Nursing Care and Interventions, Legalities in Relation to Mental Health Act, Treatments Including Psychopharmacology - Case Study Example

Topic: Nursing Care and Interventions Name: Registration No: Institution: Date: a. The necessary immediate nursing care and interventions required The main nursing care and intervention involves asking the patient about previous behaviours and making arrangement on how such behaviours can be controlled. This is followed by monitoring the mood of the patient so that it is restored to normal condition of the patient demonstrates signs of having low mood (Burgess, Geddes, Hawton et al. 2003). In addition, it involves asking the patient if she is undergoing any mental strain so that the patient is asked to remain relaxed and avoid involvement in activities that are likely to be harmful to health of the patient. Furthermore, it will involve monitoring sleeping pattern so that the patient is advised to sleep normally whenever she is demonstrating behaviours such as not sleeping when she is required to do so. The patient will also be encouraged to develop adaptive skills such as interacting with people in a normal manner and avoiding involvement in solitary environment. The [patient will also be taught about management strategies for the condition she is undergoing so that any strange behaviours that try to emerge are identified and corrected. b. Legalities in relation to Mental Health Act (NSW, 2007) with clients The main legality with respect to Mental Health Act (2007) is that there is voluntary and involuntary hospital treatment to people who are involved in the Act and their carers have the legal rights to provide care and control for a particular medical condition. This Act states that a person who has been diagnosed with mental illness is expected to be subjected to detention so that the person does not cause personal injury or damage to property (Goodwin, Fireman, Simon et al.2003). This Act also states that it is legal to admit a person to the hospital when the person is diagnosed with mental health condition irrespective of unwillingness of the person to seek medical assistance for mental health problem. Part 4, section D of the Mental Health Act (2007) states that it is legal for treatment to be provided without the consent of a person who has been diagnosed with mental health condition. The medication can be given intravenously through injection procedure or a different medication may be provided based on the expected outcome and prescription of the health professional involved (Goldsmith, Wagstaff, Ibbotson and Perry 2003). Furthermore, the hospital where a person with mental health problem has the right to restraint the person as well as interfere with their dignities and self-respect so that they can be kept under control in order to comply with treatment requirements. c. Appropriate treatments or Lucy including psychopharmacology During the process of providing treatment for people with effective bipolar disorder, a combination of treatment options can be applied. For instance, the patient in this case can be provided with treatment that involves hypomania so that her mood is stabilised. In addition, she can be treated by use of antidepressants such as the use of double control trials of antidepressants report which is associated with efficacy level of 55%. The use of antidepressants has been of great importance in treatment of bipolar disorder but the use of lithium is increasingly being accepted as a first-choice in the process of managing effective acute bipolar disorder (Manji, Moore, Rafkowska et al.2000). The use of antidepressants in controlling the bipolar effective disorder is significant but it is recommended that other methods should also be used. These include psychopharmacological process where the patient is provided with medication and monitoring the effect of that medication on the reaction of the patient such as the ability to reduce depression and interact well with others. d. De-escalation techniques that are applicable in crisis situation for Lucy De-escalation techniques are methods which can be used for the purpose of reducing the severity of bipolar disorder condition among the patient involved. In the case of Lucy, it is possible to achieve de-escalation by making the patient feel free in the space where the patient is located. It is also required that the health practitioner must avoid being provocative and should demonstrate calm behaviours and facial expressions while dealing with a particular patient (Tohen, Vieta and Calabrese et al.2003). It is also recommended that the patient should not be threatened when she doe not comply with the expectation of a health practitioner. It is required that the health practitioner must lose control of a particular situation and ensure therapeutic alliance with the patient is maintained. Another strategy of de-escalation that has been found to be effective is the use of verbal method of maintaining contact with a clinical staff so that the temptation to intervene individually is prevented. The person in charge of the patient is also required to learn the patient’s name and address the patient by her name. This will result into a feeling of being personal with the patient so that the patient is motivated to cooperate with the person involved in care-giving process. e. On-going education needs that are required for Lucy There are a number of education needs that are required by Lucy. This is based on the fact that she may not have the knowledge