Elements That Contribute to Mental Health - Paper Example

Among the major factors that influence an individuals mental health include self-esteem, confidence, being loved, and physical health. Self-esteem is the value that people bestow on themselves that promote self-worth. In many cases, people with high self-esteem are mentally fit while those who lack it may develop mental complications. On the other hand, confidence allows individuals to face tasks and deal with daily life occurrences while the sense of being loved promotes healthy mental conditions. Healthy people are less likely to develop psychiatric complications while those suffering from various diseases suffer emotional and psychological turmoil.

How will the psychiatric nurse assess if Karen has made progress toward self-realization?

Karen had suffered from depression triggered by the divorce and eventual breakup with her current boyfriend. The psychiatric nurse may start the assessment by first conducting an analysis based on the psychoanalytical situation of the patient. By so doing, the nurse will assess Karens conditions such as the denial status brought by the tragic events in her life, transference, and weird behaviors that she might have started portraying. Furthermore, the psychiatric nurse may also wish to assess Karens progress toward self-realization by making a diagnosis and treating her immediate reactions to the issues that led to her current status.

Identify strengths that Karen has for progress in personal growth

Despite being in psychiatric condition, Karen portrays various strengths that may help her in progress for personal growth. The first identifiable strength is the fact that Karen made the efforts to seek medical advice from a qualified psychiatric nurse which showcases her willingness and desire to rectify her current situation. Furthermore, before making an appointment with the nurse, she had already committed to medication (Prozac) to help her deal with depression. Karen also showcased her willingness and enthusiasm to feel better and return to her initial mind status. The latter can be observed through the fact that Karen had enrolled to a gym which she believed would benefit her mentally. She was willing to go back to the drawing board and start dating younger men.

Karen has been seeking treatment for her depression. Analyze the factors that might contribute to Karens reluctance to discuss her depression with others.

Karen is ready to deal with her depressive state but has also shut out discussing her condition with friends and coworkers. Such cases of depressed persons being unwilling to share their problems with other people are common for patients suffering from social depression. In this case, Karens depression was caused by people whom she much trusted in her social circle. Furthermore, a divorce and a follow-up breakup are not something that many individuals are willing to go around discussing with their friends and colleagues. Instead, Karen opted to seek medical attention from qualified psychiatric medical practitioners.

Case 2: Nursing Values, Attitudes, and Self-Awareness

What is a situational factor, and how can this influence the behavior of healthcare workers? Provide an example where a situational factor impacted on your behavior while in a healthcare setting.

Situational factors are external issues that have a direct influence on the actions and behavior of an individual and include factors such as school, work, persons around, and the environment in general. The discipline that the healthcare workers have is installed while in school. On the other hand, the working conditions also affect the employees directly. The latter can be explained by the fact that good working conditions such as attractive salaries and allowances may be motivational to these workers and vice versa. A case that I found myself affected by a situational factor is when on my first days as a nursing intern, the practicing nurses showed no interest in what I was doing and even failed to allocate me duties. Therefore, I took it upon myself to relax rather than challenge myself as I felt that my services were unappreciated.

Case 3: Neuroscience: Biology and Behavior

Discuss neuroplasticity and how this concept relates to mental health and mental illness.

Neuroplasticity is the process by which the pathways and synapses in the brain are changed as a result of variations in the environment, neural, and behavior changes. Neuroplasticity likens the mind to a film in which it is capable of retaining new information and retrieve it when the need arises. The process continues for the entire lifetime of an individual and involves numerous processes and can entail changes in the glial and vascular cells, as well as neurons. Neurochemical changes have been associated with mood disorders. Furthermore, it has also been established that depression can cause a reduction in neuroplasticity which in turn, minimizes the number of synaptic connections. Therefore, when patients take antidepressants, the entire process is reversed, and neuroplasticity is increased.

Briefly explain the importance of interaction between genes and environment, the role of endophenotypes, and the stress-diathesis model of psychiatric illness.

The interaction between the environment and genes results in the phenotype of a disease. Therefore, researchers in the medical field have been able to cure or inhibit prevalence of illness through studying the gene-environment interaction. Moreover, it has been established that the gene-environment interaction may also be a predetermining factor in how an individual responds to medication. In conjunction to the discussed, the endophenotypes help in the prevention and treatment of psychological disorders. During the treatment of psychopathological ailments, the diathesis model is used to analyze and determine the behavior of the stressed or depressed persons as a predisposition susceptibility.

