Mental State Examination Flashcards
Outline the structure of a Mental State Examination
Appearance and Behaviour Speech Mood Thoughts Risk Perceptions Cognitive Insight
how do you describe speech in an MSE
flow, tone and volume
comment on the nature of answers to questions (fluent, comprehensive)
tangential or circumstances speech
how do you describe mood in an MSE
subjective and objective
subjective is what they describe
objective is your view
how do you describe appearance in an MSE
full description
clothes
how well kempt
how do you describe thoughts in an MSE
form and content
“no form of thought disorder”
how do you describe risk in an MSE
risk of self harm
risk of harm to others
suicidal ideas or plans- how realistic are the thoughts
how do you describe perceptions in an MSE
hallucinations of any sensory modality
how do you describe cognition in an MSE
often formally assessed
compare it to their baseline
how do you describe insight in an MSE
understanding of their illness
desire to engage with treatment
