The Nurse’s role is indispensable for the treatment and care of patients who have been diagnosed with mental health conditions such as Anxiety Disorders and Depression, which are the most common types of mental illnesses that are seen across different age groups. In addition to affecting the emotional status of the patient, Anxiety and Depression also influence a patient’s physical state, rate of recovery, and overall quality of life. An anxious individual may display continuous worry, restlessness and a racing heart rate whereas a depressed individual typically demonstrates continuous sadness, fatigue and lack of interest in normal day-to-day activities.
Since nurses have constant contact with patients throughout their hospital stay, it is possible for them to identify initial symptoms that patients may have and respond accordingly; they are the frontline and most crucial to initial diagnosis. A physician will only see the patient for specific periods of time while a nurse will always be present and therefore capable of identifying more than most doctors; a doctor will administer prescribed medication while nurses check whether it is actually working on the patient and their general condition and behavior.
Building a Trustful Relationship with a Patient
Building trust is one of the most significant ways that nurses will be able to help an individual who is suffering from the aforementioned mental health problems. An individual who is ill mentally may be apprehensive to discuss feelings or experiences due to the stigma associated with having mental illness and a lack of trust towards medical staff. The nurse-patient relationship is critical; nurses must create a supportive environment that is devoid of judgment where patients can safely articulate their feelings and concerns. With the support of nursing assignment help, students and aspiring nurses can better understand how to build such therapeutic relationships in real-life clinical settings. This relationship between the nurse and the patient becomes the cornerstone on which appropriate treatment may be built, thereby allowing the patient to feel at ease whilst describing their anxieties and fears to their care provider.
There is no substitute for having a therapeutic relationship with a patient when dealing with a medical problem such as Anxiety or Depression, and to achieve a successful therapeutic relationship the nurse must be both compassionate and a good listener; they must take into account the patient’s tonality of voice, their body language and their emotional expressions when gathering data, thus making sure they gain an accurate picture of the patient’s mental health, thereby eliminating feelings of exclusion in the patient.
Providing Emotional Support to Patients
The role that a nurse takes on when dealing with an anxious or depressed patient does not solely pertain to the physical; they play a large role in the provision of support. It has been established that nurses do have extensive periods of time that they will spend with patients and can use this time to re-assure them and try and bring down their anxieties and raise their mood; the provision of support does play a role in the treatment of the aforementioned conditions.
They also offer help for the patient in learning coping mechanisms which include ways in which they can cope and control their own state of mind, i.e. Through the use ofrelaxation techniques, stress management strategies or mindfulness practices. It is important to remember that nurses are not psychotherapists, but what they can do as the frontline health care professional is give the patient guidance, thus acting in conjunction with medical care received. Additionally, nurses act in the role of the educator, helping to normalize symptoms by reassuring the patient of how common they are and by explaining ways in which the problem may be treated.
Monitoring of Patients and Ensuring Safety
A very crucial aspect of nurses caring for those with mental illnesses such as Anxiety or Depression is that they have to consistently monitor the patient as symptoms can fluctuate greatly throughout the day, if not treated properly, it can worsen; by monitoring the nurse will be able to monitor whether a condition is getting better or worse by means of a patient’s mood, behavior and response to treatment. Patient safety is particularly important in instances where an individual may commit suicide or cause self-harm due to depression and a nurse can be aware of signs such as a loss of appetite, social exclusion or a radical change in behavior so that he/she can provide medical assistance if it may be required, this will be especially useful in a hospital where patient security needs to be maintained. They also act to ensure that an unsafe situation does not occur at any point during the hospital stay, particularly if the patient’s condition deteriorates.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Nursing support for patients suffering from Anxiety Disorders and Depression relies heavily on cooperation between other medical professionals such as doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers as successful treatment relies upon a combined approach where no aspects of patient care are neglected. Nurses act as intermediaries to ensure that communication is free and fluid between patients and the other health care professionals in the hospital, ensuring the patient receives the best treatment possible for all aspects of their mental health assignment help.
Education and Training of Family and Patients
Nurses play an important role in the education of the patient as well as their families on the nature of their condition. By giving an overview of the disease and its treatment, the nurse will aim to overcome stigmas and provide hope that recovery can occur. Family is important as they are able to provide a supportive atmosphere for the patient when they have returned home and nurses help them learn how best to respond to the patient’s needs so that they too have a significant part to play in their recovery.
The Holistic Approach to Care for Mental Health Conditions
The holistic care for mental health conditions such as Anxiety or Depression aims to provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of patient well-being rather than focusing solely on the symptoms or the physical manifestation of the disease. Nurses in a caring capacity focus on such lifestyle changes as having a healthy and balanced diet, participating in regular physical exercise, receiving sufficient rest etc. They also work on setting realistic goals for the patient that should allow them to feel that they are regaining a sense of control over their lives so that recovery from the illness is possible, thereby providing long term positive effects for the patient.
Conclusion
Nurses are indispensable caregivers that have a significant part to play in assisting a patient suffering from Anxiety or Depression. Through a combination of building a therapeutic relationship, providing support, monitoring symptoms, collaborating with health care professionals, educative training and a holistic approach, the nurse is an essential figure to a patient suffering from mental illness; with an increase in the recognition of the prevalence and importance of mental health, nurses play a larger role than ever in patient care and are highly valued by patients who require not only medical attention but also compassion.
