An Episode of Learning and Teaching as a Mental Health Nurse - Essay Example

The An episode of teaching and learning as a mental health nurse Introduction Mental health nursing encompasses a complex background of concepts, theories, policies, and competencies. It mainly centers on a working alliance for the recovery journey of persons with problems relating to mental health. The process of care in mental health nursing entails communication, care delivery, managing care, assessment and improving the physical well-being. The rationale for the teaching and learning in relation to mental health nursing aimed at the optimization of relationships between nurses and service users as well as their care givers at service delivery points and encourage user participation (O’Carrroll & Park 2007, pp. 2-20; Stickley &Bassett 2008, pp. 544-574). This paper seeks to provide a report of the teaching and learning episode on mental health education while taking into account learning theories and styles, their practical application and outcomes. The teaching and learning context involved the student nurse teaching service users while at the same time learning from the assessor. The student nurse remained the teacher, service users as the learners and the registered nurse as assessor for the entire teaching and learning period. Additionally, other nurses and caregivers constituted the observers. While undertaking the practice, the teaching activity centered on service users adopting, improving and maintaining a positive physical well-being in relation to mental health education. Through an understanding of the attitudes and informed knowledge, nurses enable service users or mental health patients to recover by employing appropriates skills. The utilization of a holistic and person-centered approach to assessment and recovery employs empathetic dialogue in which the user’s experience and meaning in the context of their lives becomes understood. In this regard, recovery based upon humanistic approaches to care delivery leads toward the attainment of high levels of well-being (Watkins 2001, pp. 3-25). Learning theories Behavioral theory Various aspects of learning theories remain essential in the process of learning and teaching in mental health nursing. Behaviorism focuses on learning through change of behavior and observable behavior. In addition it focuses on external influences capable of promoting behavior change rather than thoughts and feelings. Learning occurs by means of operant conditioning in which motivation to change behavior or learn incorporates the use of reinforcement or rewards. The probability of a behavior reoccurring would become likely when followed by reinforcement. For instance, behavioral skills for helping children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders may include hygiene tasks, completion of homework tasks and taking turns when talking. For each successfully completed task, a child would be given a sticker. Hence, a child receives a reward upon attaining a stated number of stickers (Videbeck 2010, pp. 53-54; Norman 2004, pp. 8-10). In mental health education, behaviorism enables nurses to teach service users new coping skills in relation to symptoms of mental health problems. Through behaviorism theory, nurses recognize that intervention measures facilitate changes in observed behavior, feelings and thoughts. Changing deep-rooted habits encompass assisting service users to identify their motivating factors as well as how a new habit or lifestyle could be made permanent. Similarly, distressed persons could systematically become desensitized to help them overcome irrational anxiety and fears relating to phobia. For instance, the user would be asked to list from the slightest to the most provoking of all situations involving the phobia causing object. The service user then learns and puts into practices relaxation skills to help him reduce and manage anxiety. The user would then be exposed to more anxiety causing objects or situations until he becomes able to manage the most provoking situation (Jones et al. 2012, pp. 168-171). Cognitive theory This theory involves the study of advanced mental processes such as reflection, language use, reasoning, perception, memory and problem solving. Cognitive theory focuses on how people think about events or situations affecting the response or stimulus. It would also be best applied in mental health education by means of individual as well as group teaching. According to cognitive theory, mental health patients harshly judge themselves, jump to negative and inaccurate conclusions and interpret life situations incorrectly. These could be attributed to habitual inaccuracies in judgment (Boyd 2008, pp. 62-63; Grant et al. 2010, pp. 249-278). For instance, people who interpret situations to be dangerous experience anxiety thereby try to escape. In this regard, they may become angry, sad, elated or anxious in response to having perceived danger, loss, wrongdoing or gain. The use of cognitive related skills helps mental health patients to sense their ability in effectively dealing with the environment. By imparting self-efficacy beliefs in these persons, enhances how they think, behave, feel and motivate themselves. As a result, mental health patients attain higher goals and firmly commit to them. From the collaborative relationship of cognitive behavioral teaching and learning, mental health patients learn how to identify their inaccurate thoughts and how to respond to such occurrences. Similarly, dialectical behavior teaching and learning helps service users to voluntarily commit themselves to changing their behaviors as a response to changing consequent problems and their lifestyles. Group teaching and learning enables nurses to instill hope and impart knowledge to service users. In this regard, service users foster a reassurance that their problems do not go beyond resolution. Also, group teaching enables them to boost their self-esteem through participation and corrective acting of family relationships as well as developing socializing skills. Imitative behavior like self-disclosure in addition to feelings of comfort, warmth and trust enhance the development of knowledge, perception, memory and motivation in these users (Elder et al. 2009, pp. 439-445). Humanistic theory Humanistic theory focuses on the client centered approach of teaching and learning and the learning environment. In order to impart behavior change, changes need to foster in the feelings, needs and self-concept of the service user. The learning process involves the ability of the service user to make wise choices, internal feelings about self and needs that impact on change and learning. During the teaching process, learners actualize the potential to confirm self-concept and self-growth in a creative, playful and spontaneous. Through humanistic teaching, the nurse reassures positive self-development, allows freedom of choice, and listens empathetically. As a result, learning occurs due to service users adopting positive feelings about their freedom to learn and about self. Nurses also gain emotional growth following their teaching experiences in mental health education. The application of this theory best suits service users undergoing anxiety of separation due to recovery therapy (Bastable 2008, pp. 73-81; Dossey & Keegan 2008, pp. 150-159). Constructivist theory This theory entails the service user building or constructing new concepts and ideas. Intervention teaching through constructivist theory improves the service user’s contact with reality by means of stimulating their thinking as well as teaching them acceptable socializing skills.in this regard, service users construct the concept of self and others due to close relationships. The client centered approach enables service users to also