Collaborative Mental Health Nursing Practice: Developing Therapeutic Relationships

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
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MENTAL HEALTH NURSING1
Introduction
Collaborative mental health nursing practice is defined as the development of
effective relationship amongst the psychological health consumer and the nurse, where they
both emphasize on working together and assisting the individual with a psychological health
condition to achieve enhanced health outcome. Development of therapeutic association
amongst the nurse and the mental health patient is the primary step towards achieving an
effective collaborative mental health nursing practice (Regan et al. 2016). The therapeutic
association is often considered as the type of the collaborative nursing practice that is
developed based on respect and trust and therefore influences the behaviour and development
of the patient. Mental health consumers are the population who exhibit the symptoms of
stress, depression and anxiety (Scholz, Gordon and Happell, 2017). Hence, this study will
focus on the development of collaborative mental health nursing practice with the healthcare
consumers experiencing from any psychological health illness. This study will also highlight
the knowledge and understanding of the living understanding of psychological health
consumers associated with the influence of their mental illness. This study will, therefore,
conclude by highlighting the living experience that had explicitly explained the behavioural
and developmental aspect of the nursing practice (Orthwein 2017).
Discussion
Developing the clinical association among the nurse and health consumer depends on
the value, attitude and belief which will help them to achieve collaborative health practice.
Arnold and Boggs (2019), had successfully explained that therapeutic relationship is
developed once the nurse, as well as the health consumers, have identified their requirement
and based on the role, they develop an effective decision-making capability. The
collaborative relationship is more focused towards the evidence-based practice system as

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compared to the conventional practice system and provides an evidence-supported treatment
to the patient. Evidence-based practice system is considered as the best approach to
developing a collaborative relationship among the nurse and the mental health consumers.
According to Feo et al. (2017), therapeutic relationship is the basis of providing an efficient
treatment or intervention to the mental health patient, as the nurse will focus on evolving a
healthy association with the patient and understand their perspective and the health risk
factors which is leading to their mental illness. Based on the analysis performed by the nurse,
they will improve a therapeutic relationship and engage with the patient. Hence, therapeutic
relationship is considered as the basis of developing an enhanced collaborative mental health
nursing practice (Spence, Zhu and Read 2016).
According to Kane (2015), there are various factors which affect the mental wellbeing
of an individual such as social disadvantage, childhood abuse, poor lifestyle, social exclusion,
discrimination or long-term stress or illness. Some people are diagnosed with psychological
health illness, but there are few people who are not diagnosed or even do not notice their
deteriorating mental health condition due to their bust life. Hence, Pullon et al. (2016), stated
that maintaining a healthy mental health condition is very crucial for leading healthy life that
includes the psychological, social and emotional well-being. For example, an individual
might suffer from depression due to any persistent chronic illness or disorder and will be
unable to cope up with their everyday stress and living activities. Hence, they require
assistance and support from the psychological nurse to manage their stress and psychiatric
disorders.
Through a collaborative relationship among the nurse and the psychological health
consumers, the psychological health consumer will be encouraged to perform their daily
activities of life by working collaboratively with the psychiatric nurse. According to Sreevani
(2016), mental health nurse play an essential role in refining the mental health condition of

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the patient by motivating them to make appropriate decisions regarding their health and also
assist them in performing different activities that will aim to enhance their living condition
and eventually focus on improving their mental illness. Hence, the mental health nurse will
adequately support the patient to improve from their bad health condition and assist them in
leading a healthy life. Based on the research study conducted by Gloria and Steinhardt
(2016), providing adequate support and care to the psychological patient is every important
and hence, it is established that the psychological health nurse must improve a collaborative
nurse consumer relationship, which will help the patient to feel comfortable and thus enhance
the quality of care and assistance. To develop collaborative nurse consumer relationship, the
mental health nurse will focus on increasing a therapeutic association with the health
consumers and identify the treatment strategy that will be used by the nurse to solve the
health issue of the patient. According to Zugai, Stein and Roche (2015), an operative
therapeutic relationship is defined as the association between the health consumer and the
mental health nurse based on trust and respect, which will support the nurse to assist the
patient in achieving a healthy life. The nurse will recognize the concern of the patient and
accordingly empower the patient to perform activities that will help them to achieve a healthy
lifestyle through effective communication.
Percy and Richardson (2018), had exhibited that to improve a collaborative
association, the mental health nurse should have the sense of empathy and belongingness
towards the health consumer that will assist them in understanding the living experience of
the patient and accordingly help the patient to achieve an enhanced health outcome. To
effectively treat and manage the patient suffering from any mental illness, the mental health
nurse should be mindful of the impact of mental illness in an individual’s everyday life.
Based on the living experience, the mental health nurse will better understand the seriousness
of the condition and will accordingly decide the intervention that will focus on managing the