Mental Health Nursing: Role and Care

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH- NURSING
MENTAL HEALTH- NURSING
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1MENTAL HEALTH- NURSING
Introduction:
Mental health is defined as one of the behavioural, emotional and cognitive health,
which relies on how a person thinks, behaves, feels or operates. It reflects on how a person
handles problems, stress, relationships, communicates and take decisions. It is one of the
important factors for a health growth in every stage of a person’s life since childhood to
adolescence till adulthood (Eaton, & Fallin, 2019).
As per World Health Organization, mental health is defined as:
"... a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community."
There are various disorders that are related to mental health such as anxiety disorder,
schizophrenia disorder and mood disorders. These disorders are found to be one of the
common issues in today’s world and are effecting mental health in a huge number.
The mental health nurses play a vital role in nursing patients suffering from mental
health conditions. They are expertise in mental health assessment, medication as well as
therapy providing, crisis intervention and assisting patients (Campbell, Massey, Broadbent &
Clarke, 2019).
The assignment will focus on the mental health nursing as well as their role in
providing care using self as a therapeutic tool while care giving.
A mental health consumer’s needs for treatment:
A person suffering from mental health problems face difficult in leading a normal life,
as they deal with various problems related to their behavioural, mental and physical aspect. In
such a situation, a person is in urge need of assistance in order to connect to people, involve

2MENTAL HEALTH- NURSING
in physical activities, positive motivations and proper treatment and medication. the patient
with mental illness, needs to get a proper care and guidance of mental health nurses as they
provide the patient with all the requirements and care a person needs at the point of time
(Flaskerud, 2018).
The Peplau’s nursing theory is based on the relationship between nurses and their
patients. The theory guides the nursing field in providing a better nursing care and building
an effective therapeutic relationship among them (Fernandes & Naidu, 2017). The Peplau’s
nursing theory divides the role of nurses in to six different phases which are:
 Stranger role: according to Peplau, the nurse and the patient are strangers at the
beginning of the treatment process, so it is necessary for the nurse to treat their patient
with respect and courteousness without making any assumptions regarding the person
or his/her health condition.
 Resource role: the nurse should provide a clear and straightforward answers and
information to the patients regarding their health condition and the treatment process.
 Teaching role: the nurse should serve as a teacher to the patient by teaching them
instructionally and experimentally to enhance knowledge and awareness regarding
their condition and treatment.
 Counselling role: the nurse’s role is to make the patient understand what is going on
in their lives and their present situation and also to help them and guide them to
overcome such conditions of life (Staniszewska et al., 2019).
 Surrogate role: the nurse’s role here is to help the patient distinguish the
connections and alterations among the nurse and their previous relationship.

3MENTAL HEALTH- NURSING
 Leadership role: the nurse guides the patient to understand that they play equal role
in the treatment process and the nurse helps the patient to reach the goal required for
recovery (Reljić, Pajnkihar & Fekonja, 2019).
The optimal philosophical approach to care for mental health patient:
The philosophical approach is a part of care goal design and focusing on the values of
a person in order to provide an effective care plan and treatment. in a mental health patient,
the nurse needs to focus on every single aspect and factors associate with the patient. The
nurse needs to be a better communicator as well as listener to serve best as a therapeutic tool.
The patient in a state of unstable mental health requires better understanding and
communication in a nurse. The patients need to be explained what is beneficial for him and
what is harmful as in such a health condition, they lose their ability to understand and judge
things correctly. The patient at such a state seeks love, care and understanding in person. The
patient ill requires rest and proper diet in order to calm down their busy mind (Floren et al.,
2018). The nurse will involve them in different physical activities, creative tasks and
activities that will help them feel refreshed and keep their mind distracted from the burden
they carry in their mind. In the nurse will take counselling session where the interaction will
build better communication and will help the nurse top explain the patient the essential. The
nurse will also require here to involve all the stakeholders in order to take professional
suggestions that will be helpful to provide a correct and error free treatment for the patient.
The mental health patients go through a lot in their past which leads them to depression,
anxiety, and other sever issues, it will be essential to deal with them will a bit more care and
delicacy. The values and ethics of the patients also needs to be focused on in order to avoid
any violation of their feelings. The major part of th treatment is top drain out all the negative
factors embedded inside the patient’s brain (Frechette et al., 2018).