The Recovery Approach Model in Mental Health Care - Term Paper Example

The Recovery Approach Model in Mental Health Care Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Instructor Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Introduction The paper herein presents a critical discussion of the Recovery Approach as used in mental health care. It reviews the developments in mental health care that relate to the idea of recovery approach and its applicability in nursing for people with mental health problems. It describes the features of the Recovery Approach and the characteristics that make it unique from other models. Moreover, the paper compares and contrasts the recovery approach with the medical model, while outlining why the mental health sector needs to move from the medical model and adopt the Recovery Approach. The essay will also analyse the role of consumers in the development and the implementation of the Recovery approach within the mental health sector. Moreover, a shift from the medical model to the Recovery Approach is almost inevitable. This paper gives the reasons why there is need for this move and how it will impact on the nurses. Defining Recovery Recovery approach is a unique approach in nursing care that involves an overall upward trend of the individual’s recovery (Queensland-Health, 2005). It incorporates being able to live a meaningful life, both for the person and the community. According to Solomon and Stanhope (2004 p. 312), the main aim of recovery in nursing care is to promote the recovery of the patient. In other areas, recovery has been defined as the processes, in which people are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in the development of their community (Solomon & Stanhope, p. 313). Recovery approach is unique because it is usually centred towards the restoration of the individuals’ health as a whole. Recovery is understood to be a return of the former state of health (NSW, 2009). The model is person-centred. It has common themes centred around it such as hope, self-advocacy, support, education, personal meaning and personal responsibility. These are important because they help the individual to respond to the challenges that come with the illness. They also help the person to live a positive life despite the mental disability (Mountain & Shah, 2008, p. 246). The Recovery Model vs. the Medical Model The Recovery Model is about the full recovery of the patient. In essence, it does not mean cure of the patient but employs a hopeful attitude and is a way of approaching the day and facing the challenges faced by the patient (Mountain & Shah, 2008). The application of the Recovery model is about seeing the person more than seeing the illness (Byrne, 2013). The recovery model is beyond the process of mere rehabilitation, it involves some kind of transformation and does not necessarily mean symptom free. On the part of the patient, the recovery approach requires self-esteem, self-awareness as well as self-acceptance (Byrne, 2013). On the other hand, the medical model focuses on the signs and the symptoms of the illness. It concentrates on the symptoms of the disease while it aims at completely eradicating the symptoms of the illness (Mountain & Shah, 2008, p. 243). Even though not fully divorced from the Recovery Approach, the two part company by use of compulsion. The medical model teaches the patient to identify strongly with the diagnosis, is limited to the health diagnosis and primarily focuses on symptom reduction. Here, the patients are fully coached to rely on the nurses in making decisions for them and in guiding their healing (Byrne, 2013). Why Move from the Medical Model to the Recovery Approach? Recent developments in mental health care nursing have largely been dominated by the Recovery approach (Adams, 2010). There exists a range of confusing responses among mental health practitioners as to whether they should adopt the recovery approach. Most of them however, contend that it is inevitable to adopt the Recovery approach. The arguments raised for these are many. One is that good doctors must strive to shape services that facilitate recovery because it promotes hope, encourages self-management of the individual while maximising on the potential of the patient to rediscover themselves (Mountain & Shah, 2008, p. 247). Alternatively, the Recovery approach is strongly advocated for because it allegedly forms the basis of good practice. It has been considered appropriate because it helps people with mental conditions to fully recover as it is based on the full transformation of the person rather than the suppression of the disease and the symptoms (Adams, 2010, p. 629). It has also been encouraged because its recovery agenda stresses on the need for patient to develop wisdom, participate fully in their own healing process. Subsequently, there is dire need for change from the medical model to the recovery approach because of the overwhelming advantages elaborated above. Integration into Nursing Care The Recovery Approach has been fully integrated in nursing care. Many nurses are focusing on building a meaningful and satisfying life for the patients. Many have shifted from the removal of the symptoms of the disease to focusing on the full recovery of the patients. Nowadays, the main focus and the prime purpose of mental health care is usually the restoration of a person’s life. The Recovery model has represented a move from the pathology, the illness and the symptoms of the patients