Identifying a potential acute stroke in the psychiatric unit is crucial because immediate treatment can usually prevent permanent neurologic damage.

You’ll frequently encounter cases of hyperlipidemia among your patients on the psychiatric unit. Individuals with chronic mental illnesses are at a higher risk due to poor dietary habits, inadequate health care follow-up, smoking, and lack of physical exercise.

When managing pain in inpatient psychiatric settings, you will face unique challenges, including drug interaction risks, potential substance misuse, and the concern that inadequately treated pain may worsen depression or anxiety.

The BFCRS (Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale) identifies and quantifies catatonia severity. It includes 23 items assessing symptoms from immobility to autonomic abnormalities. 

The Psychiatric Review of Symptoms (PROS) screens for major psychiatric disorders during an initial evaluation. Use the mnemonic below to ensure you cover all major diagnostic categories.