Will Michael think that the psychiatric nurse's explanation for the cause of depression is correct than that of his pastor?

It is highly unlikely that Michael will instantly accept the explanation given by the psychiatric. The above is that Michael has already been influenced and firmly believes in the explanation given by his pastor. Therefore, it will take quite some time before he conforms to the nurse's comments.

Michael asks the nurse why he has to have psychotherapy. He states that he only needs a couple of pills to get better. How should the nurse respond to Michaels question and comment?

First, it would be essential for the nurse to explain to Michael why pills will not be of much help in his condition as psychotherapy. Therefore, the nurse has to reinstate the importance of undergoing psychotherapy among individuals dealing with depression. Some of the benefits of undergoing the psychotherapy process that the nurse should highlight include the fact that it helps the person to understand their illness and redefine their wellness goals. Furthermore, psychotherapy can also be helpful in Michael's case because it aids in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) which is likely to affect the patient. Finally, the nurse must explain that the therapy session will be more efficient than the pills because they have longstanding impacts.

Develop an assessment question for each of the following possible causes of Michaels development of depression

Genetics

Has anyone in your family had a history of depression?

Environment

How is your relationship with your parents and teachers?

Stress

Are you regularly under pressure to achieve particular goals in life? How do you deal with such stressful moments?

Case 4: Legal and Ethical Aspects

What basic legal rights does Gerald have at the time of his illness?

Gerald holds the right to medical attention to ensure that his life and those of the people around him is not endangered. Furthermore, Gerald also owns the rights to an opinion of where to be treated to guarantee that he is treated to his satisfaction.

Why can Gerald not make the decision for himself about being an involuntary emergency commitment to the hospital?

Geralds mental condition prevents him from making a personal decision of being an involuntary emergency patient. Patients who suffer from the schizoaffective disorder experience mental instability such as hallucinations, delusions, and mood disorders. Persons suffering from these diseases may not be suitable for making personal decisions on any matters whatsoever. In many cases, schizoaffective disorder is manifested as either a bipolar or a depressive case. Therefore, relying on the decision of such an individual would put their lives in jeopardy.

Case 5: Evidence-based Practice

Define evidence-based care

Evidence-based care is the integration of the best available healthcare guidance is useful in improving the patients welfare. It helps the caregivers to provide their services in a qualitative and evaluative approach. Therefore, through the application of these practices, the patients are guaranteed of exemplary caregiving services from the medical practitioners. Overall, the evidence-based care puts the patients values and preferences first.

How would the nurse best explain that the care Jessica will receive at the psychiatric facility is based on evidence? Give two examples of psychiatric evidence-based care, and explain the scientific evidence that supports your examples.

The nurse can convince Jessica and her mother that the facility is based on evidence-care by laying out the procedure to be used. The entire process that the nurse should outline should include the kind of questions used during such cases and the prior assessment of the patient. Furthermore, the nurse may also produce other records that prove that the procedure to be used has, in fact, worked for other patients. Furthermore, the patient (Jessica) should be actively involved in the discussion of the results. The nurse may also share the studies that have been implemented by the facility.

Case 6: Conceptual Frameworks and Theories

Will the client be able to learn cognitive restructuring in her relationship with her mother?

The client will learn cognitive restructuring over time and not within the first few days. The above will happen because cognitive restructuring is quite a lengthy procedure that involves the identification and disputing cognitive distortions that are linked to various mental conditions. In this case, it would require the patient focusing on how to defend herself against the mother and even hanging up on her on the phone.

How will engage in activities help the client in her anxiety?

Behavioral changes suggested by the student-nurse will be of much help to the patient. First, the activities proposed will assist the patient in keeping her mind off the derogative things that her mother keeps insinuating. By so doing, the patient will be able to reduce the anxiety and tensions imposed on her by the mother. Furthermore, these activities will also keep the client occupied with fascinating things that bring about humor rather than creating a fuss. Within a short period, it is expected that the patient will entirely change her perceptions and be able to overcome the anxiety that derives from her mothers negative talks.

Case 7: The Nursing Process in Psychiatric-Mental Healthcare

How can attention to the client's nonverbal cues be of value in an interview?

Non-verbal cues by the patient during a physicians interview form an integral part of the nursing process. Initially, it has been stated that the signals emitted by the patient can be essential in diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, the nonverbal illustrations may also sugg...