LEARNING DOMAINS
Learning Domains 1: Graduate Capabilities and Skills
Learning Outcomes:
The learning outcome for this domain is to describe how I plan to use and enhance my graduate ad transferable skills in my future career as a nurse.
Part 1: Evidence
Effective Team Player
While working as a customer service practitioner, I have dealt with several clients from different walks of life. A long experience in this capacity has equipped me with myriads of skills as a team player. All along, I have worked with two or more individuals in the department. Among several skills in this regard include collaboration and negotiation. According to Chapman et al. (2017), negotiation in customer service practices has to do with settling differences among individuals. It is a process of reaching an agreement or a compromise without any disputes. It is also striving to attain the best possible position that favors both parties involved.
On the other hand, Gifford et al. (2020) define collaboration as the ability to work with others in complementary fields to attain a common objective. Other essential attributes that I have learned include constructive communication, commitment to teamwork, and treating others with respect and professional support.
Cultural Competence
Apart from learning to be an active team player, I have also reaped much on what it means to be culturally competent. Cultural competence resonates about issues of self- and social awareness, emotional empathy, and respect for other people. In customer service practice, I often encountered clients from different backgrounds – many of them professing diverse beliefs, races, ethnicity, gender, and classes. In the same capacity, I have learned to examine my cultural background and identity while seeking out necessary knowledge and values to enhance quality service delivery to the clients at my service. I believe that with the ability to effectively handle groups of people, I will do well in mental health services. Henderson et al. (2018, p.592) argue that emotional empathy, self-awareness, and knowledge are crucial qualities ideal for an individual working in the mental health sector. The experiences I have encountered in the customer service practice have equipped me with the necessary skills and values that will enable me to thrive upon transitioning to being a mental health specialist.
Digital Literacy
Digital literacy is fast-fading off from being one of the requirements for individuals to serve in various professional capacities. This is because nearly every college graduate comes with necessary computer skills, including networking, the use of digital media platforms, and general use of IT. I am not exceptional in this regard. When I graduated from college, with a BA (Hons) Degree in Business Studies, I was already conversant with a vast majority of digital tools to be used in customer service practice. When I advanced to pursue my master’s degree in Human Resource Management, I widened my scope using the computer and most of the digital tools to conduct my student research. Similarly, I have been using online tools such as emails and social media networks. I firmly believe that I will experience minimal challenges in working with digital tools as a professional nurse in mental health.
Part 2: Critical Analysis of the Attributes
The professional skills and values that I have acquired in the customer service practice will continue being profitable to my career as long as I keep on enhancing them. Even in my next pursuit, I look upon sharpening them to the latter. There are also many more that I will encounter in the course of education and field practice. I anticipate on being more productive and a first-rate performer in mental health.
According to Peck et al. (2017), improving team players’ performance can be done by an organization, but the ultimate success comes from a personal drive to enhance the team’s success. I understand that the nursing profession requires collaborations and teamwork among caregivers. Dealing with patients, especially those with mental issues, also need strong negotiation skills. I look upon improving these attributes, my communication skills, and striving to develop interpersonal skills with other practitioners in the field. Active listening to understand the other person’s perspective is also crucial in laying the foundations for healthier relationships and ultimate teamwork. Human beings tend to have their opinions taking the leading. Strong listening skills and conflict management techniques are crucial in ensuring that everyone’s view is included. I, therefore, anticipate building such skills to emerge as a more effective team player.
Cultural competence is another worthy of improvement because the concept varies from one organization to another. Henderson et al. (2018, p.590) state that an incoming professional must learn and adapt to the organizational culture for effective incorporation. This is a critical attribute that I want to achieve to minimize the challenges of transitioning from one facility to another. In this regard will want to improve my cultural competence by seeking to understand the cultural background of every patient at my service. In dealing with patients, care has to be provided based on cultural backgrounds (Henderson et al. 2018, p.594). This will make them feel “at home” and ensure the positive outcomes for the clinical interventions. I wish to widen my cultural competence and understanding into knowing the best course of action for such scenarios. In the long run, I hope to work well with every culture and person’s social status, knowing how to handle everyone based on their beliefs.