about the nature of the disease and may be involved in activities that bring harm to her or the objects in her surrounding. An example of education strategy is provision of basics in bipolar disease such as the symptoms of the disease so that patients can recognize those symptoms and manage them without causing harm to herself or the objects in her surrounding (Manji, Moore and Rafkowska et al.2000). The use of verbal communication of recommended in explaining particular actions that need to be taken to control the bipolar condition among patients. In order to educate patients effectively, it has been suggested that a health practitioner should prefer some books that can be read by a patient so that she is aware of what needs to be done to manage the situation. Furthermore, education objective can be achieved by providing the patient with interactive program. This is where the patient is taught the basics of bipolar disorder in stages such as through face-to-face introduction to the topic, the symptoms of the disease and methods of managing the illness. It is also recommended that education objective can be achieved by sending the patient to a particular website where she can get the information pertaining to her condition so that she can overcome any emerging symptoms. f. Current research findings on bipolar effective disorder According to current knowledge about effective bipolar disorder, diagnosis of the condition involves subdivisions of the condition into bipolar disorders I and II, despite the debate regarding the effectiveness of the differences between the two conditions. In terms of epidemiology and comorbidity, data shows that in a period of 12 moths, one in 200 Australians suffer from the condition (Goldsmith, Wagstaff, Ibbotson and Perry 2003). However, prevalence varies with illness severity. Comorbidity with other sicknesses is similar, specifically when the affected person is involved in substance abuse. For instance, it has been shown that 52% of those with effective bipolar disorder are substance users. It has also been found that those who have bipolar conditions have feelings of committing suicide and depression. For instance, a study found that 32% of people with effective bipolar condition had attempted to commit suicide at a particular point in their lives. Treatment processes for the condition have improved significantly from the previous treatment methods. For instance, the use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) has been used in management of effective bipolar disorder. The main pharmacological treatment methods currently used include lithium, lamotrigine, olanzapine which have contributed towards monitoring of the bipolar condition in patients. g. Meaning of Community treatment and its relevance for Lucy’s case when she is released This is the process where strategies are formulated so that the community is involved in monitoring the condition of the patient so that when the patient develops characteristics of effective bipolar disorder, members of the community who observe such actions can take the right steps in assisting the person overcome the situation (Goodwin, Fireman and Simon et al.2003). Furthermore, the community can assist in organizing education seminars that can be attended by Lucy for the purpose of ensuring the community members are aware of the manner on which the condition needs to be managed. h. How Lucy could be involved in discharge planning When Lucy is no longer under the care of the health practitioners, she will be under the care of her closes relatives or the person assigned to look after her in the outpatient environment. Lucy could be informed about the decision to discharge her from hospital so that she could explain her pleasure or displeasure with the decision. In addition, she will be informed about the decision of health personal in discharging her so that she does not feel discriminated against while providing medical assistance to her. She will also be involved in planning during the process of discharge by informing her about the manner in which it is recommended that she should not behave and activities she is supposed to avoid so that her health status does not deteriorate. i. Community support services and agencies available for Lucy The main community support service available for a person with effective bipolar disorder is monitoring by ensuring any difficulty encountered by the patient is observed and her relatives informed appropriately (Burgess, Geddes and Hawton et al. 2003). In addition, community support services include contribution of funds targeted at treating the condition that lucy is facing or purchasing drugs aimed at treating the condition she is undergoing. References Burgess S, Geddes J, Hawton K, et al. 2003. Lithium for maintenance treatment of mood disorders.Cochrane Database Syst Rev; 3: CD003013. Goodwin FK, Fireman B, Simon GE, et al.2003. Suicide risk in bipolar disorder during treatment with lithium and divalproex. JAMA; 290: 1467-1473. Goldsmith DR, Wagstaff AJ, Ibbotson T, Perry CM. 2003.Lamotrigine: a review of its use in bipolar disorder. Drugs; 63: 2029-2050. Manji HK, Moore GJ, Rafkowska G, et al.2000. Neuroplasticity and cellular resilience in mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry; 5: 578-593. Tohen M, Vieta E, Calabrese J, et al.2003. Efficacy of olanzapine and olanzapine–fluoxetine combination in the treatment of bipolar I depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry ; 60: 1079-1088. Read More