Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions Discussion Paper
Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions Discussion Paper
Evaluation
Discuss about the Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions.
The research conducted by MacPherson et al., (2013) focused on the fact that the depression results in significant increase in the rates of mortality among many patients. The primary objective of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture compared to counseling approaches, for treating patients who are suffering from this chronic health conditions. The authors conducted a randomised controlled trial, where 755 patients suffering from depression were recruited and randomised to three intervention groups namely, acupuncture, counseling, and usual care. Strength of this research can be attributed to the fact that both the kinds of intervention were found to significantly reduce the rates of symptoms associated with depression among the selected participants, thereby confirming the success and validity of the preventive strategies. Thus, the research findings can be appropriately implemented by the National Strategic Framework, to eliminate high prevalence of mental illness, particularly depression in the Australian population.
A research question acts as an integral part of a research study, literature review. The research question given below focused the study, and assisted in determining the search methodology, thereby acting as a guide for all the stages of search, analysis, and reporting. The primary areas of concern were related to the high prevalence of mental illness in the target population that brings about changes in the emotion, thinking and behaviour of all individuals. The research question formulated for this study is given below:
What are the possible nursing strategies that can be implemented to reduce high prevalence of chronic mental illness among patients?
Mental disorders, commonly referred to as psychiatric disorder or mental illness are broadly defines as mental or behavioral patterns that are found to result in the significant distress among individuals. This in turn contributes to an impairment of personal functioning. The features associated with mental illness are often relapsing, persistent and remitting. Furthermore, they are also found to occur as single episodes. The outcome and likely course of common mental disorders generally vary and are often dependent on a plethora of factors that are related to the disorder, the individual, or the social environment (Corrigan, Druss & Perlick, 2014). While some mental disorders are transient, others are chronic in nature. The widely prevalent chronic mental illnesses are schizophrenia, depression, psychotic disorders, and bipolar affective disorder. Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions Discussion Paper The research was focused on identification of appropriate strategies that can be implemented across the nation, with the aim of treating the symptoms that are manifested by individuals, suffering from these chronic mental illnesses. The research topic relates to the National Strategic Framework for Chronic, an extensive collaboration between the states and territories and the Commonwealth, and governments. The fact that the framework has been formulated with the aim of utilizing high level evidences and guidelines that will facilitate the implementation of coordinated and effective national response to all chronic conditions makes the research question appropriate in this context. Furthermore, the framework also focuses on the enforcement of health plans according to the reviews provided by the National Mental Health Commission. Thus, evidences collected by use of this research question will enhance the major attributes of the framework.
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Research Question
Schizophrenia refers to a chronic mental illness that is found to affect approximately one percent of the global population. Patients suffering from schizophrenia manifest symptoms that include hallucinations, delusions, difficulty with concentration and thinking, and lack of motivation (Erritty & Wydell, 2013). One research article included in the literature review focused on the use of group music therapy for reducing psychiatric symptoms related to schizophrenia and depression among patients suffering from these two chronic mental illnesses (Lu et al., 2013). Upon implementation of this intervention in the target population, statistically significant differences were observed in the psychiatric symptoms related to schizophrenia (p < .05) and depression status (p < .05). Impacts of this intervention in future nursing practice encompass the fact that group music therapy group improvisations have been recognized as an essential tool that works with a group of clients who fail to communicate successfully, with the use of appropriate verbal means. Patients with chronic mental illness demonstrate difficulties in communication and expression, thereby demonstrating rejection in their relationships. Thus, the intervention of group music therapy can be put to nursing practice to allow the mentally disadvantaged patients to display themselves in different context. The nurse will act as the facilitator or communication bridge, thereby allowing the patients to gain an awareness and knowledge of their self, and others, which in turn will facilitate the development of relationships (Solli, Rolvsjord & Borg, 2013). Further benefits of the intervention in nursing practice include its role in enhancing self-expression and non-verbal communication skills, thereby reinforcing self-esteem.
Another article included in the literature review focused on the benefits of Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training (CBSST) as effective psychosocial intervention for older patients with schizophrenia (Granholm et al., 2013). Upon administration of this group therapy that involved social skills training, in combination with cognitive behavior therapy, among veteran and non-veteran clients suffering from the aforementioned chronic mental disorder, significant improvements were observed in their functional trajectories over time, especially among the clients who had severe defeatist performance related attitudes. The benefits of this therapy in the scope of nursing practice can be attributed to the fact that it is imperative for all nursing professionals to develop approaches that improve behavioral, social, and vocational functioning (Medalia & Saperstein, 2013). This is an essential goal of treatment for client suffering from serious mental illness, such as, schizophrenia. The CBSST will target ranges of multidimensional deficits, which might result in functional disability of the mentally ill patients (Bellack et al., 2013). Further importance of this evidence can be related to its benefits in challenging thoughts, and helping in problem solving.