Besides cultural competence and team effectiveness, digital literacy is another area I will have to continually improve in my future profession as a mental health specialist. Although I have had prior knowledge of various communication tools, especially while pursuing my BA (Hons) Business Studies, I still need to understand databases and data analytics. Currently, client data is acquired and stored electronically. Therefore, this is one area I will have to practice at a personal level. While at the university, I will enroll for a free online course on some websites such as TechBoomers teaching about the use of popular sites and apps. I will also be showcasing my work online and singing tech for a hobby and even in most academic activities. Increasing online presence and sharing digital skills with my classmates is another way to enhance digital literacy on campus. The same will happen in my destined places of work as a health practitioner. According to Zallio et al. (2010), learning digital skills is great, but without practicing them, they will soon get obsolete. Therefore, I will have to practice these regularly and keep abreast of new developments in the technology industry.
Learning Domain 2: Research Knowledge and Skills
Learning Outcomes:
One of the learning outcomes for this domain is the critical appraisal of peer-reviewed research, focusing on strengths and weaknesses. Another area is to demonstrate and justify the selection of appropriate research methods and data analysis in qualitative and quantitative research.
Part 1: A Journal Analysis.
Article to be analyzed: Johnson, J., Hall, L.H., Berzins, K., Baker, J., Melling, K., and Thompson, C., 2018. Mental healthcare staff well‐being and burnout: A narrative review of trends, causes, implications, and recommendations for future interventions. International journal of mental health nursing, 27(1), pp.20-32. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/inm.12416?casa_token=YiGd-ZE3tJEAAAAA%3AivphmmUzXPlmqjquyW6Kfs5aGLt8QfAUX3CgTyKBwji9V6kFHdiNoY-L5yeqM2IpJYBh9RKLcFTjSMx-IA
The article is a peer-reviewed journal that sought to investigate the ongoing trends underlying the well-being and burnout among mental healthcare staff. The material was published in 2018, and the authors are highly reputable. For instance, Judith Johnson is a Ph.D. holder, currently working in the School of Psychology, University of Leeds. All the other authors are Ph.D. holders, except Louise Hall, a master’s holder and serving in Bradford Institute for Health Research and Bradford Royal Infirmary, UK. Their academic ladder implies that their work is also reputable, and can be used to inform policy interventions on matters related to mental healthcare workers. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors agrees with the research findings and recommendations put forth in this manuscript (Johnson et al. 2018).
In the journal, Johnson et al. (2018) gave a comprehensive abstract covering a summary of the research aim, methodology, findings, and other crucial elements of a complete research paper. The journal aimed at examining the problem of burnout and well-being among members of the mental healthcare service. In the end, the authors recommended future research and Interventions. Extensive data were obtained from reports, national surveys, and peer-reviewed articles (Johnson et al. 2018). In general, the abstract was quite comprehensive, giving an insight into every section of the material.
The authors’ aim was clear and concise: to critically examine the problems of burnout and poor well-being among the mental healthcare staff and give recommendations for future research and interventions (Johnson et al. 2018). In this case, the article satisfied the nature of standard research material regarding the aims and objectives of a study. Their primary concern was the need to address the outlined issues because they affect the quality and the cost of mental healthcare outcomes. One of the challenges that have been facing the department of mental in several facilities in the UK has resonated about the issues of burnout and reduced well-being.
The study design was narrow because the authors focused on a critical review of the existing literature. In this article, there was no need to do sampling and other preliminary activities that would be done for other quantitative and qualitative researches. Therefore, in the methodology, the authors identified relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, literature database searches, and electronic data sources. All these resources are worthy of valid and reliable information in response to the research question. Some of the literature databases included the Ovid Medline and PsycINFO. Electronic sources included the Bureau of Labor Statistics, USA, NHS Digital, the UK Office of National Statistics, and Statistics Canada.
