Mental Health and Family Involvement

Mental Health and Family Involvement
Student’s Details

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Abstract
In a country like Australia mental health of people is a burden for the healthcare system
of the country. In Australia, a significant number of people are experiencing mental health
issues and around half of the population is having a minor or critical mental illness. This study
focuses on family involvement with mentally ill person to foster recovery and reduces illness
systems.
Thus, it discusses the role of family members towards the patient's improvement and
discussed the ways to increase family- patient improvement for faster recovery. Counseling
sessions, engagement with therapy session and participation in day to day activities identified as
the most effective methods to increase family involvement.
Besides the family, nurses also play a great role in offering care and improving the
condition of mentally ill people. Nurses work as primary care providers as well as a link to
provide support, assistance and provide specialist services through psychiatric doctors along with
data recording, creating awareness and working towards the prevention of mental illness in
people. This discussion also covers some basic requirements for registered nurses and their
services. In Australia, the NSW Mental Health Act 2007 act plays a key role to improve the
conditions of patient and increase patients- family involvement.

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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Role of family..................................................................................................................................3
Ways to improve family involvement 300......................................................................................4
Education and counseling............................................................................................................4
Engaging with the therapy session...............................................................................................5
Increase participation in day to day activities..............................................................................5
Role of Nurse...................................................................................................................................6
The requirement of registered nurses..............................................................................................7
NSW Mental Health Act 2007.........................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
Mental health refers to a level of psychological including cognitive, emotional and
behavioral well-being of a person. In Australia, 45 percent population under the age of 17 to 85
years and 13.9 percent child and adolescent population is experiencing mental illness by 2017.
This data shows that around half of all population is suffering from mental illness in the country
(AIHW, 2020). Despite all efforts of the health department of the country, the number of patients
of mental illness is increasing in the country. To prevent and cure mental illness, family and
society along with nurses and specialist psychiatric professionals play a crucial role.
Family members are the first agent source who recognize and identify the behavioral
changes of a person. Besides, family members are often the first help and care gets by a mental
patient. Family members can help in a wide range of self-recovering and self-management to a
person who is suffering from mental illness (Dirik, Sandhu, & Priebe, 2017). This report
comprises a discussion about the role of family members in the mental illness of people and
recommendations to increase the family involvement towards the care, wellness and mental well-
being of people. This report also covers the roles of the nurse in the wellness and care of people
in mental illness and the significance of the NSW Mental Health Act 2007 and implication for
nursing practices also discussed in the report.
Role of family
Healthy relationships in the family are of the biggest factor of the happiness for a person.
A family is a social group that consists two parents and their children and other close ones who
live together as a unit. This group of blood relations plays a crucial and powerful role in the

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cognitive, behavior and emotional development and well-being of a person. A family is a first
unit and resource where a person seeks immediate help as in hunger, thirst and other physical
and emotional needs. Hence, it is a family which is the first solution and supports for a person for
his mental and emotional need as well (Avasthi, 2010).
For the mental well-being and overall wellness of a person, family plays a critical role. A
research study suggests that negative and positive aspects of the family relationship have a wide
impact on the well-being of a person especially a person who is experiencing mental illness.
Family members provide aid and support to prevent, cope and cure the illness. Family members
assume as primary caregivers to a person in the state of illness. Family members give support,
sense of belongings, joyful engagement, caring and loving environment to a person and
participate in the fulfillment the most of the emotional and psychological needs of a person that
leads cognitive stability and prevent from various kind of mental illness.
Besides the preventions, family members play a significant role in the treatment and cure
of a person. Research studies show that family involvement decreases the dropout rates and it
increases the greater chance to cure the illness and increase the recovery rate. The involvement
of family members during illness, in counseling sessions, and during therapeutic procedures
helps to address the issues and develops a curative environment which leads to fast recoveries.
This is essential to increase family involvement for the well-being and welfare of mental health
patients (Iseselo, Kajula, & Yahya-Malima, 2016).

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Ways to improve family involvement
Education and counseling
There are several ways to improve the involvement of families with patients who are
suffering from mental disorders. The most important methods to improve the involvement of the
family with the patient are education and counseling. Healthcare providers need to have
counseling for family involvement, need to communicate how family involvement helps to
improve and recover the mental health of the patient. Talking, playing, and spending with
patients helps him to forget his metal diseases and increase his quality time which positively
leads to recovery and improvement in the health and wellbeing of the person. Besides, spending
the time with family gives the patients a sense of self-worth and family attachment which again
leads to emotional support for the patient and results in an improvement in the health. Family
members of the person need to set their breakfast and dinner scheduled as the schedule of the
mental patients, which helps increase the family involvement with the patient.
Engaging with the therapy session
To increase the family and patient involvement healthcare professionals need to engage
their family members through the therapy session. Healthcare professionals need to ask their
presence and company as attainder with the metal patient during therapy sessions. Such kind of
involvement gives support to the patients. Besides, family members also should increase
involvement with patients in homecare like taking care of medicine, food, and other health
requirements (Eassom, Giacco, Dirik, & Priebe, 2014).

