Question:
Use sources that are relevant to Mental Health Nursing, (MHN);
Angelina and the MHN can discuss how they will use therapeutic engagement skills.
Discuss with Angelina the therapeutic options available to her on the ward.
Answer:
Introduction
The MHN in Australia reports that the majority of cases of mental illness due to depression are either economically or socially associated.
The bipolar disorder and schizophrenia disorders have increased in the 2000s. After which the federal government liaised with the MHN and the states intervened by regulating Medicare safety nets and Medicare Levy (Dzipora & Ahern 2013,).
The WHO also reported that the majority of native Australians had higher rates of mental disorders than those from foreigners. This is due to colonial rule, which has oppressed them (World Health Organization Dept.
(2014).
Angelina Parker, 18, is a first-year nursing student at Melbourne’s University.
Angelina was initially in good mental health. She was also a highly-performing student. However, her roommates discover that she has thoughts of suicide and is suffering from depression.
Angelina’s parents are contacted and she is admitted to an inpatient acute ward.
This article will illustrate Angelina’s therapeutic engagement skills as well as the treatment modalities that the MHN will use.
The paper will include two sections that analyze the engagement skills and the treatment options.
The article will also summarize the ideas regarding the thesis statement, as shown below.
Integration of Therapeutic Engagement Skills
This section will explain what therapeutic communication is in mental health.
The section also provides a definition for engagement that goes along with the treatment.
The section also explains the different types of engagement skills, including building rapport, cross-cultural communications, questioning techniques and communication with health care professionals as partners in care. It also demonstrates how to communicate when communication becomes difficult.
The process of providing holistic care to patients through therapeutic communication in mental healthcare is a way for health care providers to include the consent of the family and patients (Fartinash & Worret 2014).
Engagement in treatment, on the other hand, refers to the integration of values and beliefs into care provision (Videbeck 2013, 2013).
It is wise to recognize Angelina’s engagement skills.
Building a relationship is the first.
You as a caregiver should establish a rapport with Angelina.
Begin by introducing yourself to Angelina. Pay attention to details such as name, profession, and the amount of time you plan to use.
Next, ask Angelina what she prefers to hear.
Angelina’s family should also be involved in the decision-making process to build a relationship.
You must be a listener during the interaction to capture more details. (Townsend 2014).
To make sure the conversation is final, the care provider should use simple language and avoid mental health jargon.
The care provider must also be proficient in the art of questioning to avoid offending Angelina’s family members.
Robson et. al. (2013) state that assertiveness can only be achieved through the use of appropriate questioning techniques.
Angelina was unable to concentrate and had thoughts of suicide. This increased the likelihood of conflict and stressful conversations.
Angelina’s anger-driven emotional nature may make it difficult to assess the situation and provide solutions.
The condition can be prevented if Angelina is allowed to calm down and the caregiver in charge is keen on identifying her physiologic responses before asking questions.
Third, confrontations with Angelina during interactions are a useful tool for therapeutic communication. Angelina may shout or throw things around the ward.
If Angelina loses control and confronts the nurse in charge, it will be important for the nurse not to speak out and draw attention to the relationship between her words and her actions.
Rosenhan (2016) stated that if people can recognize the differences in interpersonal communication, they will be able to change their behavior.
Angelina will likely confront the caregiver to protect herself.
The nurse in charge should be able to focus on Angelina’s behavior and provide the medical solution, not her personality.
As a nurse, it’s important to communicate information to patients in order to meet their needs.
Angelina, for example, is trying to understand why she can’t focus on school anymore. The doctor will offer a guideline to Angelina and a manual to help her feel content.
The information provided helps Angelina to change her perception and outlook on school.
Angelina will appreciate the humor and it will keep the conversation going.
Recent research has shown that humor can make people laugh, which is a strategy to relieve muscle tension and stress (Mohr and al., 2013).
Malchiodi (2013) believes that laughter stimulates the body’s physiologic processes, such as respiration. This strengthens the heart rate and plays a homeostatic function in activating endorphins that improve mood.
The care provider should establish a rapport with Angelina and be open to the possibility of humor working.
The nurse should not provoke Angelina to act in a way that is unusual.
The paper now focuses on Angelina’s therapeutic treatment options, as shown below.
Therapeutic Treatment Options
The MHN wants to acknowledge the importance of individualised treatment in Australia, using different treatment modalities.
A WHO report also indicated that certain treatment modalities may be more effective than others depending upon the severity of mental illness.
Angelina can be treated with the following treatment options:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This model uses an engaging framework to help Angelina understand her thoughts, behavior, and feelings.
The cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as CBT, allows the nurse to recognize the negative thoughts and feelings while interfacing with Angelina (Stuart 2014).
CBT also allows the caregiver to gain a deeper understanding of Angelina’s positive behavior.
