AIM • STEP 10
Student Memory Support
Family Care, Treatment Adherence & Initial Psychiatric Assessment
Final Year MBBS • Foundation Module • High-yield revision
1. High-Yield Flashcards
Tap each question to reveal the answer.
What determines whether a home-care plan is feasible?
The patient’s daily needs, abilities and reliably available support.
How does chronic home care differ from short-term care after an acute illness?
It needs support and routines that remain workable over time.
What should guide a relative’s role in a patient’s care?
The patient’s agreement, the care tasks and the relative’s capacity.
How can a clinician check whether home-care advice was understood?
Invite the patient or caregiver to explain the agreed plan in their own words.
What is unintentional non-adherence?
The patient intends to follow treatment but a practical barrier prevents it.
What is intentional non-adherence?
The patient chooses not to follow part of the plan, often because of a concern or belief.
Which treatments require an adherence plan?
Both prescribed medicines and nonpharmacological care.
What makes a follow-up plan actionable?
A clear review arrangement, responsible service and route for earlier help.
What does the psychiatric history establish?
How symptoms began, developed and affected the patient’s functioning.
What does the mental-state examination describe?
The patient’s reported and observed mental state at the time of assessment.
What must be considered when behaviour changes suddenly with confusion or fever?
An acute physical cause requiring prompt assessment.
What is a working formulation after initial psychiatric assessment?
A provisional explanation linking findings and risks to the initial care plan.
2. Mnemonics
Mnemonic Title: Planning care at home
Mnemonic Word: CARE
Meaning: Capabilities of the patient → Agreed support → Routine care tasks → Escalation for warning changes.
Mnemonic Title: Exploring missed treatment
Mnemonic Word: BARS
Meaning: Beliefs about treatment → Adverse effects → Resources and access → Symptoms that interfere with care.
Mnemonic Title: First psychiatric assessment
Mnemonic Word: SAFE
Meaning: Safety → Acute physical problems → Findings from history and mental state → Explanation and initial plan.
3. Memory Tables
Intentional versus unintentional non-adherence
| Feature | Intentional | Unintentional |
|---|---|---|
| Main issue | Concern or disagreement | Practical obstacle |
| Possible clue | Doubts treatment is needed | Cannot obtain treatment |
| Helpful response | Explore beliefs and goals | Address access or routine |
4. Rapid Revision Points — Last-Minute Revision
Must Remember:
- Home care must match actual needs and available support.
- Chronic care needs a plan that remains feasible over time.
- Include family with appropriate patient agreement.
- Check understanding by asking for the plan in the person’s own words.
- Adherence includes medicines and nonpharmacological care.
- Identify the barrier before selecting adherence support.
- Adverse effects deserve review before treatment is abandoned.
- Follow-up needs a service, review arrangement and contact route.
- Mental-state examination describes the patient’s current state.
- Assess physical health and immediate risk at psychiatric admission.
5. Clinical Memory Hooks
Caregiver unavailable during the day → match each home task with support available when needed.
Medicine missed because of travel cost → solve the access barrier rather than repeat instructions.
New confusion with fever after admission → assess for an acute physical cause.
Worsening function at local review → reassess the patient and decide whether escalation is needed.
6. Starred High-Yield Exam Points
- ⭐ Sudden confusion with physical illness → assess a medical cause promptly.
- ⭐ Current thoughts of self-harm → ask directly about intent and immediate safety.
- ⭐ History describes the course; mental-state examination describes the present state.
- ⭐ Missed treatment → distinguish a practical barrier from a concern about treatment.
- ⭐ Symptom improvement alone does not establish that home care and follow-up are feasible.
- ⭐ Routine local follow-up supports continuity; serious deterioration requires prompt escalation.