Mental Health Care for Nurses

Applying Mental Health Skills in the General Hospital

Anthony Harrison, Chris Hart, Anthony Harrison, Chris Hart

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN:
  9781405124553
• eBook ISBN:
  9781405172790
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Nursing

Mental health is a significant factor in providing effective nursing care for patients in hospital and residential settings. Non-mental health nursing staff often lack the confidence, knowledge and skills to effectively meet the mental health needs of patients who are experiencing psychiatric problems and psychological distress. Mental Health Care for Nurses: Applying mental health skills in the general hospital provides a step-by-step guide which will help nurses identify these needs and address them in practice.

The first part of Mental Health Care for Nurses: Applying mental health skills in the general hospital explores the context of mental health care in hospital and residential settings and provides a practical framework for assessment, planning and delivery of mental health care. The second part explores specific topics such as self-harm and suicide prevention, caring for the patient displaying challenging behaviour, maternal and perinatal mental health problems, mental health problems associated with old age, mood disorders, and illicit drug and alcohol dependence.

Table of contents

• Foreword
• Editors
• Contributors
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Terminology
• Structure of the book
• References
• Part 1 The Principles of Mental Health Care in the General Hospital
• Chapter 1 The Provision of Holistic Care
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• The focus of nursing and its relationship to holistic care
• The context of care: mental health in the general hospital
• Stigma and mental health in the general hospital
• The impact on nurses of meeting the mental health needs of the patient
• Overview of mental health problems commonly encountered in the general hospital
• Mental health assessment
• The nurse–patient relationship
• Effective use of interpersonal skills and therapeutic communication
• Communication and recording of patient-related information
• Support mechanisms for nursing staff and other clinicians
• Conclusions
• References
• Websites
• Chapter 2 Psychological Responses to Illness and Injury
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Influences upon health and ill health
• Personal beliefs, understandings and interpretations of health and illness
• Coping and adaptation to illness and injury
• Acute stress reactions
• Impact of illness on families and carers
• Nursing priorities in the provision of psychological care
• Dealing with emotions
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 3 The Legal and Ethical Context of Mental Health Care in the General Hospital
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• The ethical and professional context
• The legal context: decision-making, capacity and competence
• Consent
• Duty of care
• The Mental Health Act 1983
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 4 Caring for the Person Displaying Challenging Behaviour
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• The nature of challenging behaviours
• Causes and triggers of disturbed behaviour
• What is it that challenges us?
• The patient, the institution and the situation
• Risk assessment
• An organisational response to challenging behaviours
• Working with people who challenge us
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 5 Breaking Bad News
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• What is bad news?
• Issues of grief and loss
• How people ‘hear’ what is said and ‘understand’ – the difference between being told something and understanding
• Preparing to provide information
• Impact on practitioners
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 6 The Role of the Mental Health Liaison Team
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• The development of mental health liaison practice
• The role of the mental health liaison team
• The process of referral
• Conclusions
• References
• Part 2 Mental Health Care in the General Hospital
• Chapter 7 Depression and Anxiety
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Theoretical perspectives on the causes of depression
• Terms used to describe the various types of mood disorder
• Recognising depression
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Phobias
• Assessment
• Treatment strategies for depression
• Physical treatments
• Psychological treatments
• Combination of physical and psychological treatments
• Planning care for the person who is depressed or anxious
• Use of interpersonal skills
• Responding to the person’s care needs
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 8 Self-harm and Suicide Prevention
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Terminology
• Incidence of self-harming and suicidal behaviour
• ‘Causes’ of self-harming behaviour
• Attitudes
• Risk assessment
• Short-term risk assessment
• Medium-term risk assessment
• Long-term risk assessment
• Caring for the person who has self-harmed
• Initial assessment
• Treatment
• Managing the potential risk of further self-harm
• Observation
• Pre-discharge care
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 9 Perinatal and Maternal Mental Health
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Policy and professional context
• Prevalence of perinatal mental health problems
• The impact of mental illness
• Common perinatal mental health problems
• Maternity or baby blues
• Postnatal depression
• Puerperal psychosis
• Breast feeding and the use of psychotropic medication
• Principles of effective perinatal mental health care
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 10 Caring for the Person with a Serious Mental Illness
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Definitions and terminology
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar affective disorder
• Mortality and morbidity associated with serious mental illness
• Factors that contribute to poor physical health
• Assessment
• Pharmacological treatment of serious mental illness
• Antipsychotic medication
• Mood stabilisers
• Principles of caring for a person with a serious mental illness
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 11 Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Definitions and terminology
• Acute intoxication
• Harmful use
• Dependency
• Withdrawal
• Commonly misused illicit drugs
• Assessment
• Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal
• Clinical management of opiate dependence during hospital admission
• Mental health promotion
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 12 Caring for Older People with Mental Health Problems
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Prevalence of mental health problems
• The impact of ageism
• Assessment
• Dementia
• Nursing interventions
• Acute confusion (delirium)
• Conclusions
• References
• Chapter 13 Challenges to the Delivery of Holistic Care
• Chapter aims
• Introduction
• Impact of changes in the NHS on nursing
• Holistic care and the expanding role of the nurse
• Difficulties encountered by contemporary nurses in the provision of holistic care
• Achieving holistic care for the patient in the modern NHS
• References
• Website
• Index