The article is very relevant to clinical practices considering the highlighted interventions. According to Mora Ringle et al. (2020), a given research study should have relevance to the field in which it is done. For instance, medical research activities should be relevant and yield substantial significance to the medical field. The article at hand is related to the clinical practice because it gives insight into the implementation of burnout out interventions in mental healthcare settings. Even so, Johnson et al. 2018) argue that the impact of those interventions has been small and so they made recommendations to advance the burnout research. This is one of the successes of this study. Conventionally, it is expected that a study gives room for future studies since knowledge keeps on evolving, depending on the dynamics of human challenges. In this regard, the authors outlined at least four recommendations for future research and interventions. One of the most potent suggestions they made was the need to bridge universities and healthcare organizations. This will shift clinical research to be done by universities where every idea is scrutinized and tested to the ladder.
The given article presents reliable information owing to the nature and number of sources it utilizes. Data is sourced from peer-reviewed journals, government reports, and journal entries, amongst other concrete sources. Stress and burnout in the healthcare system can also be synthesized in this article based on the extensive timeframe indicated therein. The survey carried out shows that stress and burnout emanate from several factors: excessive workload, limited staffing, and lack of opportunity for skills development. Consistency of this information show reliability across the years.
The possibilities of burnout as a problem faced by the mental healthcare staff and results produced showed prevalence ranging from 21% to 67%. Additionally, Iranian nurses working in psychiatric departments reported emotional fatigue and stress than their counterparts in other wards. The UK psychologists recorded 69% to be suffering from burnout (Johnson et al. 2018). This merging of results builds on coherence and consistency, supporting research reliability. The connection of information across geographical disparities and timeframe promotes research reliability. However, the results do not reflect global facts for countries, including those from Asia, Africa, and Latin America are not considered. Therefore, these trends are limited in their scope, posing a challenge to this research.
Conclusively, the study met the threshold requirements of ethics by ensuring freedom of the findings from bias. This was done by collecting data from varieties of websites, electronic resources, and databases. All these resources were well-cited across the entire article. Additionally, the report emphasized and grounded interventions in the research literature. Johnson et al. 2018) thus concluded that burnout and stress limit the performance of mental healthcare practitioners. Various corrective interventions, including those that target the exhaustion and seek to improve patient care, will collectively enhance the welfare and performance of mental healthcare providers.
Part 2: Critical Analysis of How I will use Research Knowledge and Skills in my Future Career.
According to Garg & Passey (2018), the nursing profession is one of the fields that depend on evidence for every other intervention and practice. Thus, the research skills and methods of data analysis are essential, not only for the employers but also for the practitioners. The same research skills are vital for healthcare practitioners because they aid in the development of new products and services that suit the needs of the customers. Generally, career development stems from the ability to amass excellent research skills and to ensure that the organization keeps up with changes in the market.
In my scope, critical research skills include the ability to gather information about a given concept, review it, and analyze and interpret it to yield solutions to the underlying problems. Another skill is the ability to critique recommendations developed from research and determine whether they are relevant to the field in which it was conducted. Garg & Passey (2018) argue that some suggestions are worthy of implementation. Still, they may not be relevant to the target because of the circumstances at which the application is needed. Excellent research skills and knowledge should be able to discriminate such situations and give an insight on the appropriate course of action.
Other essential research skills that I have developed in my career, mainly while serving in the capacity of customer service include paying attention to details, taking notes, problem-solving, and communication. While analyzing the journal on mental healthcare by Johnson et al. (2018), I had to pay close attention to details while critiquing the article. Details convey the actual message in the article, and more than often, there is a risk of missing such information by failing to focus on more details. As such, the material included actual problems such as the workload on mental healthcare staff. One of the reasons behind poor quality outcomes on patients with psychiatric issues is that their caregivers experience many challenges, including but not limited to heavy workloads. Such details give meaning to research activities, and without paying attention to them, we may conclude otherwise about the findings.