Angelina will be able to distinguish between positive and negative thoughts and behaviors at the end of therapy.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT is an acronym for the skill-oriented therapy. It focuses on emotion regulation and ensures effective communication between patients, care providers and each other.
The model has been proven effective in the treatment of a borderline personality disorder patient (Barker, 2013,).
Angelina can overcome her emotions by integrating DBT with her case.
The DBT provides a platform that allows nurses to listen actively.
Motivational interviewing
Motivational interviewing (Galanter and colleagues, 2014) is a treatment method that encourages patients to make positive changes.
The model encourages a patient-centered approach to all patient issues (Barker 2013, 2013).
Motivational interviewing will allow Angelina to analyze her past medical history and ethnicity. It will also help identify the cause of depression using simple language.
Angelina will also be able to make a choice between right and wrong at the end of each day. However, it emphasizes adopting positive behavioral traits.
Recreation Therapy
Recreation therapy is a method of treating patients that helps them to regain their concentration and unwind from their daily lives (Australian, 2017).
Most of the treatment is provided by professionals who love to use natural areas such as rivers and mountains for their sporting activities.
Recreation therapy is a great way to exchange ideas with people from different backgrounds and world views.
Angelina will therefore focus most of her energy on building social skills, which can be a benefit at an individual level.
Music Therapy
Studies show that music therapy is more effective than other treatments for healing.
Cunningham and colleagues (2014) found that music therapy can relax patients because their brains are made up of social constructs.
Professionals who hold certifications from recognized institutions offer the therapy. They use music programs that target specific needs of patients and groups.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy involves a patient being paired with a horse.
The interaction with horses allows patients to improve their interpersonal communication skills and self-confidence.
The horse will usually be submissive after the therapy, which is a sign that the patient is able to trust the horse and is able to control his/her emotions.
The Stages of Change
According to the model, patients undergo change over time and not in one big change (Happell & Gaskin, 2013).
Pre-contemplation is the first step in therapy. This is when a patient does not recognize that there are behavioral changes that need to be made.
Contemplation is when the patient accepts that there is a problem with their behavior but isn’t ready to change.
The period where the patient is ready to receive counseling and/or reform.
Action is the phase that shows how the patient is responding to the guidelines.
Maintenance is when the patient continues to follow the suggested behavioral changes.
Relapse is when the patient loses control and reverts to the old behavior.
Looking for Safety
This corrective measure helps to detect signs of trauma and depression early and provides a guideline for rehabilitating patients (Videbeck 2013, 2013).
The model can then be applied to both individuals and groups.
The measure is highly recommended because it focuses on improving an individual’s emotional state and increasing participation in group work. It also increases safety feelings.
Angelina may have difficulty communicating her thoughts verbally so art therapy should be used.
Art therapy encourages creativity in how individuals express themselves.
To ensure that the idea is understood, different materials like paper and pencil can be used.
In extreme cases, sign language may be used.
Conclusion
I believe that current trends in Australian mental healthcare indicate real efforts to combat the condition.
The WHO and MHN report on how dedicated the country is to ensuring that people with mental disorders and their families receive the same services as other citizens.
Angelina Parker’s case allows us to evaluate the potential outcomes of mental health nursing treatment. This is where family communal psycho-mental health nursing plays a significant role.
It is evident that the Australian mental nurse is well-positioned to address future mental health issues based on their current trends. Background analysis also shows how prepared they are.
Refer to
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical guidelines for treatment of schizophrenia and other related disorders.
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
The Tidal Model: Developing an empowering, person-centred approach to rehabilitation in psychiatric or mental health nursing.
Journal of psychiatric nursing and mental health, 8(3): 233-240.
Williams Obstetrics 24e.
Review of the research on what makes a therapeutic relationship in psychiatric/mental nursing.
Internet Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice 10(1), 7-7.
Psychiatric mental healthcare nursing.
American Psychiatric Publishing textbook on substance abuse treatment.
A systematic review of the attitudes of undergraduate nurses towards mental health nursing.
Journal of clinical nursing 22(1), 148-158.
Expressive therapies.
Guilford Publications.
Behavioral intervention technologies: Evidence review and recommendations for future research on mental health.
Encyclopedia of bioethics.
Cross-sectional study on mental health nursing and physical care: Nurses’ attitudes, practices, and perceptions of training for providing physical care for people with severe mental illnesses.
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 22(5): 409-417.
Nursing graduates are still unlikely to choose a career in mental health: A longitudinal replication study.
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 22(3): 213-220.
Principles and practice in psychiatric nursing.
Mental health nursing in psychiatric settings: Concepts and evidence-based practice.
FA Davis.
World Health Organization.
Dept. of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health.
2005 Mental Health Atlas.
World Health Organization.