How and Why Mental Health Nurses Develop Therapeutic Relationship with Consumers with Schizophrenia

Mental health
Mental health
Institution affiliation
Student name
Date

Mental health
Discussion on how and why mental health nurses develop therapeutic relationship/alliances with
consumers who have schizophrenia
1. How do nurses develop therapeutic relationship/alliances with consumers who have
schizophrenia?
Nurses can develop a therapeutic relationship with consumers with schizophrenia by use of the
strategies like shared decision-making and psychiatric nursing, follow-through and related
outcomes. In this discussion, we start by looking at the sharing of decision-making and
psychiatric nursing (Searles, 2018). One strategy that may improve treatment follow-through is
the selection of appropriate medication and behavioral therapies by use of shared decision
making(Cavelti, Homan and Vauth, 2016). Where there is shared decision-making, there is a
collaborative style of communication accompanied by tools for decision-making that introduce
clinical information concerning the health of clients regarding their cultural values, beliefs,
health experiences, and their preferences(Tecelão et al., 2018). Shared decision-making is the
process by which clients are provided with the right choices and information with an aim of
making them participate meaningfully and actively in their treatment (Townsend and Morgan,
2017). Shared decision according to Mahone et al. (2011) is empowering consumers with the
understanding that helps them to make an informed decision on their health together with their
treatment teams to be engaged and participate actively on their plans.
If nurses introduce themselves to the patient and use their names while talking to them great
relationship is built. When they use some signs like handshake they establish trust and respect
from the patient. Consumers who have schizophrenia do not easily understand the symptoms.
They live in the unreal world and have difficulty perceiving what is happening around them

Mental health
(Tecelãoet al., 2018). Others who are not aware of the disease find it difficult to understand, and
they feel lonely. This makes them not to trust others and remain isolated. The result of this lack
of trust is the delayed treatment worsening the image of clinic even more.
A nurse may find it important to appeal to the family or other significant people or existing
clinical records to understand the patient more. At first mental examination must be carried out
to identify the present symptoms like negative symptomatology, disorganization, hallucinations,
and delusions(Townsend and Morgan, 2017). Where delusions exist, nurses need to demonstrate
to the patients that they (nurses) accept that although patients have that belief, they do not
believe the same(Tecelão et al., 2018). Nurses should avoid discussing or denying the existence
of that belief to maintain trust from their patients. Nurses should inform their patients that the
voices which they hear are not real voices but part of the disease.
There are many challenges associated with the therapeutic relationship which nurses should be
aware of and they include:
Patient not seeing the need for help and even blocks the nurse's attempts for establishing
contacts. There may be fear with the family feeling unwell because of the situation. Patients have
difficulty to express requests for help even where the relationship has been accepted (Tecelão et
al., 2018). The patients may let known their difficulties and fail to participate in it, and last and
not least the patient refuses to accept some symptoms as part of the disease even if they engaged
in the relationship.