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Increase participation in day to day activities
It is also required that family members need to ask the small helps for household chores
such as washing, cleaning, cooking and shopping the household things. Such type of engagement
gives a sense of capability and empowerment and carets positive attitude for the self which is
crucial for a mental health patient. Patient care at the family level comes under the primary level
category. Many mental diseases such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder
are treatable at home only with family and primary care provided by the family members and
loved ones (Farrer, Walker, Harrison, & Banfield, 2018).
Role of Nurse
In the field of mental healthcare, nurses play a crucial role at large extend. After the
family members and loved one's nurse are the primary investigators and care providers for
mental health patients. Nurses work in different work settings and work range including hospitals
and home care. Mental Health nurses plan and support medical help to people who are suffering
from mental health issues. In most primary cases such as depression, anxiety, personality,
bulimia nervosa disorders, drugs, and alcohol abuse nurses play a crucial role in care. The role of
nurses is wide and which includes relationship building between patients and family members
along with self-relationship building with patients through communicating with mental health
patients. Besides, nurses are primary care providers to the mental patients thus they have all
understanding about the patient's health and recovery process and methods. Therefore, nurses
give their opinion in the care plans of patients and discuss with specialists professionals (Joubert
& Bhagwanb, 2018).
Social stigma is another major challenge for the patients, their families, and nurses.
Nurses educate people to combat social stigma. Besides they also create coordination between

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specialists healthcare professionals, family members, and patients. Apart from these all, writing
and updating patient records, encouraging patients for therapeutic sessions, medication
administrations, and organizing workloads are other major duties and responsibilities of a nurse
in the mental health care of patients (Fakhr-Movahedi, Rahnavard, & Negarandeh, 267-276).
The requirement of registered nurses
In a country like Australia which is known for one of the best healthcare systems across
the globe, registered nurses are the major source to give significant role and contribution towards
the care and well-being of people who are suffering from mental illness. Registered Nurses work
in hospital settings, medical offices, and clinics. These nurses work as the assistants of specialist
doctors and specialist psychiatrists. A registered nurse in Australia can run and analyzing
diagnostics tests, review to treatment plans, helping to doctors during therapy sessions, working
as patients guide and providing emotional support to both patients and their families.
In Australia, registered nurses are required to complete a 3-years course of Bachelor of Nursing
form Australian universities. 17 years in minimum age and must have completed HSC from
appropriate universities and having appropriate Universities Admission Index to apply for the
course. In Australia with the 3 years full-time nursing registrations course, there is the part-time
nursing cause that is also available which is slightly different from the fulltime curriculums.
During course practices, nurses are also required for practicing your clinical skills in laboratories
and clinical settings. After completion of the nursing course, they have to apply for AHPRA, an
Australian health practitioner regulation agency. After the registration on AHPRA, nurses are
able to practice with the healthcare system of the country (IHNA, 2018).

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NSW Mental Health Act 2007
This act was amended in august 2015 with the major reviews of the legislation. the
changes in this legislation lead to a greater focus on the recovery of the mentally ill person and
enhance the well-being of mentally ill people. The Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) act deal with
the care and treatment process of an individual with mental illness in NSW. This legislation sets
some standards and circumstances for the hospital administration and treatment process. This
legislation defines mental healthcare providers and provides licensing to private mental
healthcare providers and facilities in NSW (NSW government, 2020). According to this
legislation, there are certain circumstances to admits the person in the hospital and clinical
settings for the treatment of mental illness and provide mental healthcare either voluntary or
involuntary. Under this legislation, the authorized medical officer has the right to refuse to admit
voluntary patients if he not satisfied with the condition of the person and patients' condition fails
to justly avail the benefits of mental healthcare. Besides an authorized medical officer has a right
to discharge a mental illness person as per the understanding of the officer about the mental
health of the patient. To increase family and care's involvement this legislation supports the
careers of the metal ill people like primary careers including family, loved ones and nurses and
principle career providers (NSW legislation, 2020).
This legislation has the provision of flexible treatment of the mentally ill person on as per
the connivance of the patients and care providers such as in hospital settings, at home and in
community. This act also has a provision of involvement of the patient in treatment development
methods, and in ongoing treatment plans, along with clearly defined the roles and rights of care
providers. Information sharing is another provision for the people who have mental illness and

