Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
p
2
Chapter 1
Foundation of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Definition:
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: is a specialty within the discipline of
Nursing, that is recognized as one of the four core mental health practice
areas, which also include psychiatry, psychology, and social work.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (PMHN) is defined by the American
Nurses Association as: "Specialty area of Nursing practice employing
theories of human behavior as its science and the purposeful use of self as
its art “and "the diagnoses and treatment of human responses to actual or
potential mental health problems".
The discipline of Nursing is relatively young and continues to define itself.
Psychiatric Nursing has changed considerably over time.
Mental health and Mental illness
Mental health and Mental illness are difficult to define precisely. People
who can carry out their roles in society and whose behavior is appropriate
and adaptive are viewed as healthy. Conversely, those who fail to fulfill
roles and carry out responsibilities or whose behavior is inappropriate are
viewed as ill. The culture of any society strongly influences its values and
beliefs, and this in turn affects how that society defines health and illness.
What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate, another society
may see as maladaptive and inappropriate.
Mental health
2 BNHSD| UCAS
,Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
The world health organization "WHO" defines health as a state of complete
physical, mental, and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
This definition emphasizes health as a positive state of wellbeing.
Mental health means the successful performance of mental function,
resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationship, and ability to adapt,
to change and cope with adversity. Mental health provides the capacity for
rational thinking, communication, learning, emotional growth, resilience,
and self-esteem. (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2006).
Criteria of Mental health
The following have been defined as criteria of mental health:
1. Positive attitudes toward the self.
2. Growth, development, and self-actualization including utilization of
abilities, future orientation, concern with work, and so on.
3. Integration, as in a balance of psychotic forces, the unifying of one's
outlook, and resistance to stress and frustration.
4. Autonomy, as in self-determination, independent behavior and when
appropriate.
5. A true perception of reality.
6. Environmental mastery, meaning adequacy in love, work, and play,
adaptation and adjustment, and the capacity to solve problems.
Mental illness
the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2000) defines a mental
disorder as "a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome
or pattern that occurs in an individual and is associated with present distress
(e.g., a painful symptom) or disability (e.g., impairment in one or more
important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of
suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom".
General criteria to diagnose mental disorders include:
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
1. Dissatisfaction with one's characteristics, abilities, and
accomplishments.
2. Ineffective or unsatisfying relationships.
3. Dissatisfaction with one's place in the world.
4. Ineffective coping with life events.
5. Lack of personal growth.
Principles of the Nurse – Client Relationship
The art of caring is embodied in the therapeutic nurse-client relationship,
which is the basis for psychiatric mental health nursing.
The relationship is used as a therapeutic vehicle to affect change, promote
growth, and heal mental and emotional wounds.
The therapeutic interpersonal relationship that develops between nurse and
client is a vehicle for affecting client change and growth.
There are principles and guidelines for developing and maintaining the
relationship:
1. Therapeutic versus social
- Therapeutic relationship is formed to help client to solve problems,
make decisions, achieve growth, learn coping strategies, reinforce self worth
and examine relationship.
- Relationship between nurse and client is not for mutual satisfaction.
- The nurse is not to be the client’s friend but he can be friendly with
client.
- Boundaries are important, which define us and our roles, especially in
therapeutic relationship, and when trying to be client’s friend breaking to
boundaries will result and confusing to roles.
- The nurse helps the client increase awareness of boundaries and
practice boundary–setting.
- Some social conversation is used at the beginning of meetings and
may help to establish or maintain rapport.
4 BNHSD| UCAS
PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
p
2
Chapter 1
Foundation of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Definition:
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: is a specialty within the discipline of
Nursing, that is recognized as one of the four core mental health practice
areas, which also include psychiatry, psychology, and social work.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (PMHN) is defined by the American
Nurses Association as: "Specialty area of Nursing practice employing
theories of human behavior as its science and the purposeful use of self as
its art “and "the diagnoses and treatment of human responses to actual or
potential mental health problems".
The discipline of Nursing is relatively young and continues to define itself.
Psychiatric Nursing has changed considerably over time.
Mental health and Mental illness
Mental health and Mental illness are difficult to define precisely. People
who can carry out their roles in society and whose behavior is appropriate
and adaptive are viewed as healthy. Conversely, those who fail to fulfill
roles and carry out responsibilities or whose behavior is inappropriate are
viewed as ill. The culture of any society strongly influences its values and
beliefs, and this in turn affects how that society defines health and illness.
What one society may view as acceptable and appropriate, another society
may see as maladaptive and inappropriate.
Mental health
2 BNHSD| UCAS
,Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
The world health organization "WHO" defines health as a state of complete
physical, mental, and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
This definition emphasizes health as a positive state of wellbeing.
Mental health means the successful performance of mental function,
resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationship, and ability to adapt,
to change and cope with adversity. Mental health provides the capacity for
rational thinking, communication, learning, emotional growth, resilience,
and self-esteem. (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2006).
Criteria of Mental health
The following have been defined as criteria of mental health:
1. Positive attitudes toward the self.
2. Growth, development, and self-actualization including utilization of
abilities, future orientation, concern with work, and so on.
3. Integration, as in a balance of psychotic forces, the unifying of one's
outlook, and resistance to stress and frustration.
4. Autonomy, as in self-determination, independent behavior and when
appropriate.
5. A true perception of reality.
6. Environmental mastery, meaning adequacy in love, work, and play,
adaptation and adjustment, and the capacity to solve problems.
Mental illness
the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2000) defines a mental
disorder as "a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome
or pattern that occurs in an individual and is associated with present distress
(e.g., a painful symptom) or disability (e.g., impairment in one or more
important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of
suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom".
General criteria to diagnose mental disorders include:
, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
1. Dissatisfaction with one's characteristics, abilities, and
accomplishments.
2. Ineffective or unsatisfying relationships.
3. Dissatisfaction with one's place in the world.
4. Ineffective coping with life events.
5. Lack of personal growth.
Principles of the Nurse – Client Relationship
The art of caring is embodied in the therapeutic nurse-client relationship,
which is the basis for psychiatric mental health nursing.
The relationship is used as a therapeutic vehicle to affect change, promote
growth, and heal mental and emotional wounds.
The therapeutic interpersonal relationship that develops between nurse and
client is a vehicle for affecting client change and growth.
There are principles and guidelines for developing and maintaining the
relationship:
1. Therapeutic versus social
- Therapeutic relationship is formed to help client to solve problems,
make decisions, achieve growth, learn coping strategies, reinforce self worth
and examine relationship.
- Relationship between nurse and client is not for mutual satisfaction.
- The nurse is not to be the client’s friend but he can be friendly with
client.
- Boundaries are important, which define us and our roles, especially in
therapeutic relationship, and when trying to be client’s friend breaking to
boundaries will result and confusing to roles.
- The nurse helps the client increase awareness of boundaries and
practice boundary–setting.
- Some social conversation is used at the beginning of meetings and
may help to establish or maintain rapport.
4 BNHSD| UCAS
