GP and Mental Health Nurses Training - Psychiatric Interview Skills Online Course

Over 30 scenarios across 8 psychiatry domains

Here you can browse through descriptions of over 30 scenarios under 8 different domains. All scenarios are based on real life clinical practice. Relevant scenarios have checklist slides for easy download and reference. The videos impart interviewing techniques and buzzwords, showing you how to tackle each clinical scenario in a structured manner.

A special package exists for medical students with 30 relevant videos specifically selected from below.

Click on a specific scenario headline to view the tasks covered.

1. Mood Disorders

Perinatal history taking
Risk assessment
Medication and pregnancy
Medication and breastfeeding

Take a competent perinatal history and perform a risk-benefit analysis regarding the management of postnatal depression. Explain the role of medications and psychological strategies in not only breastfeeding but also when planning the next pregnancy. The slides outline the latest evidence.

History taking in Bipolar disorder
Risk-benefit analysis
Medications and pregnancy
Medications and post partum period

Take a competent history of bipolar disorder in the outpatient department and develop a collaborative discussion model to help the patient make an informed decision. Provide psychoeducation about management in pregnancy and postpartum.

Detailed assessment of depression
Risk assessment
Precipitating, predisposing and maintaining factors in depression
Management of depression
Differentiating between bipolar and unipolar depression

Complete a competent assessment of an extremely common and potentially serious condition, and equip yourself with knowledge of the relevant bio-psycho-socio-cultural predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors to devise a formulation. Manage a case of depression confidently.

Sexual side effects of antidepressants
Sensitive history taking
Establishing temporal relationships
Management of sexual dysfunction with antidepressants

Obtain a history of sexual dysfunction with antidepressants; a common but rarely volunteered side effect leading to non-compliance, establish the complex relationship between depression, antidepressant and sexual dysfunction, and manage the case confidently based on evidence based strategies.

Understanding symptoms and stages of grief
Understanding symptoms and signs of abnormal grief
Differentiating between grief and major depressive disorder

Perform a diagnostic assessment on a patient who has recently lost a family member in a car accident.

Psychoeducation about grief
Stages of grief
Explaining the difference between grief and depression

Provide psychoeducation about grief outlining the key stages of grief.

2. Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum and Trauma Related Disorders

History taking in anxiety disorder
Diagnosing anxiety disorders
Psychoeducation about anxiety to patient
Explanation of treatment strategies to patient

Take a history in a patient presenting with anxiety and diagnose the appropriate anxiety disorder. Provide the patient with the explanation of anxiety and management strategies, including a detailed explanation of psychological strategies to manage anxiety. The slides contain a section on anxiety disorders and their evidence based management.

History taking in PTSD
Ruling out co-morbidities
Evidence based management of PTSD

Take a competent history of post-traumatic stress disorder and manage the case based on evidence based principles. Provide psychoeducation to the patient including explanations of trauma focused psychological therapies.

History taking in OCD
Ruling out co-morbidities
Explanation of exposure and response prevention
Evidence based management of OCD

Obtain a competent history in OCD and provide psychoeducation to the patient including explanation of exposure and response prevention. The slides outline the evidence based guidelines for the management of OCD.

History Taking in Panic disorder and Agoraphobia
Psychoeducation of panic disorder
Explanation of cognitive behavioural therapy

Take a history of anxiety symptoms. Establish a diagnosis of the type of anxiety disorder and provide focused psychoeducation. Explain cognitive behavioural therapy to the patie

History taking in a case of hypochondriasis

Obtain a competent history in a client presenting with somatic complaints with a view to establishing a diagnosis.

Explanation of Hypochondriasis
Explanation of management
Explanation of CBT

Psychoeducate a family member on hypochondriasis and its treatment with a focus on cognitive behavioural therapy.

Diagnostic assessment in BDD

Obtaining a competent history in a patient who is concerned about her appearance. Special thanks to Prof David Castle, expert on BDD, for his input.

Psychoeducation to parent on BDD
Explanation of aetiology of BDD
Explanation of treatment
Explanation of key principles in psychological treatment

Provide psychoeducation about Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) to a concerned parent. Outline the treatment options explaining the key principles in psychological treatment for BDD.

Take a focused history examining mood, behaviour and cognitions
Explain principles and core components of CBT
Apply CBT techniques to the patients specific cognitions and behaviours

Take a focused history from the patient examining mood symptoms, behaviour and cognitions and explain to the patient the application of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anxiety specific to her needs.

3. Psychotic Disorders

Addressing myths
Explanation of bio-psycho-social treatment options

Sensitively address the important concerns in schizophrenia to a family member and explain competently the important aspects regarding the treatment based on bio-psycho-social principles.

Assessment of acute psychosis
Risk assessment
Management

Perform a competent assessment of psychosis and risk in a time limited setting.

Elicit a history of a transient psychotic episode following a cluster of seizures.
Emphasise the significance of the period of lucidity between the patient’s seizure and psychotic features

Explore the link between psychosis and epilepsy in a patient with post-ictal psychosis and present a brief formulation.