In my pursuit of the mental healthcare field, I intend to use research skills to amass knowledge as much as possible. Garg & Passey (2018) state that knowledge is built from research. This means that without strong research skills, the resultant knowledge may be invalid. Therefore, to ensure that I thrive in the mental health nursing profession, I will sharpen my research skills by continually applying them in the course of learning. For instance, searching for information is a research skill that I have already developed, but it needs to be enhanced. For every other activity, I will seek information from existing resources to guide the practice.
On matters to do with paying attention to details, I will follow specific policies and procedures outlined by the facility in handling clients. Psychiatric healthcare is sensitive because it involves dealing with patients with mental health problems. If there is a predefined approach to manage them, they will pay attention to those guidelines and occasionally check those approaches with the exiting trends. Going such a way will keep the healthcare approaches updated with the existing dynamics and enhance my evidence-based practices in mental healthcare. Keen listening and close attention to details will provide me with an insight into the appropriate intervention for patients. I will also have an opportunity to build a culture of providing care from the perspective of the patient.
Taking notes is another essential research skill that I have developed while serving as a customer service practitioner. Besides listening or observing the occurrences in a given situation or a study, Garg & Passey (2018) argue that note-taking plays a crucial role in acquiring relevant information. I look up to implementing and enhancing this skill in my nursing career. During training, meetings, and even interviews, I will be taking notes to reference later. While attending patients, especially the new ones, I will be taking notes related to the history of their mental conditions. Regular note-taking will allow me to build and enhance a culture of taking notes on appropriate occasions. Such a culture will simplify future research activities and acquire the most critical information from educative functions such as seminars and workshops.
Problem-solving is another research skills that I began appreciating its relevance while in college and also in my former practice in customer service. This concept has to do with the ability to break down a problem into simpler parts and to engage critical thinking about each element. Once I land in the field of practice as a mental healthcare specialist, I will deploy problem-solving techniques that I have acquired so far to handle every problem. As the complexity of issues in advance, my skills in this scope will consequently be enhanced. Dealing with mental health is quite challenging because one has to handle patients deviant from the normal behavior of human beings. Understanding them and successfully addressing their issues requires strong problem-solving skills.
Learning Domain 3: Scientific Principles’ Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
Learning Outcomes:
The critical learning outcomes for this domain include an understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the body systems. I will also have to demonstrate the body mechanisms, including homeostasis, and reflect on the relevance in Mental Health Nursing.
Part 1:
Q1: The Heart Structure and Functions
The heart is made up of the right and the left ventricles. The left ventricle is thicker than the right counterpart, and therefore, it pumps blood to the rest of the body through systemic circulation (Newman, 2018). On the other hand, the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery. Additionally, the heart is made up of the inferior and superior vena-cava receiving blood from the rest of the body (Newman, 2018). While in the right atrium, the blood moves to the right ventricle where it is pumped to the lungs. The only vein carrying oxygenated blood is the pulmonary vein that connects blood from the lungs into the heart through the left atrium. The blood moves down to the left ventricle from the left atrium, where it is pumped to the rest of the body.
Q2: Role of pulse oximetry in clinical practice
In clinical practice, pulse oximetry is a non-invasive and painless procedure determining oxygen saturation in the blood. The primary objective of this procedure is to assess the heart’s wellness relative to its pumping mechanism. It can be used to determine if the patient needs help in breathing and to determine how useful the ventilator is. In surgical operations that require sedation, pulse oximetry is used to monitor the levels of oxygen (EmperorDirect, 2020). Sometimes it can be hard to know if the supplemental oxygen therapy is helpful. To ascertain that, pulse oximetry is used.