feel free in trying new meanings and constructs devoid of fear related rejection and judgment that could make them feel defensive (Fransella 2005, pp. 236-243). Through learning skills of construction, service users identify their needs and those of others by social interaction or manipulating materials. Instructional scaffolding allows service users to focus on some aspects of the skills easily comprehended by them at any stage of learning. It also helps them become aware of the experiences and beliefs that shape their knowledge. In this regard, they become more critical and reflective in addition to respecting the opinions of other people in society. Apprenticeship and real world problem based instruction enhance perception, memory and knowledge development in service users. The development of knowledge remains informed through assimilation and accommodation (Keating 2010, pp. 60-62). Learning styles and practical application Service users may be reflective, activist, theorists or pragmatists in the way they learn skill during teaching and learning experiences as defined by Honey and Mumford. Activists learn by doing and remain keen at any learning experience whereas reflective learners begin a learning experience following the acquisition of as much knowledge. As well, pragmatists derive new learning by the application of new ideas through testing while theorists would engage in new learning after an increase in existing knowledge. In mental health education teaching practice, learning by activism matched the constructivist theory of learning. Similarly, pragmatism style of learning as applied in the client centered approach or humanistic theory did suit well as employed in the teaching and learning experience (Aston & Strouther 2012, pp. 61-62). Pragmatists remain enthusiastic when solving problems though they may get frustrated when faced with barriers requiring in depth problem solving. Through trial and error activists learn by experience and could as well be prone to not finishing already started tasks. However, reflective learners utilize all the available information in making decisions but may at the same time be reluctant and indecisive to try new skills. Moreover, theorists do not respond creatively to problematic situations and may not make up coping skills (Wrycraft 2009, pp. 3-5). Evaluation of strategies used These strategies enable mental health nurses to recognize peoples’ mental distress as in part the product of their social, cultural and political environment. Nursing assessments emphasize on helping service users reflect on their cultural, social and political experiences as well as the recovery process. This enables mental health nurses to identify environmental aspects that remain distressing and oppressive to the service user. Nursing interventions assist service users to make conscious decisions or choices regarding their engagement in social actions or other actions in responding to their cause of distress. It enables mental health nurses to relate to service users in ways that strengthen their self-esteem, empower them to discover their own powers and feel more control of their lives. Recommendations Service users should be provided with adequate information relating to mental health education, available services and referrals, and teaching sessions for their recovery journey.in this regard, they would be able to make well-thought decisions throughout the recovery process and before drug prescription. Complementary therapies of mental health education need to be availed as components of effective management strategies for mental health problems. This would enable service users to eliminate or reduce the negative side effects of medication in mental health problems. In addition, a variety of effective psychological strategies ought to be availed for service users who may want to attempt them in their recovery process. Furthermore, exercise needs to be prescribed in mental health learning experiences. Also worth noting would be that mental health problems exist alongside other health problems. Taking this into account, treatment and care should be provided on an individual service user basis while incorporating the individual’s cultural, social and socio-economic preferences, lifestyle and background. Innovative projects would enhance complementary treatment and care related skills through social services appropriate for mental health patients. Conclusion Mental health problems affect both children and adults. Considerable progresses have become achieved in the use of humanistic approaches to the recovery process in the recent past. This paper provided a report on the teaching and learning episode relating to mental health education involving nurses, service users, observers and an assessor. The teaching experiences focused on providing mental health education to mental health patients in enabling them develop physical well-being and a holistic recovery process. In this regard, an analysis of the practical application of learning theories as well as learning styles related to their applicability to the teaching and learning practice. These theories help both nurses and service users to identify their own learning needs and those of others along with meeting differing learning needs with regards to different learning styles as advocated by Honey and Mumford. Moreover, learning theories enhance the development of knowledge, perception, motivation and memory in service users. The recovery process became characterized by cognitive understanding, separation of body and mind, recovery of self-esteem, regain of control and autonomy as well as the recovery of self. Additionally, through expert mediated recovery assistance service users commit themselves to the learning process and participated successfully in all tasks encompassed in the learning activities of the teaching process. Granted another teaching opportunity, the use of cognitive and constructivist strategies would be worth considering in enhancing a more effective teaching and learning experience. The teaching experience provided a wider scope of mental health problems and varied learning experiences to the nurse that would remain essential for the preparation into future mentoring practices. The assessor enhanced teaching by providing adequate information and resources appropriate for the teaching and learning experience achieved. The effective use of a humanistic approach in teaching and learning boosted my confidence in undertaking the teaching practice granted another opportunity. During the teaching process, the ability of service users to learn new coping skills and adapt to or effectively manage subsequent occurrences provided the base for taking nursing roles. In enhancing effective teaching and learning, I would wish to pursue medication and the use of complementary skills in managing mental health problems. References Aston, L & Strouther, L 2012, The Student Nurse Handbook, McGraw-Hill International, Berkshire, England. Bastable, SB 2008, Nurse as Educator: Principles of Teaching and Learning for Nursing Practice, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA. Boyd, MA 2008, Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice, 4th edn, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA. Dossey, BM & Keegan, L 2008, Holistic Nursing: A Handbook of Practice, Jones & Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA. Elder, R, Evans, K & Nizette, D 2009, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Elsevier, Australia. Fransella, F (ed.) 2005, The Essential Practitioner’s Handbook of Personal Construct Psychology, John Wiley & Sons, England. 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Wrycraft, N 2009, An Introduction to Mental Health Nursing, McGraw-Hill International, Berkshire, England. Read More