and the nurses are now focusing on building on the strengths of the patients. Making recovery oriented service delivery a reality in nursing care also requires a lot of strategies. At the individual level for instance, people who have mental illness need assistance in order to recover fully. The recovery movement is of the view that hope and optimism can be achieved by recounting individual stories by the patients (Mountain & Shah, 2008). As such, the nurses ought to give them encouragement and support so as to work with symptoms and the help them gets on with their lives. NSW (2009), states that nurses have attempted to employ the narratives of mental patients as a means of offering relief to the patients. The narratives help in refocusing the thinking of the patients beyond the medical perspective and can help in recovery and personal growth after the experience of mental illness. Recovery has also been incorporated in nursing care through empowerment. The proponents of the recovery model assert that patients with mental illnesses are automatically empowered once it strikes leaving them with some need of “empowerment” (Mountain & Shah, 2008). In other words, patients must be urged to be active participants in their own care now that the doctor patient relationship is based on some amount of engagement from either party (Solomon & Stanhope). This means that the recovery process becomes fully owned by the patient even though the role of facilitating it remains with the nurses. Spirituality as a Factor Subsequently, the role of spirituality has also been recognized in the Recovery approach because it has potential to impact on mental health. This is because religious faith can be a protective factor against mental illness (Basset, Llyod & Tse , 2008). While recovering, patients will develop a new sense of meaning and purpose through religion. Religion also contributes to a person’s identity and acceptance, gives them hope and a positive outlook in life. it is also essential in the rehabilitation process thus completes the journey to recovery (Basset, Llyod & Tse , 2008, p. 258). Barriers to Recovery Approach There are numerous barriers that have continuously prevented the realisation of the recovery approach in mental care (NSW, 2009). At the individual level, the barriers could include stigmatisation among the patients, the side effects of the medications and unpredictable responses either from the patients, the family members or even the care-giver themselves. In essence, stigma and discrimination will hinder the recovery of the patient (NSW, 2009). The Role of the Consumer The consumer plays a major role in the development and the ongoing implementation of the Recovery approach in the mental health sector. First and foremost, all mental health services should have a comprehensive consumer and carer participation plan (Ning, 2010). This way, consumers are empowered to have a strong voice in advocating for their rights. Any reform agenda in any mental health sector such as the adoption and the implementation of the Recovery approach needs a strong partnership between the consumers and the care givers (Ning, 2010, p. 113). By working together with the care-givers, people with mental illnesses can help in the planning, negotiation, and in the making of decisions that will help support their recovery (NSW, 2009). As such, the consumer participation is essential as it helps to eliminate unjustified practices that would otherwise lead to unfair treatment of the patients leading to an outcry for human rights and freedoms (Happel, 2008). The consumers also have a role to play in eliminating stigma and discrimination in mental health facilities and are key to improving the mental health system by advocating for fair treatment for all (Ning, 2010). This helps in the full implementation of the Recovery approach while making sure that it is consumer friendly. The Implications of the Recovery Approach, Role of the Nurse and the Impact on the Nurses According to Mead & Copeland (2000), adoption of the Recovery approach will have many implications on the nurses and the clinicians. First and foremost, many nurses will enjoy the positive reinforcement that comes with working with people who are changing, growing, and learning to move on with their lives. Secondly, the recovery approach will give nurses more time to focus on patients with severe symptoms thus enabling them to provide intense support and achieve the highest positive outcomes for the patients (Mead & Copeland, 2000). In addition, nurses will also be able to directly provide care for people who have mental health problems as well as educating, assisting and also learning from them. Nurses will also find themselves in a situation where they are forced to take positive action in helping their patients to take care of themselves (Mead & Copeland, 2000). Moreover, Mead & Copeland assert that the long existing hierarchical system will gradually change to a non-hierarchical one where the work of the health care professionals will not only be to provide care but also to work with a person by helping them make decisions about their own cause of treatment. It is also worth to note that the other benefit of a Recovery approach is that it will be less costly as it is a much safer, simple, cheap and non-invasive way of reducing and eliminating symptoms as compared to direct medication (Mead & Copeland, 2000, p. 19). Nurses have a key role to play to play in the support of people with mental health problems