A new behavioral assessment scale for geriatric out- and in-patients: the NOSGER (Nurses' Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients).
Although a great number of psychometric tests and rating scales for the assessment of psychogeriatric patients is available, there is still an urgent need, in research and practice, for a clinical rating instrument that meets the following main requirements: (1) applicable to institutionalized and community patients and covering a wide range of behavioral pathology; (2) acceptable and easy to use for professionals and lay persons alike; (3) covering a wide range of behavior relevant to daily functioning but independent of sex or social status of the individual assessed. The NOSGER contains 30 items of behavior, each rated on a 5-point scale according to frequency of occurrence. Item scores are summarized into 6 Dimension scores (memory, instrumental activities of daily life, self-care, mood, social behavior, and disturbing behavior) which are clinically relevant in dementia, depression, and other psychiatric disorders of old age. Validation studies with a preliminary version of the NOSGER indicated good acceptance of the scale, high inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and high correlations of all NOSGER Dimension scores with results of a variety of established assessment instruments. The NOSGER is currently being used in a number of European and North American centers and should turn out to be a useful instrument for longitudinal studies in psychogeriatrics.
Spiegel
R
R
Department of Psychology, University of Basle, Switzerland.
Brunner
C
C
Ermini-Fünfschilling
D
D
Monsch
A
A
Notter
M
M
Puxty
J
J
Tremmel
L
L
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000592:standards*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D015588:Observer Variation; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D012919:Social Behavior