The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Free Essay Example, 3750 words

The use of the BPRS tool was originally confined to the use of the psychiatrist as he or she evaluated the progress of their patient. In the last couple of decades, however, nurses have been given the responsibility on a more frequent basis to administer the tool for later evaluation by the doctor involved in the case. Barker (2004) discusses how the tool as it is used to monitor the experience of psychosis, or the differential effects of treatment has been more often handed to nurses in recent years with a recognition and stipulation for validity based upon the understanding and clinical skills of the interviewer, in this case the nurse, who must be thoroughly trained in its use (p. 251). Nurses have been using the tool for the past couple of decades through a modified version used for evaluation that can be translated and interpreted across several providers of medical care. The tool evaluates the symptoms so that they can be tracked by the medical team and the immediate position of the mental state of the patient can inform them on how to proceed with treatment. We will write a custom essay sample on The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The BPRS provided enough evaluation so that interpreting the progress of patients with schizophrenia through the use of the tool was a valid effort. The capacity to track patients through the use of a tool like this through a long period of time provides for the development of an understanding of both the tool s validity and the understanding of the psychiatric community about the disorder. \