at a lower level of functioning and/or are uneducated with a very limited vocabulary. While some of the words in the checklists are basic words, this writer does feel that a handful of the words could be replaced with simpler terms to benefit the clients as the client may misunderstand the word or be too embarrassed to ask for assistance, which can cause even more problems with his/her self-esteem. In addition, since children 14 and over can fill out the Client Self-Assessment Form themselves, the use of more basic words would be beneficial for them and also eliminate the idea of possibly making a form just for …show more content…
minors. At the facility in which this writer works, the form is only available in English. Here is Florida, we do have a large number of clients who are only Spanish speaking and when these clients come into the facility, we rely on having Spanish speaking staff translate for the client if the client is not accompanied by a family member or friend. On one hand, the client often finds comfort with being able to converse with staff who are also Spanish speaking and it can be beneficial to both client and staff as the client may be more inclined to open up to the staff member about his/her stressors. On the other hand, the client may feel frustrated by the fact that they must have assistance to complete the form because the facility does not have it in his/her native language and it can also put strain on the staff as we are often already short staffed. The setup of the form makes for adequate room for the client to answer the questions. The first two open-ended questions provide the client with 3 full sized lines in order to elaborate about the reason that he/she is seeking services. The checklist sections are simple as the client only checks off what is relevant to him/her. If the client needs additional space to write, the last section, which is also open-ended, may be used to provide the additional information that the client wants to relay. In order for the form to be easier for the client to read and understand, there are a few ways that the form could be reformatted. First, rather than have 6 numbered sections that seem to visibly run together, it could be helpful to have each section titled and in its own frame/blocked area. Doing this would make the form look cleaner and more organized. Another idea would be to eliminate some of the options provided in the checklists and, instead, include a new section in which the client is asked to rate the issues on a scale of 0 – 10 in regards to how the issues are affecting his/her life. The directions would clarify that “0” meant that the client is not impacted at all, whereas, “10” that the client is being negatively impacted on a daily basis. As previously stated, this writer feels that, while having a checklist for the client is very important, the excess of checklists and options can be overwhelming. This writer also feels that there are several chosen words/phrases in the checklists that that are very negative and could be replaced with less harsh words. For example, asking the clients if they experience hateful feelings, feel that they are evil, and feel stupid could be replaced with asking them if they have negative feelings towards themselves and/or others and if they have low self-esteem. This writer feels that it would be important if there was an equal number of positive attributes and negative attributes for the client to opt to check off while completing the checklists in order for the client to hopefully subconsciously realize the positive aspects about his/her life that are present. In addition, this writer feels that also allowing the client to identify legal issues, medical issues, and family history of mental illness would be beneficial to this form. This writer does agree with the initial set up of the form which asks the clients to identify, in their own words, why they are seeking services, how long the problem has been going on, and what steps they have taken before this point to seek help.
This writer feels that the checklist for current issues could be more concise and it would be simpler for the client if the options were separated into two columns, one column for negative symptoms and the other for positive symptoms. The writer feels that the checklist involving characteristics of mother and father should be more broad, especially since more and more people not raised by the typical nuclear family. Lastly, childhood and educational checklists should flow together as
one.
has been experiencing the problems that he/she is seeking help for and what he/she has done so far to alleviate the problem(s). Allowing the client to answer open-ended questions benefits the client as he/she can relay, in much more detail, what his/her presenting problems are We clinicians benefit in multiple ways as well. Not only are we able to be informed of the client’s issues prior to completing the biopsychosocial, but we are able to get a better understanding of the client’s issues, but we have a better opportunity to quickly identify other possible contributing issues such as altered mental status, psychosis, impairment, or low level of functioning based on the client’s answers and handwriting. The next four sections involve check lists, asking the client to identify which items relate to him/her. The first checklist involves 64 adjectives and issues that the client feels describes him/her, both positive and negative. The options vary from different emotional issues, medical issues, drug and alcohol issues. The second section with a check list provides 9 options to describe how the client did academically and behaviourally while in school while the third checklist includes 14 adjectives with two columns, one for the client’s mother and one for the client’s father. The client is asked to check off which adjectives relate to his/her parents. The last checklist section involves childhood experiences, mainly listing negative factors, such as fears, stammering, bedwetting, and unhappy childhood. The only positive item listed is happy childhood. The Client Self-Assessment Form concludes with an open-ended question, asking client about his/her experience while filling out the form and if there is any further information that they can provide in order for the facility better serve him/her. The form is extremely helpful with assisting clients in narrowing down their own problems and it helps the clinicians to identify the current presenting issues the client is seeking services for. Factors that may have led up to the client’s current problems, such as childhood experiences, as well as how the problems have negatively affected the client’s day to day life, such as experiencing suicidal thoughts or substance abuse issues, can be identified. The form is one page, double sided. Most clients are often overwhelmed with paperwork so the idea of seeing only one piece of paper to fill out to elaborate on his/her present issues can be a relief. This is especially true for the facility in which this writer works in since it is an inpatient psychiatric facility so the clients that come into the facility are in crisis and not is the most stable state of mind. The three open-ended questions allow the client to elaborate as much as he/she wants while the checklist sections can be completed at a swifter rate and allows the client to identify issues that he/she may not have remembered to put on the open-ended sections. The Client Self-Assessment Form, while helpful, is not universal in this writer’s opinion.