Q3: The Liver
The liver is the largest gland, weighing about 1.5kg with a width of about 15cm. Variations in its sizes are significant basing on sexes with men taking the lead. The liver is made up of two lobes of unequal sizes (Newman, 2018). It is served by the hepatic artery supplies oxygenated blood from the aorta, and the portal vein that supplies nutrients. Lobules are made up of hepatocytes, which are the liver’s functional units (Newman, 2018). Primary metabolic units carry out a complex physiologic function that includes blood sugar regulation and detoxification of chemicals present in digested food. The liver is also a hemopoietic tissue in the fetal stage and chronic conditions affecting human bone marrow. Protein metabolism and gluconeogenesis are other additional functions of the liver.
Q4: Systemic vs. Pulmonary Circulation
Systemic circulation is the movement of blood through the entire body supplying body tissues with oxygen. It is the longest circulation that utilizes the heart’s most robust pumping mechanism to force oxygenated and nutrient-laden blood to body tissues except for the lungs. Parts of the cardiovascular system involved are the left ventricle, aorta, arterioles connected to the aorta, and superior and inferior vena cava (Newman, 2018). Pulmonary circulation, on the other hand, is the circulation of deoxygenated blood in the lungs. When blood rich in carbon dioxide reaches the heart via the vena cava veins, it is pumped to the lungs through the pulmonary artery for oxygenation (Newman, 2018). The oxygenated blood is then sucked back to the heart through the pulmonary vein. Therefore, pulmonary vessels are the main components of pulmonary circulation.
Part Two: The significance of anatomical and physiological knowledge to a mental health nursing practitioner
Mental disorders are conditions that result from alterations in the structure and functioning of the nervous system, together with their associated networks. The pathology infecting its underlying complex functionality triggers a series of conditions which act as precursors for mental conditions experienced today. A comprehensive understanding of the nervous anatomy is also crucial because structures only function optimally when they are in perfect shape with no atrophy, hyperplasia, or any related alteration in morphology (Oelofsen, 2012). An understanding of these two disciplines is imperative to the management of mental disorders in nursing practice.
Beginning with anatomy, the main components which predispose one to mental disorders include changes to membranes covering the central nervous system, the meninges (Boore et al. 2016). The said changes can be attributed to underlying pathology that triggers an inflammatory response. On the other hand, the grey matter allows for the reception and reception of sensory impulses as well as the initiation of motor impulses. Blows and traumas subjected to these parts alter their functionality, creating a baseline for the formation of mental disorders. Destruction of the myelin sheath as in multiple sclerosis causes a situation is impaired. It should be understood that blows to the head create a capacity in which specific mental disorders affecting particular regions of the brain can be developed.
An example of this is a bipolar disorder that manifests itself in memory loss. Considering that events such as traumatic brain injury can predispose one to this disorder, it can be concluded that physical trauma to anatomic regions of the brain can indirectly cause mental and neural disorders. The complex conscious functions assigned to a given brain cortex can easily be lost when such a structure is tampered with.
A concise understanding of physiology, on the other hand, is invaluable to the management of mental disorders (Boore et al. 2016). Dynamics related to psychological conditions have secure connections to concentrations of neurotransmitters secreted in a given time. The essential hormones, which include serotonin and dopamine, play a pivotal role in determining moods. Conditions such as depression are strongly associated with how these biochemical functions. The nursing practice aims at controlling the balance of such hormones during their management (Boore et al. 2016). Generally, mental health patients experience a myriad of complex cases emanating from either physical trauma, substance abuse leading to a persistent alteration in brain chemistry or congenital abnormalities. People with several mental disorders such as schizoaffective disorder have excess mortality than those suffering from other medical conditions. The most common causes for these mortalities include physical traumas such as infected wounds, viral, and respiratory tract diseases. The disease that results from poor hygiene and nutritional deficiencies are also common among them. These conditions result from their inability to manage themselves and too much dependence on the caregivers. Healthcare givers need to perform comprehensive screening for other medical conditions alongside mental disorders (Boore et al. 2016).
