Improving Health for the Psychiatric Population - Essay Example

Running head: Improving health for the psychiatric population Insert Insert Insert 26 July Improving Healthfor the Psychiatric Population Psychiatric population suffers from mental illness; how can we improve mental health? Mental illness is associated with fatal effects such as suicide attempts, hence a rise in the number of deaths. In most cases, a nation suffers from loss due to crimes committed by the mentally ill, as they are not in their right mind, hence they cannot be held liable to such crimes. Moreover, stigma is related to this population, as they are discriminated against and shunned from the society. However, improving health for the Psychiatric population is possible, for instance, WHO in 2005 took the initiative of collaborating with the European commission in improving mental health (EU 2005 p3). Each person is entitled to a good mental health to enable them to adhere to their roles in school, family and at work. According to EC (2005 p4), “mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes hi or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” However, mental illness is accompanied by depression, stress, and mental strains, hence rendering a person incapable of acting normal. Nevertheless, Psychiatric problems may be hereditary, environmental, or economic. Psychiatric illness affects a country’s economy via loss of production through early retirement. Therefore, the need for mental health improvement on the general population is important; as its related challenges need to be addressed; for instance, stigma and human rights. Literature Review Studies on the psychiatric population have been conducted over the past years, including the causes, symptoms, and treatment. According to Stewart, et al (2009 p749), manual restraining was commonly used in Psychiatric hospitals as a way of managing violent behaviors of the patients. Violent behaviors among the psychiatric patients are usually high; therefore, manual restraint is commonly used to calm the patient down. This method involves restraining the patient on the floor in a prone position to restrict any movement; however, such reaction lasts for about ten minutes. Stewart et al (2009) further insist that manual restraint involves the risk of injury to the involved parties, but are common in staff members. According to a survey conducted on 269 nurses in the psychiatric care units, they agreed to the fact the manual restraint had positive outcomes, although it was stressful (Stewart, et al, 2009, p.753). Mental disorders are not only evident in adults, but also among the youths especially those in juvenile. These youths are rendered incapable of coping at school, at home and in the society, therefore ending up in juveniles. Nevertheless, due to lack of sufficient training of staff in the juvenile on mental health services, and lack of enough funds, the issue is not effectively addressed (Cocozza & Skowyra, 2000, p7). In addition, lack of screening and assessment has played a huge role in the reluctant of treating these youths with mental illness in the juvenile. However, youths can still stay at home if they can easily access treatment, which responds to their psychiatric issues. Nurses play a bigger role in ensuring that involuntary hospitalized mental patients accept their medication; as study shows that 75% of psychiatric patients who do not accept and take their prescribed medication are re-hospitalized after two years. However, most patients do not embrace re-hospitalization, therefore the need for nurse to intervene by negotiating with the patients until they accept their medication. According to a research that involved interviewing nurses on how they accomplish the task of making involuntary patients accept medication, this study proved that nurses tried to engage the patients in a conversation and discuss the benefits of the medication. Secondly, nurses would lure the patients with an additional meal, talk about their hobbies, letting them listen to music, and when they are eventually comfortable, they will agree to take the medication (Vuckovich, 2009, p183). Forming a therapeutic relationship where trust is formed is very important to the patients. In this case, a nurse gives the patient time and space and does not insist on his own way. This allows the patient to take the medication willingly. To be successful with the psychiatric patients, nurses try to see the patient’s perspective and do not give up on their patients. According to American Psychiatric Association (2006, p.573), pharmacological treatment can be initiated as long as it does not interfere with the diagnostic assessment of the patient; therefore, the physician should always discuss risks and benefits of any treatment with the patient. The recommended medication should be effective and has no negative side effects. It is estimated that more than 27% of European adults are likely to experience mental illness in a year, thus rendering more than 58,000 dead as a result of suicide. Therefore, the European