Collaborative Mental Health Nursing Practice

Running head: COLLABORATIVE MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE 1
Collaborative Mental Health Nursing Practice
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COLLABORATIVE MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE 2
Introduction
Mental health is essential to the well-being of an individual, society and the country. It is more
than the absence of mental disorder. It comprises a state of well-being whereby a person is aware
of his or her abilities and can handle the normal stresses of life, work productively and positively
contribute to the community. Mental health problems are common throughout the world. It is
estimated that over 450 million people suffer from a behavioral or a mental problem and about
one million people commit suicide every year (Titchkosky, & Aubrecht, 2015). Nurses are the
largest group of specialists providing mental health treatment and care in both primary and
specialist health facilities. Nurses can greatly contribute to the prevention, treatment, and
promotion of mental health disorders like depression, schizophrenia, alcohol use disorder, and
bipolar disorder among others.
Collaborative nurse-consumer relationship, persons living with mental illness (consumer) and
nurse (cares) positive belief, attitude, and values towards each other and their partnership. For
the relationship to be successful, rules should be set on how each partner relates to the other, and
the decision-making process needs to be clearly defined. Lived experienced is the knowledge and
understanding acquired when you have lived through a certain condition. The term mental health
lived experience is used to describe people living with mental illness (consumers) and family,
friends or nurses supporting an individual living with mental illness (cares).
The significance of this assignment is to understand the elements needed to build effective nurse-
patient collaboration and to gain insights into nursing roles in establishing an operational nurse-
patient collaboration.
Importance of mental health nurse understanding the health care consumer's experiences
of living with the effects of a mental disorder
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COLLABORATIVE MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE 3
The caring of mentally ill persons has been in existence since prehistorical times although it
occurred in different forms. Tribal rituals were used to treat mentally ill patients and if it was
ineffective, the affected person was abandoned (Walker, Whitener, Trupin, & Migliarini, 2015).
In the 21st century, profound knowledge of the cause and treatment of mental disorder has
improved, and the multidisciplinary approach has been adapted. The psychiatric nurse is required
to work in close relationship with fellow health practitioners, patients, their families, psychiatric
social workers, clinical psychologist, and therapist who teaches life skills. Each family forms an
integral part of a multidisciplinary team employing an extensive range of treatments.
A nurse needs to gain an understanding of the health care consumer experience of living with the
effects of mental disorder because the nurse will be mindful of his or her fears, worries and
feelings when working with the patient (Zelle, Kemp, & Bonnie, 2015). This will allow the nurse
to accept a patient’s differences and challenges with no judgment. When the nurse displays a
genuine interest and develops empathy, the patient trust will begin to develop therefore, the
patient will identify and attach themselves with those who accept them, this will reduce the
patient discomfort, anxiety, and tension (Calnan, Rowe 2014). A therapeutic relationship can be
defined as strictly professional association between a nurse and a patient that centers on the
patient ideas, needs, problems and feelings. The patient will experience positive changes when
his or her needs are addressed fully. A therapeutic collaboration is considered the foundation of
mental health care and the support for changing insight and behavior. A therapeutic relationship
is based on respect, mutual trust, being sensitive to self and others, nurturing of hope and faith,
and assisting with the gratification of the client’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs through
skills and knowledge of a caregiver (Dixon, Holoshitz, & Nossel, 2016).
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