Learning Domain 4: Foundations of Knowledge in Mental Health Nursing
Learning Outcomes:
The outcomes for this domain include an understanding of the public health drivers that influence policies and the role of mental health nurses. Another outcome is the demonstration of knowledge of factors that influence physical and psychological health and how a mental health nurse can assess physical and mental health service users’ needs.
Part 1: The position of mental health nurse in public health promotion
Nurses play a crucial role in the promotion of public health, in working with older people and even the youth and the children. Oelofsen (2012) states that nurses serving in this capacity have a role to play in assessing, delivering, and facilitating psychological and physical interventions. Concisely, mental health nurses’ roles are more practical and evident in people’s lives on issues related to drug abuse, obesity, levels of physical activity, sexual and reproduction health, and medicine optimization. According to Happell et al. (2019 pg. 635), people with mental health problems have increases chances of exposure to risk factors of metabolic syndrome. This condition stems from several factors, including obesity, abnormal cholesterol levels, and increased blood sugar. The same individuals are likely to abuse drugs alongside smoking and consumption of alcohol. Their reproductive lives are also at stake. This calls for professional intervention. Good enough is that mental health nurses have been actively involved in practical interventions targeting these people’s well-being.
Enhancing the person-centered and holistic therapeutic intervention is one of the most of crucial roles that the mental health nurses play towards members of the public (Oelofsen, 2012). In this regard, they strive to prevent physical illness, increase early detection of mental health issues, reduce premature morbidity, and enable mentally-ill individuals to live healthier and longer lives. Besides that, mental health nurses can collaborate with other healthcare practitioners to define the critical areas of recovery and support across the health and social care. They can handle referrals and make connections to increase the efficiency of transition across the services. For instance, they can work with pharmacies and relevant teams in hospitals and local communities to improve their health. In so doing, they focus on critical behavioral activities, including smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and issues related to sexual and reproductive health. Essentially, the essential role of mental health nurses, aside from medical interventions, is to help members of the public, especially those with psychological problems, to quit the stated harmful behaviors and embark on healthy lives (Happell et al. 2019 pg. 635). They are capable of this, primarily when they work in partnership with local community health facilities, local policymakers, and rehabilitation centers. Their work in this scope is quite essential to the public.
Part 2: Factors affecting physical and mental health. Nursing assessment of these needs.
Factors and indicators
The physical aspects of health have a profound impact on mental health, considering that the mind and the body function hand in hand. This implies that when the physical body suffers a significant injury, the effects can be felt in the mental functioning. On the other hand, mental disorders and diseases carry substantial effects on body structures (Lamond et al. 2015, pg.325). It remains for nurses to analyze and understand those factors which have significant impacts on both the mind and the body to synthesize the best approaches needed to manage mental and physical maladies.
Alcohol and drug abuse
According to Lamond et al. (2015 pg. 325), there is a robust connection between alcoholism and drug abuse to deterioration in the already precipitating mental issues. Although individuals suffering from a known psychiatric condition may opt for alcoholism to cover up the feeling, they will still resurface after the drink. Like alcohol, other drugs produce a good feel for a short period only to leave one more depressed than before using it. Drug abuse and alcoholism worsen mental disorders, including depression, psychosis, and anxiety. Studied earlier under the physiology of mental diseases, it is understood that mental illnesses affect an individual’s mood. Hormones and neurotransmitters that control mood are easily affected by drugs. Generally, drugs alter an individual’s behavior, feelings, and decision-making (Lamond et al. 2015, pg.327). Drug dynamics on mental health can be expressed in ways that include impacts on coping skills. This follows that resilience or rather ability to withstand a demanding event is greatly affected. Persistence in drug abuse also undermines an individual’s self-esteem. It is known that an individual’s motivation in doing right produces a sense of achievement. Other manifestations of drug abuse include suicidal feelings, poor relationships with others, and isolation.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is another factor affecting mental as well as physical health of individuals. Elongated domestic violence can culminate in stress, depression which affects individuals in the later stages in life. In addition to an already present mental condition, this violence can precipitate it by prolonging its management during nursing care (Lamond et al. 2015 pg.328). Investigation and checking of family violence is key to the diagnosis of mental health. Furthermore, it should be noted that domestic violence can be verbal or can also result in physical injury. Victims for this violence can easily express physical harm from the closest family members. Additional expression of domestic violence includes financial, sexual assault, spiritual and cultural coercion, stalking, and social damage.
