A psychogeriatric nursing assessment protocol for use in multidisciplinary practice.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Neurobehavioral Assessment

Background:

• Geriatric patients with psychiatric or neurobehavioral problems require a multidisciplinary approach.
• Existing medical assessments are established, but nursing lacks a comprehensive strategy for this population.
• This gap hinders effective nursing and multidisciplinary practice in psychogeriatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Psychogeriatric Nursing Assessment Protocol (Abraham, 1989).
• To detail its application within a multidisciplinary geriatric neuropsychiatric outpatient clinic.
• To clarify the integration of nursing assessment with other medical disciplines.

Main Methods:

• Development and description of the Psychogeriatric Nursing Assessment Protocol.
• Application of the protocol in a specialized clinical setting.
• Discussion of the protocol's relationship with psychiatric, neurological, geriatric, and medical assessments.

Main Results:

• The protocol provides a structured approach for nursing assessment in psychogeriatric care.
• It facilitates clearer linkages between nursing knowledge and other medical assessments.
• The protocol supports integrated care delivery for complex geriatric patients.

Conclusions:

• The Psychogeriatric Nursing Assessment Protocol enhances nursing's role in multidisciplinary geriatric care.
• It improves service delivery for geriatric patients with psychiatric/neurobehavioral issues and their caregivers.
• The protocol promotes essential knowledge and care coordination for successful outcomes.