4. Drug and Alcohol Disorders

History taking in alcohol use
Differentiating between dependence and misuse
Perform motivational interviewing
Evidence based management strategies

Take a competent history of alcohol use to differentiate between misuse and dependence. Perform a motivational interview which is an effective tool in affecting change as part of management. This will prove beneficial in the exams and your clinical practice, as alcohol dependence / misuse is commonly encountered. The slides outline evidence based bio-psycho-social management strategies.

Assess mental state
Assess medical history
Assess dependence
Assess motivation to quit
Discuss the advantages and consequences of stopping smoking
Provide advice on options available

To take relevant history and give appropriate advice to a patient with schizophrenia who is requesting help to quit smoking.

5. Mental State Examination Components

Memory tests
Parietal lobe examination
Frontal lobe examination

Perform a competitive cognitive examination which covers the basic MMSE and the important additional parietal lobe and frontal lobe tests to inform clinical practice. The tests are based on well known textbooks and interpretations explained.

Psychosis assessment
Mood assessment
Anxiety assessment
OCD assessment
Risk assessment
Assessment of insight and judgement

Perform a competent mental state examination in limited time. This will benefit you for the exam and be extremely relevant in your clinical practice.

Mental state examination in schizophrenia
Parkinsonian side effects
Akathisia
Dystonia
Tardive dyskinesia
Management

Perform a mental state examination and EPSE based on the gold standard Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. Present your findings to the examiner succinctly and describe the management of tardive dyskinesia. The slides outline the management of EPSE.

6. Family Interviews

History taking in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Principles of management in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Evidence based management of ADHD

Take a competent history from a parent about ADHD and learn the general principles of history taking in any child and adolescent case. Evidence based guidelines are outlined for the management of ADHD.

Psychoeducation to a family member about Alzheimer’s dementia
Knowledge of Lewy body type dementia
Treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia
Bio-psycho-socio-cultural approach to management
Carer burden

Provide psychoeducation to a family member about Alzheimer’s dementia including the management and psychosocial aspects.

7. Miscellaneous Assessments in Psychiatry

Diagnostic interviewing in eating disorder
Obtaining information for a bio-psychosocial formulation
Physical examination in eating disorder
Management of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Complete a competent diagnostic interview, outline the predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating risk factors for a case formulation, and perform a brief physical examination in a patient with eating disorder. The slides outline the evidence based management of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

History taking in insomnia
Psychoeducation
Management of insomnia

Obtain a complete history of insomnia, diagnose the type of insomnia and exclude psychiatric disorders. Provide psychoeducation regarding treatment strategies. The slides outline the types of insomnia and evidence based strategies in the management of insomnia.

Risk assessment in a self-harm / suicide attempt
Diagnostic interview to assess personality disorder (borderline type)
Crisis intervention

Take a relevant history of a self harm / suicide attempt to establish the severity of the attempt and exclude any major mental illness. Ask the relevant questions to assess Borderline Personality Traits and devise a relevant crisis management plan with the patient. The slides cover evidence based psychological and pharmacological strategies for the management of Borderline Personality Disorder.

History taking from a carer
Performing a functional analysis
Causes of behavioural difficulties
Awareness of interview techniques

Obtain a competent history from a carer and develop a collaborative management plan based on the principles of functional analysis. Recognise the common causes of behavioural difficulties.

History taking of behavioural disturbance in a Consultation-Liaison setting
Management of delirium
Knowledge of Alcohol withdrawal and its management
Non-pharmacological management of delirium

Take a history from a nursing colleague in a Consultation-Liaison setting about behavioural disturbance on the surgical ward. Explain the diagnosis and management.

History taking in Bulimia Nervosa
Formulation in Bulimia Nervosa

Take a competent history of bulimia nervosa in order to reach a Bio-psychosocial formulation. In the linked station you will have to have to explain the choice of psychological therapy to the student nurse.

History taking in Adult ADHD
Ruling out important co-morbidities

Perform a competent assessment to assess the possibility of Adult ADHD in a time restricted setting.

Principles in history taking in intellectual disability
Understanding of different forms of communication in intellectual disability
Preparation for an interview
Key principles in the diagnostic interview
Aetiology of behavioural disturbance
Understanding diagnostic overshadowing
Principles in management of behavioural disturbance

Explain the key principles of assessment and management in intellectual disability.

Symptoms of school refusal
Causes of school refusal
Assessment of school refusal
Treatment of school refusal
Role of teachers and parents in school refusal

Interview a child support worker who is reporting school refusal in a student. Explain the assessment, aetiology and management.

Difference between Childhood and Adult ADHD
Principles in assessment of ADHD
Co-morbidities in ADHD
Behavioural and psychological treatment strategies
Medications for Adult ADHD

Provide psychoeducation to your patient on Adult ADHD explaining the diagnosis and treatment.

Take a relevant and focussed history from a non-mental health worker.
Identify the key issues including child protection issues
Understand key principles in management, including relevant legislative frameworks.
Outline a practical approach to the issues involved for children affected by mental illness in a parent.

Take a history from a community nurse who is raising concerns about a child in the context of maternal mental illness. Present a short and long term management plan.