Physical Ill Health
Injuries and diseases can also worsen or lead to the development of mental illnesses. Diseases contribute to poor health and sometimes mental disturbances. Unhappiness and stress related to chronic conditions such as chronic heart disease, kidney diseases create a scenario in which individuals feel unloved, unfortunate, and of less importance in the society (Lamond et al. 2015). Such individuals can isolate themselves from predisposing themselves to mental diseases.
Physical and Sexual abuse
Physical abuse, especially for children at their tender ages, can have severe impacts on their mental well-being in later stages. Manifested in bullying and physical harm or sexually, such children can quickly develop mental health disorders than the general population. Abuse causes feelings of low self-esteem, depression, and feelings of anger. Prolonged exposure of children and other vulnerable groups to abuse results in mental illnesses (Lamond et al. 2015). It is worthwhile dealing with abuse to curb precipitation of the same problems in the future.
Discrimination and Stigma
Discrimination of any kind subjected to vulnerable groups and individuals dramatically affects the people’s well-being. For instance, the sick, such as HIV/AIDS victims, are at risk of depression due to the stigma and isolation they experience. Cold treatment from the loved ones and society at large makes them feel unloved and rejected, and this worsens their symptoms and even stand a risk of getting depressed. Stigmatization should be stopped, and its victims rehabilitated.
Eating disorders
The most common eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, have severe effects on individuals’ health. The body’s physical mechanism requires a balance in nutrient intake to sustain its energy needs, protective mechanisms, and minerals. Lamond et al. (2015) assert that a disorder that alters the balance in intake of this nature predisposes one to myriads of complex lifestyle conditions. The obsession that comes with too much concern for increased body weight can lead one to minimize or even stop taking food. On the other hand, overeating as a binge eating disorder can lead to overweight with its accompanying complexities such as diabetes and hypertension.
Assessment for Physical and Mental Health Needs
The physical and mental health needs are the key to nursing interventions and management. There are separate components of needs which employs several techniques suitable for their assessment. The primary method used for mental evaluation is the biopsychosocial technique. This technique aims at performing a thorough review of the patient’s past and current history. In addition to the common history of the medical and surgical history, the nurse carries out comprehensive psychiatric history to ascertain the baseline for underlying symptoms. A safe environment should be chosen to perform such an investigation as mental instability can subject a nurse to danger (Vinnerljung et al. 2018). One of the essential contents in psychiatric nursing assessment is the mental status exam. Indicators under consideration here include behavior, cognition, appearance, speech, perception, and judgment.
Behavior or motor assessment is a powerful tool that communicates a lot about an individual’s mental state. Mannerisms such as slowed or fast movements, agitation, and any unusual movements help to ascertain the presence and the degree of mental disorders. As opposed to healthy individuals, mentally sick patients show usual behavior and action. On the other hand, the thought process can be characterized by depressive cognition or suicidal ideations (Vinnerljung et al. 2018). Magical and phobias where an individual expresses abnormally high fear of situations is another indicator of an underlying mental disorder. Assessment of their moods can help nurses in understanding the patients’ mental state. An expression of mood inappropriate for a given situation can be a symptom of a disorder. Incoherence in the thought process should be assessed as people with disorders show disconnection in their thinking process. Closely linked to the thinking process is the manner of speech that can be slurred or regular, depending on the underlying condition.
References
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