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for their caregivers. Patients and family members have the right to know about the outcomes of
the treatment and counseling methods (NSW government, 2020).
Implication of Nursing
Thorough analysis of the role and practices of registered nurses in the mental health practices
found that nurses plays an important role in treating the mentally ill patients. Yes, the fact is true
that after loved ones and family members, the nurses come in direct contact with the patient and
form a bond with them. Therefore, the registered nurses plays an important role in treating the
patients and making them comfortable in the differential surroundings as well. Dealing with
mentally ill patient could be difficult many times because they do not trust anybody and nor they
hold the position to understand what others are trying to explaining. Resulting in which, the
patients hear only to those whom they trust or know. Therefore, the nurses comes into action
because in hospital setting, they are the person who in charge of the patients and take care of
them. Therefore, they need to work responsibly so as to treat the mentally handicapped patients
and judge the differential symptoms at the initial level itself. If the nurses do not understand the
behavior of such patients, then sadly they would not be able to treat them because of complexity
of the case and difficult behavior of the patient as well. Thus, it should be noted that after family
members, it is the role of a nurse to understand such patients and analyze their needs so that they
can cure them effectively.
Conclusion
Although the Australian healthcare system is one of the best healthcare systems in the
world, the mental health of people is a challenge for the healthcare system of the country. In the
country a large number of people are experiencing mental illness, thus mental health is a burden

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for the healthcare system of the country. This discussion examines the role of the family in the
recovery and wellness of the people who are experiencing mental illness. Family is a primary
source that diagnoses the issues and provides care and support at the primary and initial level.
When a person is experiencing changes in his cognitive, behavioral and emotional behavior it is
family to identify the changes at first and get the person specialist help and treatment in advance
conditions.
Family support and involvement with mentally ill patients play a crucial role. Family
involvement with patients gives a sense of empowerment, belongings and self- worth. This
family patient involvement and engagement helps to come over form mental depression and
foster the health of the person. This study has identified various ways to improve family- patient
involvement such as education and counseling of family members, involvement in therapy
sessions and increase the participation of patients in a day to day chores to create meaningful
engagement of the patients.
Apart from the family, nurses also play a crucial and most significant role in the recovery
and well-being of the person. Nurses offer their care services at primary and principle care
services. There are certain course requirements for registered nurses in Australia. To increase
the family, nurses and patients towards the well-being of the person The Mental Health Act
2007 (NSW) act is important legislation in Australia.

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Bibliography
AIHW. (2020, January 20). Mental health services in Australia. Retrieved March 15, 2020, from
the Australian Institute of Health and welfare: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-
health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/report-contents/summary/prevalence-
and-policies
Avasthi, A. (2010). Preserve and strengthen family to promote mental health. Indian Journal of
Psychiatry, 213-226.
Dirik, A., Sandhu, S., & Priebe, S. (2017). Why involve families in acute mental healthcare? A
collaborative conceptual review. BMJ, 1-11.
Eassom, E., Giacco, D., Dirik, A., & Priebe, S. (2014). Implementing family involvement in the
treatment of patients with psychosis: a systematic review of facilitating and hindering
factors. BMJI open.
Fakhr-Movahedi, A., Rahnavard, Z., & Negarandeh, R. (267-276). Exploring Nurse’s
Communicative Role in Nurse-Patient Relations: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Caring
Sciences, 2016.
Farrer, L., Walker, J., Harrison, C., & Banfield, M. (2018). Primary care access for mental illness
in Australia: Patterns of access to general practice from 2006 to 2016. Plos one, 2-12.
IHNA. (2018, March 22). All About Becoming a Registered Nurse in Australia. Retrieved March
18, 2020, from IHNA: https://www.ihna.edu.au/blog/2016/07/become-registered-nurse-
australia/
Iseselo, M., Kajula, L., & Yahya-Malima, K. (2016). The psychosocial problems of families
caring for relatives with mental illnesses and their coping strategies: a qualitative urban
based study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Psychiatray.
Joubert, D., & Bhagwanb, R. (2018). An empirical study of the challenging roles of psychiatric
nurses at in-patient psychiatric facilities and its implications for nursing education.
International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 49-56.
NSW governement . (2020). Amendments to the NSW Mental Health Act (2007) - Carers and
families. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from NSW governement :
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/resources/Pages/carers.aspx
NSW government. (2020). Mental Health Act 2007 No 8. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from NSW
government: https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/2007/8/whole

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NSW lagislation . (2020). Division 1 Applications for and making of community treatment
orders. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from NSW lagislation :
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/2007/8/chap3/part3/div1