How can I effectively communicate to colleagues my efforts to educate a patient's parent on the difference between psychological evaluations and psychiatric evaluations?

From the Guidelines

To effectively communicate your efforts in educating a patient's parent about the difference between psychological and psychiatric evaluations, document your conversation clearly in your clinical notes or team communication channels, as suggested by the American Psychiatric Association practice guidelines 1. Begin by summarizing the key points you explained to the parent: psychological evaluations focus on cognitive functioning, behavior patterns, and emotional processing through tests and assessments conducted by psychologists, while psychiatric evaluations concentrate on diagnosing mental health conditions, determining medication needs, and are performed by psychiatrists who can prescribe medications. Note specific questions the parent asked and how you addressed their concerns, following the principle of providing feedback about the diagnosis and educating the patient and family regarding the child’s disorder and the treatment and monitoring plan 1. Include any educational materials you provided, such as pamphlets or website recommendations, to empower the family with knowledge about the patient's condition and treatment options. When discussing with colleagues, be concise but thorough, mentioning the parent's initial understanding and how it evolved after your explanation, to ensure continuity of care and prevent redundant explanations from team members. This communication also demonstrates your professional commitment to patient education and family engagement in the treatment process, which is essential for improving patient outcomes and quality of life, as emphasized in the clinical practice guidelines for support of the family in the patient-centered intensive care unit 1. Some key points to consider when communicating with colleagues include:

• The importance of assessing the family's understanding of the illness and its consequences, as well as their ability to cope with the illness and its consequences 1
• The need to provide education based on the assessment findings, to address specific attitudinal or psychological issues regarding medication and/or specific psychosocial interventions 1
• The value of empowering the child to identify and communicate benefits and problems with the medication trial, to improve adherence and enhance outcome 1

From the Research

Communicating Efforts to Educate a Patient's Parent

To effectively communicate to colleagues the efforts made to educate a patient's parent on the difference between psychological evaluations and psychiatric evaluations, consider the following points:

• Emphasize the importance of clear communication in healthcare settings, as highlighted in studies such as 2, which discusses the complexities of discussing treatment options with patients who have psychiatric problems.
• Explain the distinction between psychological and psychiatric evaluations, and how this information was conveyed to the patient's parent, taking into account the potential impact on the family's role in caregiving, as noted in 3.
• Describe the approach used to educate the patient's parent, including any strategies employed to ensure effective communication and understanding, such as those discussed in 4, which explores how psychiatrists recommend treatment and its relationship with patient uptake.
• Highlight the value of patient- and family-centered care, as emphasized in 5, which found that high satisfaction with psychiatric consultation services was associated with positive ratings of communication and working relationships.
• Consider the broader context of children visiting parents in inpatient psychiatric facilities, as discussed in 6, and how this experience can be supported and managed to minimize potential negative impacts on the child.

Key Points to Emphasize

• The importance of clear and effective communication in healthcare settings
• The distinction between psychological and psychiatric evaluations and how this information was conveyed to the patient's parent
• The approach used to educate the patient's parent and ensure understanding
• The value of patient- and family-centered care in improving satisfaction and outcomes
• The potential impact on the family's role in caregiving and the importance of supporting children who have a parent with a mental illness