commission is dedicated to fighting psychiatric illness through prevention, form the very first stages of life, for instance, decreasing depression in pregnant women, and educating them on parenting skills. There is also need to ensuring that children learning environment is conducive and free from bullying and racism. In workplace, good mental health increases productivity. In addition, ensuring that there is flexible working hours from employees could be a remedy. Moreover, supporting vulnerable groups in the society like the jobless and the migrants reduces the chance of psychiatric issues due to stress and depression (EC, 2005 p4). Both psychotherapy and somatotherapy are psychiatric treatments, whereby, psychotherapy is used to treat a mental illness with a psychological origin, which involves group therapy as a way of sharing problems that the patient is facing, thus hastening the recovery mode. In contrast, somatotherapy treatment involves medications such as chemotherapy that is combined with psychotherapy and involves drug intake. The drugs act as tranquilizers that relieve worries and illusions (Kendler, n.d, p523) The role of nurses Nurses play a vital role in health improvement of the patients. In psychiatric cases, nurses are relied on to ensure that patients agree to take their medication to fasten recovery. They also act as a friend to the patients by lending a listening ear and comforting the patients. It is therefore realistic that nurses contribute to the quick recovery of patients in hospitals, keeping in mind that most patients, especially the psychiatric ones are stigmatized and rarely have anyone visiting them. They literally assume the role of a parent and a friend. With the acquired knowledge on psychiatric population, I am more enlightened on this particular illness and in a position of accepting and embracing the affected, other than shunning them away. Stigmatization only worsens their situation, which may lead to suicide; therefore, ensuring that they seek medical attention continuously without fail is a tireless effort. Conclusion The psychiatrist population is faced with many challenges ranging from stigmatization to lack of treatment, in which these factors worsen their situation. Therefore, to improve health of the psychiatric population, the government, hospitals, and the society must work hand in hand to guarantee a conducive environment for this group. The government’s role in this issue is to ensure that sufficient and effective treatment for psychiatric issues is available and affordable to every affected citizen. While in hospitals, nurses should be in a position of caring and nurturing the patients especially the involuntary ones, with an aim of encouraging them to take their medication as a guarantee to a quick recovery. The society has the role of ensuring that the affected ones are not stigmatized or shunned away; indeed, it is the duty of the society to ensure that the patients have access to a medical facility and complete their treatment. References American Psychiatric Association. (2006). American Psychiatric Association practice guidelines for the treatment of psychiatric disorders Compendium. NY: American Psychiatric Publisher. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zql0AqtRSrYC&pg=PA573&lpg=PA573&dq=recommended+medication+for+psychiatric+patients&source=bl&ots=T8X2yc8AOi&sig=PZsPBuUX4fQh02HuKF5g1SDqKOg&hl=en&ei=vn8uTpe_JI-aOubDhX8&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&sqi=2&ved=0CIQBEOgBMAg#v=onepage&q=recommended%20medication%20for%20psychiatric%20patients&f=false Cocozza, J. and Skowyra, K. (2000). Youth with Mental Health Disorders: Issues and Emerging Responses. Washington DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Journal, 7(1):3-13. Retrieved from http://www.ncmhjj.com/resource_kit/pdfs/Overview/Readings/YouthMHDis.pdf European commission. (2005). Green Paper; improving the mental health of the population: Towards a strategy on mental health for the European Union. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/mental/green_paper/mental_gp_en.pdf. Kendler, H. (N.d). Basic Psychology. NY: Taylor & Francis Publisher. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nL4OAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA523&dq=somatotherapy+and+psychotherapy&hl=en&ei=_JUuTvfPIIywhQeroMAh&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=somatotherapy%20and%20psychotherapy&f=false. Stewart, D. et al. (2009). Manual restraint of adult psychiatric inpatients: a literature review. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 16(8):749-57. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=252f1b62-6cc2-43b3-a1e7-1028f8410680%40sessionmgr13&vid=5&hid=19. Vuckovich, P. (2009). Strategies Nurses Use to Overcome Medication Refusal. Involuntary Psychiatric Patients. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30:181–187. California State University, Los Angeles, California, USA. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=110&sid=252f1b62-6cc2-43b3-a1e7-1028f8410680%40sessionmgr13. Read More