Nursing Strategies
The article that focused on use of counseling and acupuncture for treating the chronic disorder of depression can also be utilized as essential evidence because the findings that encompassed reduction of depression symptoms are generalisable to typical settings and patients (MacPherson et al., 2013). Owing to the cost-effectiveness of the two recognized strategies, both of them can be effectively implemented by nurses across all healthcare settings, in Australia, thereby bringing about significant improvements in the persistent low mood and social withdrawal symptoms that the depression patients suffer from. The interventions will not only alleviate symptoms of chronic mental illnesses, but will also cure the root cause of the mental disorder. Furthermore, acupuncture will also provide assistance in correcting imbalance in the internal environment of the body (Engel et al., 2014). Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions Discussion Paper Nursing professionals who adopt methods of counseling for treating the patients having chronic mental disorders will help the latter improve their communication and interpersonal skills. The intervention will also prove beneficial in increasing self-esteem and self-acceptance among the patients (Draguns, 2013). Moreover, the patients will also gain the ability to alter or modify changes and self-defeating habits and behaviour. This in turn will result in better management and expression of emotions that will provide the much needed relief from depression.
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Another article included in the search focused on investigating the role of Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating high suicide risk patients suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (Linehan et al., 2015). Following recruitment of the patients, and administration of this intervention for a specified time period, greater improvements were observed in the rates of nonsuicidal self-injury and depression among the participants. Furthermore, the therapy was also found to be effective in reducing depression symptoms associated with suicidal ideations, among the patients. Effectiveness of this therapy lies in the fact that Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has proved effective in providing the clients with skills for managing painful emotions and decreasing conflicts in relationships. DBT specifically focuses on delivery of therapeutic skills in four major areas: (1) mindfulness focuses on the improvement of an individual’s ability for accepting and being present at the current moment; (2) distress tolerance is aimed towards increasing the tolerance of an individual for negative emotions, rather than making him/her attempt escaping from it; (3) emotion regulation encompasses several strategies that change and manage intense emotions, which lead to the development of a range of problems in the person’s life; and (4) interpersonal effectiveness that involves several techniques to allow a person better communicate with the people surrounding him/her, in a way, which is assertive, and helps to maintain self-respect, and strengthen relationships (Miller, Carnesale & Courtney, 2014).
Mental Disorders
Research studies conducted over the past decade suggests that the most prevalent chronic mental illnesses such as, depression, schizophrenia, and personality disorders are preventable (Kazdin & Rabbitt, 2013). Thus, there is a need to adopt methods that allow the nursing professionals, and psychiatrists in averting the symptoms associated with such disorders. The presence of one or several risks factors increases the likelihood of an individual to get affected by mental disorders, which in turn will create adverse health outcomes. Thus, efforts must be taken to conduct studies that thoroughly recognize the social, genetic and interpersonal risk factors that might make a person more susceptible to get affected by these chronic health conditions. There is a need for all healthcare organizations to abide by or show adherence to the National health policies that have been formulated by the Australian government, to effectively manage the high prevalence of mental illness. Conducting clinical trials will also form an essential part of the research and will act as the heart of medical advances, the results of which can be adopted by the National Strategic Framework, detect, and prevent chronic mental illnesses.
References
Bellack, A. S., Mueser, K. T., Gingerich, S., & Agresta, J. (2013). Social skills training for schizophrenia: A step-by-step guide. Guilford Publications.
Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., & Perlick, D. A. (2014). The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking and participating in mental health care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 15(2), 37-70.
Draguns, J. G. (2013). Cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy: History, issues, current status. Cross-Cultural Counseling and Psychotherapy: Pergamon General Psychology Series, 93, 1.
Engel, C. C., Cordova, E. H., Benedek, D. M., Liu, X., Gore, K. L., Goertz, C., … & Ursano, R. J. (2014). Randomized effectiveness trial of a brief course of acupuncture for posttraumatic stress disorder. Medical care, 52, S57-S64.
Erritty, P., & Wydell, T. N. (2013). Are lay people good at recognising the symptoms of schizophrenia?. PLoS One, 8(1), e52913.
Granholm, E., Holden, J., Link, P. C., McQuaid, J. R., & Jeste, D. V. (2013). Randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral social skills training for older consumers with schizophrenia: defeatist performance attitudes and functional outcome. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(3), 251-262.
Kazdin, A. E., & Rabbitt, S. M. (2013). Novel models for delivering mental health services and reducing the burdens of mental illness. Clinical Psychological Science, 1(2), 170-191.
Linehan, M. M., Korslund, K. E., Harned, M. S., Gallop, R. J., Lungu, A., Neacsiu, A. D., … & Murray-Gregory, A. M. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a randomized clinical trial and component analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 72(5), 475-482.
Lu, S. F., Lo, C. H. K., Sung, H. C., Hsieh, T. C., Yu, S. C., & Chang, S. C. (2013). Effects of group music intervention on psychiatric symptoms and depression in patient with schizophrenia. Complementary therapies in medicine, 21(6), 682-688.
MacPherson, H., Richmond, S., Bland, M., Brealey, S., Gabe, R., Hopton, A., … & Spackman, E. (2013). Acupuncture and counselling for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial. PLoS medicine, 10(9), e1001518. Nursing Priority And Chronic Health Conditions Discussion Paper
