Recognising, Responding to a Consumer's Mental State Deterioration

Welcome

Recognising and responding to acute deterioration aims to ensure that a person’s acute deterioration is recognised promptly, and appropriate action is taken. Acute deterioration includes physiological changes, as well as changes in cognition and mental state, and is frequently preceded by early warning signs.

People can experience deterioration in their mental state in all healthcare settings and this is an adverse outcome. A person can experience deterioration in mental state due to a number of reasons, including psychological distress, physical conditions including delirium, responses to prescribed treatments, intoxication, substance use/misuse, or exacerbation of mental illness. People can also experience deterioration in their mental state due to social factors or their environment.

Screening for the risk of deterioration in mental state is an important first step in helping to keep people safe by providing appropriate assessment, monitoring, and support in a timely and person-centered way.


Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe the signs of mental state deterioration, including changes in behaviour, appearance, conversation, perception, affect, mood, and cognitive function.
  • Perform an initial screen to identify potential causes of mental state deterioration, such as exacerbation of mental illness, psychological distress, physical conditions including delirium, and atypical responses.
  • Learn how to escalate care when necessary, including involving the multidisciplinary team and the person's family and carers.
  • Understand the importance of ongoing monitoring to detect changes in mental state and adjust care plans accordingly.
  • Review policy and procedure to ensure compliance with best practices for recognising and responding to mental state deterioration.
  • Identify challenges and expected benefits of recognising and responding to mental state deterioration, including the complexity of recognising signs of deterioration and the potential for improved outcomes with early intervention.