Essay on Mental Health Nursing

Mental Health Nursing

 

 

            More people are getting health-conscious as new strains of diseases are

 

developing in the recent decades. Despite the medical experiments and

 

discoveries, there are still illnesses that are incurable such as the diabetes and

 

AIDS. However, people should be aware that not only the physical health should

 

be given attention. Mental health is important as well that should be taken care of

 

for normal bodily functions.

 

            It’s unknown for most people that mental health should be nursed like

 

physical health. Aside from bizarre behavior and thinking, there are no “physical”

 

symptoms that manifest diseases for the mental health unlike for problems in the

 

physical health which seemingly obvious to maim the body.

 

            Mental health nursing or also called psychiatric nursing involves caring for

 

individuals with mental illness and mental distress. The mental conditions are

 

vast ranging in neuroses, psychoses, depression, schizophrenia, and personality

 

disorders. Nurses working in this field receive training in psychological therapies,

 

dealing with bizarre behavior, and administration of psychiatric medication.

 

            In fact, it is one of the most complex and demanding areas of nursing.

 

Mental health nurses are challenged by forming therapeutic relationships with

 

mentally ill people and their families which is critical in the healing process.

 

Mental illness is brought by a crisis in life in which they can’t cope with, such as

 

drastic change in social environment or death of a partner. Also, heredity is

 

involved in acquiring mental illness.

 

            Mental health nursing requires special demands from the medical

 

practitioners working on this area. A mental health nurse’s main tool in

 

overcoming obstacles experienced while nursing a patient is his own strength of

 

personality and communication skills. Emphasis in dealing with the patients is

 

necessary to show warmth and care in treating them. But most of all, the stigma

 

attached to mental illness should be taken away for the harmonious coexistence

 

between the nurses and the individuals together with their families.

 

            However, the danger of violence is not avoidable with this branch of

 

nursing that is why skills in spotting of building tension and skills in calming down

 

patients are required. The human mind and behavior cannot be exactly read.

 

Thus, patience is important in dealing with mentally ill individuals.

 

            According to statistics, more than 450 million people suffer from a mental

 

or behavioral problem around the globe while one million people commit suicide

 

every year. However, despite the existence of effective treatments, they are not

 

available to most people afflicted with mental illness.

 

            Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the mental

 

health treatment should be integrated into primary health care. There should be

 

improved supervision and support from mental health specialists that are needed

 

in assisting nurses when caring for people with complex mental health needs.

 

            Moreover, mental health nursing should be incorporated into basic nursing

 

and midwifery education with mental health concepts reinforced and expanded

 

throughout the curricula. Ongoing education helps nurses to further develop their

 

knowledge and skills in custodial models of mental health care. Specialized

 

education for mental health nurses should be established to ensure that nurses

are able to provide adequate services for people with severe mental disorders.

 

Mental health is crucial to the development of individuals, societies and

 

countries. It encompasses a state of well-being wherein people recognizes their

 

abilities, works productively, contributes to the community and able to cope with

 

the stresses of life. People should be liberated in taking for granted the

 

importance of mental health. Also, they should be oriented in freeing their mind

 

from the stigma of mental illness. Like the physical illnesses, mental health

 

conditions will deteriorate the body if not given proper care and medication.

 

 

 

References:

 

Gournay, Kevin, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 1996

 

Wilson, Janice, Mental Health Nursing and its Future: A Framework Discussion, June 2006

 

International Council of Nurses, ICN Position Statement on Mental Health, http://www.icn.com

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