Patient AssessmentStaff on inpatient psychiatric units need to know about each patient’s experience ofdistressing auditory hallucinations with particular attention to whether the voices command thepatient to harm themselves or others and whether the patient intends to act on those commands.This information can be obtained by asking patients to complete self-assessment tools about theirvoices on admission, daily throughout their hospital stay, and upon discharge. Information canalso be obtained by interviewing patients about their voices. Interviewing facilitates a patienttelling his/her story about hearing voices and also gives staff insight into each patient’sindividual experience.