especially in the full recovery of the individual. For instance, it is suggested that nurses should employ communication framed with optimism and hope. Literature suggests that the role of the nurse should move from authoritative to coaching and should thus offer skills and expertise to the patients that will help them in their journey to recovery (Mead & Copeland, 2000). Moreover, another way in which nurses play a role in the implementation of the recovery method into modern nursing care is by educating the patients that medications should be about more than compliance than command. Nurses have the role of encouraging participation among the patients, educating the patients about the different options available other than medication and promoting decision making and self-management among the patients. Conclusion The discussion has elucidated critical presentation of the Recovery Approach as used in mental health care. Recovery approach has been defined as a unique approach in nursing care that involves an overall upward trend of the individual’s recovery (Queensland-Health, 2005). Literally, it incorporates being able to live a meaningful life, both for the person and the community as opposed to the medical model that focuses on the suppression on the illness and its symptoms (NSW, 2009). To date, the approach has been significantly incorporated in mental nursing even though it has encountered a number of barriers. Even then, consumers play a big role in this approach as elaborated above. The implications the approach has on nurses and nursing care are also numerous. In a nutshell, there remains a strong interest in the incorporation of the recovery approach in delivery of mental care which suggests the inevitable need to embrace the approach fully. References Adams, T. (2010). The applicability of a recovery approach to nursing people with dementia. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47, 5, pp. 626-634. Aston, V., & Coffey, M. (2012). Recovery: what mental health nurses and service users say about the concept of recovery. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 19, 3, pp. 257-63. Basset, H., Lloyd C., & Tse S. (2008). Approaching in the Right Spirit: Spirituality and Hope in Recovery from Mental Health Problems. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, vol.15 no. 6 pp. 254-258. Byrne L (2013). Medical Model v. Recovery Approach: CQ University Davidson, L., Tondora, J., O'Connell, M. J., Kirk, T. J., Rockholz, P., & Evans, A. C. (2007). Creating a recovery-oriented system of behavioral health care: moving from concept to reality. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 1, pp. 23-31. Glover, H. (2005). Recovery Based Service Delivery: Are We Ready to Transform the Words into a Paradigm Shift?. Australian E-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, The, 4, 3, pp. 179-182. Happell, B. (2008). Determining the effectiveness of mental health services from a consumer perspective: part 1: enhancing recovery. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 17, 2, pp. 116-22. Higgins A. , Callaghan P. , Devries J . , Keogh B. , Morrissey J . , Nash M. , Ryan D. , G.I Jbels H. & Carter T. (2012) Evaluation of mental health recovery and Wellness Recovery Action Planning education in Ireland: a mixed methods pre–postevaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(11), 2418–2428. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05937.x http://btci.edina.clockss.org/cgi/reprint/4/4/311.pdf http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/_library/HSCP/Trevor_Adams_-_The_applicability_of_a_recovery_approach_to_nursing_people_with_Dementia_2.pdf McAllister, M. (2010). Solution Focused Nursing: A Fitting Model for Mental Health Nurses Working in a Public Health Paradigm. Contemporary Nurse: a Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 34, 2, pp. 149-157. Mead, S., & Copeland, M. E. (2000). What Recovery Means to Us: Consumers' Perspectives. Community Mental Health Journal, 36, 3, pp. 315-328. Mountain D & Shah J.P (2008). Recovery and the medical model: Advances in Psychiatric Treatment vol. 14: pp. 241-244 doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.107.004671 National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Forum. (2010). Supporting and developing the mental health consumer and carer identified workforce: A strategic approach to recovery : a position statement. Canberra: The Forum. Available at http://www.nmhccf.org.au/documents/MHCA%20CareWF%20Layout%2016-9.pdf Ning, L. (2010). Building a 'User Driven' Mental Health System. Advances in Mental Health, 9, 2, pp. 112-115. NSW Consumer Advisory Group (2009). Developing a Recovery Oriented Service Provider Resource for Community Mental Health Organisations. Literature Review on Recovery. pp. 4-68. Available at http://www.mhcc.org.au/documents/Projects/NSW-CAG-MHCC-Project-Recovery-Literature-Review.pdf Queensland. (2005). Sharing responsibility for recovery: Creating and sustaining recovery oriented systems of care for mental health. Brisbane, Qld: Queensland Health. Solomon, P., & Stanhope, V. (2004). Recovery: Expanding the Vision of Evidence-Based Practice. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 4, 4, pp. 311-321. Available at Whitley, R., Gingerich, S., Lutz, W. J. & Mueser, K. T. (2009). Implementing the illness management and recovery program in community mental health settings: facilitators and barriers. Psychiatric Services, 60 (2), pp.202-209. Read More