Tips for inpatient interviewing

[DD214_DOC]

Hey,

I would like some advice/tips on how to interview/talk with patients in the inpatient setting. I am fine with the diagnostic interview, but the daily visits leave me at a loss. I get the point of, "So how are things going" and asking how they are tolerating their medications, but the rest seems like pointless chit-chat to me. I was asked to talk with an inpatient I did not know much about and was pretty much lost on what to say.

Is there actually some sort of point to it, or it it really just a, "how are you doing" visit?

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[Regnvejr]

It is always useful to establish their understanding of the diagnosis, and about how they feel the medications affect them. Find out if they understand what the medications are for and what it is supposed to do.

Check for complications, such as changes in sleep, appetite, irritasbility, anxiety, possibly cravings.

Find out what their plans after discharge are and how they plan to cover support, housing and affording their medications.

Any new stress while in the hospital, anything going wrong (They always complain about the rules, smoking, nurses being bossy merely per following your orders. Make sure to back up your staff. That makes your life much easier).

The interview is also modeling and practicing of setting and observing boundaries and social skills, so while it may look like smalltalk to you, the patient may not have the skill for that.

Always look at how the patient can get more control over their own life. It generally is the best prevention of relapse.