Protecting the Older Adult in a Mental Health Ward - Essay Example

Protecting the Older Adult in a Mental Health Ward Introduction This reflection covers the mental health nursing field. I am a nurse in the field of learning disability. The reflection shows how as an adult nurse I would ensure anti-discriminatory practice for someone with mental illness who is being cared for in an adult ward. The report provided in this reflection is very confidential and should in no case be used to as a proof of the identity of any particular person. Protecting mentally challenged older adults involves taking care of them to ensure that they are served and treated well while undergoing their medical treatment. Older adults make a big percentage of the people with chronic conditions (Lynda, 2012). They have chronic illnesses like disabilities, dementia and arthritis among others. Older adults experience hospitalizations and sometimes face poor or low healthcare. Due to their continuous illnesses, they require constant attention to ensure they are protected (Jacki, 2008). Protection is essential for the older adults because it helps in ensuring that the quality of life and wellness is improved at all times. Old people require various health care services and tend to have various complex situations and thus there is need for professional expertise to protect them against further harm to their health. Protecting the older adult in a mental health ward is an issue because the old people with mental problems can easily end up institutional care and they recover less well from any physical problems and can be vulnerable to abuse (Steven, 2011). Scenario There was a scenario I witnessed in which a male older adult in a mental health ward was discriminated by the caregiver assigned to take care of him. He feeding on unhealthy food left by his bed-side by the caregiver. Before it was established, the patient had already developed abdominal complications because the caregiver did not bother to ensure that the patient fed on clean food. This was also extended to the treatment administered to the patient because the elderly patient was not getting medication as per the stipulated time by the doctor. This eventually worsened his health condition which would have been better if the right care was given to him. In this particular scenario, the caregiver had discriminated the older adult who was slow to eat and thus he could just leave the food by his bedside because the caregiver had developed anger in handling the mentally ill older adult. Discussion Protection of the mentally hill older adults is emphasized by the government policy. Old people need to be protected from any interpersonal abuse where other people may tend to abuse them physically, emotionally or mentally. In mental health wards, it is good for people to take note of risk factors that may befall the older adults in the ward in order to protect them well. This includes discrimination and negligence from the caregivers or even family members who may be involved in taking care of the older adults. In the above given scenario, the older adult was discriminated and this is against the policy on protection of older adults with mental problems (Alison, & Angela, 2014). The policy is clear on what should happen to those vulnerable to abuse and discrimination. Protecting adults vulnerable to abuse or discrimination requires prevention measures to be put in place in order to ensure that such people do not undergo any pain as a result of discrimination (Angela, 2011). Identifying and recording any factors that may lead to discrimination is important because it will help to ensure that they receive the best support. Regulations also say that it is good to identify the individual needs of every patient with mental problems (Carol, 2009). Individualized care based on the unique needs of the patient should be provided. It is also good to emphasize on finding the right treatment for the patient. Protecting the patient is also emphasized and investigation should be carried out to establish any case of patient discrimination in order to ensure that maximum support is given to the patient. Identifying the patients in risk of being discriminated will help to raise awareness among the staff who are likely to abuse the patients. If the staffs are aware of any risk factors, they are likely not going to discriminate against any patient in the mental health ward (Michael, 2008). In the given scenario, the actions of the caregiver did not move towards protecting the older adult in the mental health ward. The patient needed to be protected from such discrimination. To ensure that older adult mental patients, are protected, it is necessary to ensure an early and accurate diagnosis of the patient’s problem in order to help the caregiver understand what is happening and provide good help to the patient (Mary, 2011). For example, in the scenario given above, the caregiver needed to know why the patient was not able to feed at the speed in which he wanted him to feed. This early and appropriate diagnosis would have helped the caregiver not to leave the food there for the old patient to feed on it later when it could have already been contaminated (Steven, 2011). Moreover, the caregiver also needed training to ensure that he was qualified to handle a mentally sick patient without subjecting him to this kind or discrimination. Training would also have helped the caregiver to understand the importance of giving medication to the patient at the right time. It was good for the caregiver to also treat the old mentally ill patient with care knowing that the patient was equally important despite his ailing (Barry & Patrick, 2011). Finally, the hospital needed to carryout constant checks in all wards to know if the patients were getting the right support from the caregivers. Conclusion This reflection shows that many older adults tend to suffer in the hands of their givers. Although policies clearly indicate that older people need to be protected, some caregivers discriminate against them hence even making them suffer. Healthcare facilities need to ensure that their caregivers are trained to give the best support to the older adults in the mental health wards. A constant check should be carried out in all the wards to monitor the kind of care the patients are getting. In my future practice as a nurse in the learning disability field, I will ensure that offer the best support to the patients I am handling at all times. The patients rely on the caregivers for all their support and hence it is against the health policy to discriminate the older adults in the mental health wards. References: Alison, F & Angela, S. 2014. Prevention in Adult Safeguarding. Social Care Institute for Excellence. Great Britain. www.scie.org.uk/.../files/report41.pdf Angela, S. 2011. Assessing the Mental Health Needs of Older People. Social Care Institute for Excellence. Great Britain. http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide03/files/guide03.pdf Barry, J & Patrick, R. 2011. Aging and Older Adult Mental Health: Issues & Implication for Practice. New York: Routledge Publisher Carol, A. 2009. Nursing Care of Older Adults: Theory & Practice. New York: Lippincott Williams Publishing Jacki, P. 2008. Good Practice in Safeguarding Adults. Working Effectively in Adult Protection. New York: Lippincott Williams Publishing Lynda, J. 2012. Handbook of Nursing Diagnosis. New York: Routledge Publisher Mary, A. 2011. Caring for Older Adults Holistically. New York: F.A Davis Company Michael, M. 2008. Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults & the Law. New York: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Steven, H. 2011. Mental Disorders in Older Adults, Second Edition: Fundamentals of Assessment and Treatment. New York: Routledge Publisher Read More