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A quantifiable, Brief Mental Status Examination for emergency patients
1Department of Medicine, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.
The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|July 1, 1995
Summary
A new Brief Mental Status Examination (BMSE) shows promise for assessing emergency patients. This tool can help paramedics and emergency department staff quickly evaluate mental status and competence to refuse care.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Neuropsychology
- Clinical Assessment Tools
Background:
- Paramedics and ED staff require tools to assess patient mental status.
- Existing methods lack validation for routine use in emergency settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate a quantitative Brief Mental Status Examination (BMSE) for emergency care.
- To assess the BMSE's utility and ease of administration for emergency personnel.
Main Methods:
- Administered a six-item BMSE to 100 emergency department patients.
- Compared BMSE scores with physician assessments of mental status and competence.
- Collected ratings on BMSE usefulness and ease of administration from clinicians.
Main Results:
- BMSE scores significantly correlated with physician assessments.
- BMSE demonstrated 72% sensitivity and 95% specificity for identifying severely impaired individuals.
- Clinicians rated the BMSE as useful in 98% of cases.
Conclusions:
- The BMSE shows potential as a valid and useful tool for mental status assessment.
- Further testing is recommended for prehospital and ED settings.
- The BMSE may improve emergency patient evaluations.