Treatment Options and Nursing Interventions for Mental Health Disorders

This document discusses treatment options and nursing interventions for different mental health disorder groups. It covers medication classes, psychotherapy, and nursing interventions for mood disorders, psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, organic disorders, and personality disorders.

HLTENN009 MENTAL HEALTH
Q1.
For each of the mental health disorder groups below, provide two (2) treatment
options (1 medication class and one therapy) and two (2) nursing interventions to
manage the disorder group
Note: Please do not repeat any answers
Mental Health
Disorder group
Therapeutic
Treatment options
Medication Class
Therapeutic
Treatment options
Psychotherapy
Nursing
Interventions
Mood disorders
 Bipolar
Affective
Disorder
 Depression
The medication
class of bipolar
disorder are mod
stabilizer,
anticonvulsant,
The psychotherapy
of bipolar
psychoeducation
and cognitive
education therapy.
The nursing
interventions of
bipolar disorder are
proper medical
adherence,
cognitive
behavioural therapy
and changing the
lifestyle.
Psychotic
Disorders
 Schizophrenia
 Psychoses
The medication
class of
schizophrenia and
psychoses is
antidepressants like
fluoxetine and
citalopram.
The psychotherapy
for managing the
psychotic disorders
are cognitive
enhancement
therapy.
The most important
nursing intervention
is establishing a
healthy therapeutic
relationship with the
patient and the
second intervention
is changing the
behaviour of the
patient.
Anxiety
Disorders
a) Obsessive
Compulsive
Disorder
b) Panic
disorder
c) Post-
traumatic
Stress
Disorder
The medication
class is
antidepressants
The psychotherapy
for anxiety
disorders is rational
emotive therapy.
The nursing
intervention is
providing education
to the patients
about self
management. The
other intervention is
cognitive
behavioural
interventions.

d) Social &
Specific
Phobias
e) Eating
disorders
Organic
Disorders
a) Dementia
b) Delirium
The medication
class of dementia is
anticholinergic and
for delirium is
antipsychotic drugs
The psychotherapy
for organic
disorders is
rehabilitation
therapy
The nursing
interventions
include providing
cognitive therapies
and properly
communicating with
the patient.
Personality
Disorders
a) Borderline
Personality
Disorder
The medication
class of borderline
personality disorder
is anticonvulsant.
The psychotherapy
for the personality
disorders is
psychoanalysis.
The nursing
interventions
include teaching
the patient to
maintain the
discipline and the
second one is
individual
interventions.
Q2.
For effective evidence-based practice in mental health nursing a variety of sources are
used, one of these is the client and carers perspective, discuss why this is important
(100 words max & Reference)
The client and the care giver perspectives is one of the important aspect of the evidence based
practice in the mental health. It is very important to know how the client or the patient is
perceiving the care that the nurses are providing them. According to the narrations that the
patients provide the nature of the care givers are judged like whether the care givers are kind
hearted or whether the care givers are rude, all these are judged completely by the statements that
the patients provide. The care givers influence the patients by creating new dialogues in the way
that is suitable for the patient to understand.
Q3.
For each of the following possible causes of mental illness from a biopsychosocial
perspective, state whether the causes are Biological, Social or Psychological
Biopsychological perspective Possible causes
Social perspective Life experiences, low self-esteem, unintegrated sense of self,
personality, lack of resilience.

Biological perspectives Altered neurotransmitters levels, anatomical malfunction,
acquired brain injury (ABI), substance abuse, infection,
exposure to toxins, epilepsy, stroke, endocrine imbalance.
Genetic factors – first degree relative, pre-natal infection,
predisposition to mental illness, constitution
Psychological perspectives Death, divorce, cultural, stress, housing, homelessness,
exposure to violent behaviours, childhood trauma (verbal,
physical, sexual), social isolation, childhood neglect and
abuse, attachment problems, parenting issues, substance
abuse, environment, grief and loss
3b. Outline 4 ways that you as the nurse can ensure that your own interactions with a
person experiencing a mental illness is therapeutic and positive (80-100 words and
reference)
The four ways to ensure that I am interacting with the patient in a therapeutic way are:
1. At first introducing myself to the patient and shaking hands at the first meet up.
2. Making sure that the patient is maintain the privacy at the time of providing care to
the patient.
3. Always maintaining the eye contact with the patient in order to identify whether the
patient is hiding anything or not.
4. Maintaining the professional boundaries like some people need hugging because of
illness while some patients do not like touching. All these things ensure that the patient
is getting a therapeutic care (Gjerberg et al., 2015).
Q4.
Clinical practice is guided by nursing theory. There are many different theories in
regards to mental illness. Phil Barker is renowned for his Tidal Model which looks at the
recovery journey.
Outline three (3) principles of this theory (Reference)
The three principles of the theory are:
1. Value of choice- The story of the person represents the beginning and the end of
the encounter of helping. This value embrace the distress of the person and also
the hope for the new resolution.
2. Respecting the language- Different people have different languages and also
have different ways of expressing and telling their stories. This must be
respected.
3. Become an apprentice- The practitioner normally develops a plan of patient care
and also the practitioner helps the person to identify the particular problems of
living (Alligood, 2017).
Q5.

