The impact of medical issues in psychaitric patients - Research Proposal Example

The impact of medical issues in psychiatric patients Problem identification, definition of concepts, and population of interest Psychiatric patients form a significant percentage of all patients who seek medical care. Emergency Nurses Association explains that about 12.5 percent of patients in emergency departments in the United States’ healthcare facilities are psychiatric patients (Emergency Nurses Association 1). This suggests moderator effects of psychiatric condition to critical health condition that require care services and a need for a preventive measure to reduce the rate.

Psychiatric patients are the population of interest in the case. The following are the major clinical terms and their definitions. Psychiatric patients: Patients with mental disordersTreatment: An intervention to a patient’s conditionCare givers: Personnel in a care facility Problem statement and a goal for the evidence based practiceHigh percentage of emergency department cases by psychiatric patients indicates a higher-level vulnerability of the patients to critical health conditions. The population is further vulnerable to physical illnesses that that induce higher mortality rate than in normal people and the statistics suggest that preventive and treatment measures against physical illnesses among psychiatric patients lack.

A problem therefore exist for identification of a suitable measure that can help in protecting the population from physical illnesses, with the aim of reducing the number of psychiatric patients who are admitted for emergency care and reducing the mortality rate of the population segment (Hert, et. al. 52, 53). The evidence based practice problem aims at effectiveness of a highly structured treatment unit in protecting psychiatric patients from illnesses and in treating the patients in case of occurrence of physical diseases.

Summary of literatureWhile psychiatric patients form a significant percentage of patients in emergency care units, nurses and physicians in the units lacks expertise for dealing with the patients’ conditions. Even though the personnel may have adequate nursing skills, the patients require additional competence that can overcome stigma and fear to offer satisfactory care to the patients. Emergency Nurses Association explains that measures such as better arrangement of care space together with availability of psychiatric nurse and wider training can help improve quality of care to the patients (Emergency Nurses Aassociation 3, 4).

The statistics are consistent with reports that the population records higher mortality rates and suggests that better care initiatives can resolve the problem (Hert, et. al. 52, 53). Evidence that supports the intervention, stakeholders, barriers, and plans to create adoptersA “highly structured treatment environment” for treatment of psychiatric patients is the recommended intervention (Bos, et. al. 528). Research on effects of such as strict environment, for psychiatric patients who fail to cooperate in normal care environment has offered positive results with patients reporting effectiveness of the treatment approach in stabilizing patients’ conditions, and motivating patients towards changes for their future goals.

The strict environment approach can therefore be an effective preventive measure that can facilitate self-care for the patients’ quality of life and freedom from physical illnesses (Bos, et. al. 533, 534).Caregivers and the patients, and the patients close relatives or friends are the key stakeholders to the intervention whose barrier may be patients’ unwillingness to focus on set goals for better health. Proposals for funds will be made to key parties in corporate and non-corporate sectors for establishment of the special treatment unit in emergency facilities.

Evaluation strategy and implementationRecords will be kept for patients, on their conditions before and after treatment, to monitor their physical and mental conditions. Conditions will be measured based on number of reported complications and analysis done for significance of change after treatment. Works citedBos, M. et. al. “The treatment of ‘difficult’ patients in a secure unit of a specialized psychiatric hospital: The patient’s perspective.” Journal of Psychiatric & Mmental Health Nursing (2012) 19.

6, 528-535. Emergency Nurses Association. “Care of the psychiatric patient in the emergency department.” Emergency Nurses Aassociation. N.d. Web. February 4, 2014. < https://www.ena.org/practice-research/research/Documents/WhitePaperCareofPsych.pdf>.Hert, Marc, et. al. “Physical illness in patients with severe mental disorders. I. Prevalence, impact of medications and disparities in health care.” World Psychiatry (2011) 10.1, 52-77.