First, the form is to be completed by clients who are age 14 and up. A 14-year old’s vocabulary is often not up to par with that of an adult. In addition, there are many adult clients who are at a lower level of functioning and/or are uneducated with a very limited vocabulary. While some of the words in the checklists are basic words, this writer does feel that a handful of the words could be replaced with simpler terms to benefit the clients as the client may misunderstand the word or be too embarrassed to ask for assistance, which can cause even more problems with his/her self-esteem. In addition, since children 14 and over can fill out the Client Self-Assessment Form themselves, the use of more basic words would be beneficial for them and also eliminate the idea of possibly making a form just for …show more content…
minors. At the facility in which this writer works, the form is only available in English. Here is Florida, we do have a large number of clients who are only Spanish speaking and when these clients come into the facility, we rely on having Spanish speaking staff translate for the client if the client is not accompanied by a family member or friend. On one hand, the client often finds comfort with being able to converse with staff who are also Spanish speaking and it can be beneficial to both client and staff as the client may be more inclined to open up to the staff member about his/her stressors. On the other hand, the client may feel frustrated by the fact that they must have assistance to complete the form because the facility does not have it in his/her native language and it can also put strain on the staff as we are often already short staffed. The setup of the form makes for adequate room for the client to answer the questions. The first two open-ended questions provide the client with 3 full sized lines in order to elaborate about the reason that he/she is seeking services. The checklist sections are simple as the client only checks off what is relevant to him/her. If the client needs additional space to write, the last section, which is also open-ended, may be used to provide the additional information that the client wants to relay. In order for the form to be easier for the client to read and understand, there are a few ways that the form could be reformatted. First, rather than have 6 numbered sections that seem to visibly run together, it could be helpful to have each section titled and in its own frame/blocked area. Doing this would make the form look cleaner and more organized. Another idea would be to eliminate some of the options provided in the checklists and, instead, include a new section in which the client is asked to rate the issues on a scale of 0 – 10 in regards to how the issues are affecting his/her life. The directions would clarify that “0” meant that the client is not impacted at all, whereas, “10” that the client is being negatively impacted on a daily basis. As previously stated, this writer feels that, while having a checklist for the client is very important, the excess of checklists and options can be overwhelming. This writer also feels that there are several chosen words/phrases in the checklists that that are very negative and could be replaced with less harsh words. For example, asking the clients if they experience hateful feelings, feel that they are evil, and feel stupid could be replaced with asking them if they have negative feelings towards themselves and/or others and if they have low self-esteem. This writer feels that it would be important if there was an equal number of positive attributes and negative attributes for the client to opt to check off while completing the checklists in order for the client to hopefully subconsciously realize the positive aspects about his/her life that are present. In addition, this writer feels that also allowing the client to identify legal issues, medical issues, and family history of mental illness would be beneficial to this form. This writer does agree with the initial set up of the form which asks the clients to identify, in their own words, why they are seeking services, how long the problem has been going on, and what steps they have taken before this point to seek help.
This writer feels that the checklist for current issues could be more concise and it would be simpler for the client if the options were separated into two columns, one column for negative symptoms and the other for positive symptoms. The writer feels that the checklist involving characteristics of mother and father should be more broad, especially since more and more people not raised by the typical nuclear family. Lastly, childhood and educational checklists should flow together as
one.