Briefly outline the key features for the following that relate to the Mental Health Act QLD
2016 – the following websites will assist (use the contents index in the website link if
needed to locate relevant information)
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/444856/guide-to-mha.pdf
(Word limit for each point max 60 – 100 words and reference)
Main objectives of the act
The main objectives are –
1. Improving and maintaining the health and well-being of those who are suffering
from mental illness.
2. Those who have an unsound mind must be diverted from the criminal justice
systems.
3. Protecting persons from the community from those who are at risk of harming
others
Who is an involuntary patient?
An involuntary is a person who is subjected to the treatment authority, subject to the
forensic order, a person subjected to the treatment supportive order, to an examination
authority, a person who can be subjected to recommendation for assessments, a
person who can be subjected to the judicial orders, a person who can be detained while
recommending for any assessment has been made for the person or any person can be
detained in any unauthorized mental hospital (Lubans et al., 2016).
Rights of the patient
The rights of the patient includes the statement of rights. The rights must be visited by
the persons nominated by the patient, family and other persons. It is the right of the
patient to receive the oral presentation of the disease. It also includes the functions and
the appointment of the independent patient right advisors.
Involuntary review processes (Forensic orders)
The forensic orders (mental health) and the forensic orders (disability) are made by the
Mental Health Court for the purpose of the protection of the safety of the community.
The forensic order of the mental health allows the involuntary care of a patient having
mental issues and the forensic orders of the disability allows the involuntary care of any
individual for any intellectual disability
Use of Mechanical restraint, seclusion, physical restraint and other practices
The mechanical restraint is used to maintain the movement of the body of a person by
applying a device to the body or the limb of the person. The seclusion defines the

confinement of the person at any of the time of the day. The physical restraint of the
patient by the means of his or her body in order to restrict the movement of the body.
Treatment authorities
The treatment authorities are the authorities composed of authorized doctors who do
the authorization of the involuntary treatment and care of a person suffering from mental
illness and the detention is in an mental health service which is authorized (Mechanic &
Olfson, 2016).
Treatment in the community
The treatment in the community means community treatment which is limited for a
patient or according to the category of the community in which the person receives care
and treatment according to the community.
Capacity to consent
A person having capacity to consent can be treated if the person can understand all the
things in general like the person has illness or any symptom of mental health issues, the
nature and the purpose of the treatment. The person must have the capability to
understand the advantages and the risks associated with the treatment (Ettner et al.,
2016)
Privacy and confidentiality
The right of a person to privacy and confidentiality refers that the right of the person can
be recognized and taken into account.
Admission procedures - what must happen immediately after the client has been
admitted to an authorised mental health facility?
After a patient had been admitted to the authorized mental health facility, the treatment
of the person gets started. In an authorized mental health care centre, the doctors and
the nurses take care of the patient very effectively.
Role of the authorised mental health practitioner
The authorized doctors and the mental health practitioners hold the significant functions
and powers which have impacts on the rights of the individuals. They are responsible
for the accountable appointment processes, establishment of the minimum knowledge
and the required skills for the appointment processes, protection of the rights of
individuals, patient,career and wider community (Creedon & Cook, 2016).

Q6. Outline 4 ways that you as the nurse can ensure that your own interactions with a
person experiencing a mental illness is therapeutic and positive
(Word limit max 80 – 100 words and reference)
The four ways to ensure that I am interacting with the patient in a therapeutic way are:
1. At first I have to introduce myself to the patient as a nurse and must shake hands at
the first meet up.
2. I must make sure that the patient is maintain the privacy at the time of providing care
to the patient (Kalb et al., 2015)
3. I must maintain the eye contact with the patient in order to find out whether the
patient is hiding anything or not.
4. Maintaining the professional boundaries like some people need hugging because of
illness while some patients do not like touching. All these things ensure that the patient
is getting a therapeutic care (Tak et al., 2015)

Reference
Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing Theorists and Their Work-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Creedon, T. B., & Cook, B. L. (2016). Access to mental health care increased but not for
substance use, while disparities remain. Health Affairs, 35(6), 1017-1021.
Ettner, S. L., Harwood, J. M., Thalmayer, A., Ong, M. K., Xu, H., Bresolin, M. J., ... & Azocar,
F. (2016). The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act evaluation study: Impact
on specialty behavioral health utilization and expenditures among “carve-out”
enrollees. Journal of health economics, 50, 131-143.
Gjerberg, E., Lillemoen, L., Førde, R., & Pedersen, R. (2015). End-of-life care communications
and shared decision-making in Norwegian nursing homes-experiences and perspectives
of patients and relatives. BMC geriatrics, 15(1), 103.
Kalb, K. A., O'Conner-Von, S. K., Brockway, C., Rierson, C. L., & Sendelbach, S. (2015).
Evidence-based teaching practice in nursing education: Faculty perspectives and
practices. Nursing Education Perspectives, 36(4), 212-219.
Lubans, D., Richards, J., Hillman, C., Faulkner, G., Beauchamp, M., Nilsson, M., ... & Biddle, S.
(2016). Physical activity for cognitive and mental health in youth: a systematic review of
mechanisms. Pediatrics, 138(3), e20161642.
Mechanic, D., & Olfson, M. (2016). The relevance of the Affordable Care Act for improving
mental health care. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 12, 515-542.

Tak, S. H., Kedia, S., Tongumpun, T. M., & Hong, S. H. (2015). Activity engagement:
Perspectives from nursing home residents with dementia. Educational
gerontology, 41(3), 182-192.