How to do mental health nursing?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 9, 2004

hold on to your horses!
i think if you catch hold of your tails, and interpret things as you should and not jump to conclusions, you might read that diana-42431 was actually advocating for specialist interventions. i mean, come on a post like, how to do mental nursing!!!

dear members:

when a bb member posts a topic, please look at the locationwhere they are posting from before responding to the topic. we have several international members with english as a second lanquage that post here asking for information. please be mindful of that and give an akwardly worded topic a second look before responding.

thanks.

nrskarenrn

allnurses mod team

mad bunny · Mar 9, 2004

Hi to all,

So A rose "is a caring individual nurse, trying to endorse the notion of holistic care". Enough said.

a-rose · Mar 10, 2004

Thank everyone !!!

Maybe that I said is the notion of holistic care. But I think that there is some difference between the notion of mental nursing and the notion of holistic care. And the holistic care includes mental nursing, the Evidence -based nursing includes it, too, doesn't?

Of course, I would like to know the holistic care and the evidence-based nursing from yours while I want to know that "how to do mental nursing".

Commander Vimes · Mar 12, 2004

:rolleyes: The holistic framework is supposed to encompass the bio-psycho-social-cultural aspects of the individuals current situation.

in a nutshell if we are to treat a patient with for example depression, the mental health nurse needs to look at social aspect that have impacted upon the depression i.e family circumstances, recent loss, moving house, changing jobs etc.

Biologically there is the medication, and changes in pyhsiology etc.

psychological stressors and coping strategies and personality traits play a part.

cultural aspects of religon, support structures, attitudes to mental health all play a part.

there are many other influences i havent mentioned.

I will recomend an excellent book however that covers all these points and t is the ubiqutous PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSING BY STUART AND SUNDEEN. My bible. :)

donmurray · Mar 12, 2004

Hold you hard, Commander! I'm not sure if a-rose's command of English, good as it is, is up to "bio-psycho-socio-cultural" and being from China, who knows what she may make of "bible" in your context! Keep it simple... :)

avsy · Apr 1, 2004

what are the conceptual paradigm of mental health nursing

walterrn · Apr 10, 2004

Hahahahahahahahaha........thats a pretty funny statement you wrote there. Unfortunately, this is not "Nursing Humor"

Walter the Nurse

I am a Clinical Social Worker, I see way too many nurses concerning themselves with mental health issues beyond the scope of their practice.....just nurse your pt. as you would any other....leave the mental issues to those who have been properly trained.

avsy · Sep 24, 2004

what is the best nursing agency out there?

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 5, 2004

How to do mental health nursing?
When your patient has some mental problems, how do you nurse one?

After reading all of the above, I believe Cyberkat gave you most of your answer. Listening and being nonjudgemental are two key skills for a nurse who is attempting to assist a patient with mental health concerns, regardless if the patient has been diagnosed or meets the criteria of a psychiatric diagnosis. The same skills apply with the patient attempting to cope with a physical illness or medical procedure. Most patients, if given the opportunity without judgement on the nurse's part, will be forthcoming as to what they need or with the concerns they have. In speaking of mental and emotional disorders, depending on the level of severity and cluster of symptoms present, communication of those needs or concerns may require further assistance from the care provider in assisting the patient, such as restatements, clarifying, or use of examples, in order to help the patient get his/her meaning understood. If your interested in learning more about the actual diagnoses themselves, there is much literature on and off the internet. There is also the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental and Emotional Disorders), the psychiatric diagnostic bible, per se, which breaks down each disorder. There are many approaches used in the field of psychiatry, nursing, counseling, and social work in assisting individuals with psychiatric or mental health concerns. If you haven't gathered by this thread yet, there are even turf issues between these professions. There is often great overlap of these professions in the field. I will be the first to agree that a nurse is Not "a nurse is a nurse", their skills being the same. This is really an individual thing, what the nurse brings to the table himself/herself...the skills and training as well as the baggage. The most effective nurse stays aware of the baggage and leaves it on the stoop...away from the patient. Some nurses are more skilled at that, some are not. It goes the same for the other professions just mentioned. What makes a good nurse a good nurse? What makes a good social worker a good social worker? What makes a good doctor a good doctor? Unfortunately, many who seek this "mental health" profession as their chosen profession have or have had mental health issues of their own at one time or know those who do. How many psychiatric nurses can honestly say they have not had the pleasure in working with a mental health care provider (nurse, social worker, doctor, counselor) who suffers from an eating disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, substance addiction, or a personality disorder? This occurs also in the non-psychiatic category of care providers, but the psychiatic/mental health field seems to draw more folks with unresolved issues or mental health concerns. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It does allow more understanding and empathy for a patient who is struggling with his/her own mental health difficulties. The problem is when the care provider stops being a therapeutic tool for the patient and uses the patient for their own needs. There are alot of codependent nurses out there, as well as social workers, etc....not helpful. Again, what makes a good care provider with a patient with emotional or mental health needs?...to listen TO the patient in a non judgemental way and without your own personal agenda. A psychiatric patient is Much More than his/her diagnosis. In this respect, a (W)Holistic approach is often very helpful. We attempt to do this by bringing together a multidisciplinary team to discuss a patient's case from different perspectives. People do not become ill for no reason. There are usually reasons, usually several. You have to listen. You pack on enough stress even to the most healthiest person, that person will eventually reach his/her threshold and develop an illness...physical and/or psychiatric. In the future a-rose, ask a more specific question to get an answer you seek. It is easy for folks to go off track when you pose a very broad, general question such as this.