Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve

Confident (Can complete independently)

Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision)

Beginning (Have performed with supervision or needs supervision to feel confident)

New (Have never performed or does not apply)

Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in: 

Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan

X

Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions 

X

Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies) 

X

Performing and interpreting a mental status examination 

X

Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history 

X

Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational).

X

Diagnostic reasoning skill in:

Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list

X

Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5-TR based on assessment data 

X

Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes

X

Pharmacotherapeutic skills in:

Selecting appropriate evidence based clinical practice guidelines for medication plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management) 

X

Evaluating patient response and modify plan as necessary 

X

Documenting (e.g., adverse reaction, the patient response, changes to the plan of care)

X

Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:

Recognizes concepts of therapeutic modalities across the lifespan

X

Selecting appropriate evidence based clinical practice guidelines for psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for situation) 

X

Applies age appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals and/or any caregivers

X

Develop an age appropriate individualized plan of care

X

Provide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregivers

X

Promote health and disease prevention techniques

X

Self-assessment skill:

Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences 

X

Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary 

X

Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences

X

Professional skills:

Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff

X

Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to improve clinical practice in mental health settings 

X

Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions

X

Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy

X

Practices within scope of practice

X

Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s), interpreting results, and making recommendations and referrals:

Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation 

X

Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients

X

Interprets results for screening instruments accurately

X

Develops an appropriate plan of care based upon screening instruments response

X

Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable

X

Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable

X

I possess a robust set of clinical skills and competencies in psychiatric nursing, reflecting a high level of confidence in various key areas. These include the ability to recognize clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illnesses across the lifespan and differentiate between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions. I am proficient in performing comprehensive histories and physical examinations, including laboratory and diagnostic studies, as well as conducting mental status examinations, psychosocial assessments, and family psychiatric histories. Additionally, I excel in functional assessments, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of a patient's daily functioning. My diagnostic reasoning skills are strong, enabling me to develop differential diagnoses lists and formulate accurate diagnoses based on DSM 5-TR criteria. Furthermore, I am skilled in pharmacotherapeutic practices, including selecting evidence-based medication plans, evaluating patient responses, and maintaining meticulous documentation. In psychotherapeutic treatment planning, I can effectively apply therapeutic modalities across the lifespan, select suitable guidelines, employ age-appropriate counseling techniques, and create individualized care plans, while also providing psychoeducation and promoting preventive healthcare strategies. I exhibit self-assessment capabilities through SMART goal development, outcome evaluation, and reflective documentation. My professional skills are well-rounded, including maintaining therapeutic boundaries, collaborating within multidisciplinary teams, addressing ethical and legal dilemmas, demonstrating non-judgmental empathy, and adhering to my scope of practice. Finally, my adeptness extends to selecting and implementing screening instruments, accurately interpreting results, developing responsive care plans, recognizing the need for specialty referrals, and maintaining precise documentation, ensuring comprehensive patient care and professional excellence.

One area of opportunity for growth lies in my aspiration to further refine my diagnostic skills to reach a point where I can confidently diagnose clients solely based on clinical signs and symptoms, reducing my reliance on reference materials such as the DSM 5-TR. I plan to achieve this by actively engaging in regular case discussions with my preceptor, undertaking self-directed study to deepen my understanding of psychiatric disorders, and proactively seeking feedback from seasoned practitioners to fine-tune my diagnostic abilities. This endeavor will not only contribute to my professional autonomy but also enhance the quality and efficiency of patient care, ultimately leading to more effective treatment plans and improved clinical outcomes.

1. Goal: Enhance diagnostic skills and the ability to formulate diagnoses independently.

a. Objective: Independently perform psychiatric evaluations and formulate differential diagnoses for at least 80% of clients by the end of the practicum.

b. Objective: Conduct weekly case discussions with preceptor to assess diagnostic accuracy and receive feedback.

c. Objective: To boost diagnostic confidence, review DSM-5 criteria for prevalent mental diseases on a frequent basis.

2. Goal: I aim to improve my medication management and treatment planning abilities at the end of this course.

a. Objective: Using evidence-based criteria, independently identify suitable drugs and prepare treatment programs for 70% of clients.

b. Objective: Collaborate with the preceptor to assess medication efficacy and make appropriate modifications for each client on a weekly basis.

c. Objective: Keep a detailed record of medication-related information and treatment plans for continuing assessment and improvement.

3. Goal: By the end of this course, I should be able to manage and document medication adjustments more successfully.

a. Objective: Collaborate with the preceptor to determine whether a client's medicine needs to be modified, withheld, or augmented, and describe the rationale for these adjustments during weekly reviews.

b. Objective: Create a system for tracking and documenting medication changes, including the reasoning behind each change.

c. Objective: By the end of the practicum, ensure that all medication-related paperwork meets the highest accuracy and comprehensiveness criteria, with 100% compliance.

4. Goal: Improve patient involvement by learning advanced psychological counseling techniques.

a. Objective: Apply age-appropriate psychotherapy procedures independently with persons and carers, with a satisfaction rate of 90% or above.

b. Objective: Review evidence-based psychotherapy modalities on a regular basis and adjust them to particular client requirements.

c. Objective: Seek client input actively and incorporate it into the therapy plan to improve therapeutic outcomes.