Mental Health Nursing: A Case Study on Depression and Therapeutic Care

This case study delves into mental health issues, specifically focusing on depression through the scenario of a 56-year-old woman named Jo who is grappling with grief and potential depression following the loss of her husband. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding contemporary theories and literature related to mental health, and how registered nurses can approach such cases with effective therapeutic relationships and counseling skills. It highlights the significance of nursing assessments, accurate diagnoses, and the development of comprehensive care plans. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for awareness about depression, distinguishing it from normal grief, and implementing interventions that encourage and motivate individuals towards recovery, incorporating psychiatric care and person-centered approaches. Effective communication and counseling are identified as crucial in addressing potential threats and promoting a recovery model that focuses on improving the individual's quality of life, fostering new goals, and enhancing self-worth. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and study resources for students.

Mental Health

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
The World Health Organisation defines Mental health as a state of well-being where an
individual is able to realise their own abilities, and they are able to cope with the normal stresses
that comes with life (WHO) (Abrahams and et. al., 2018). Change is inevitable and individuals
grow through many stages of life that come with major highs as well as major lows, however is
it important that individuals, are able to notice and take action when those lows are becoming
detrimental to their health and well-being or another individuals that are close to them. Also,
studies refer mental health to cognitive, behavioural and also emotional well-being. (What Is
Depression?, 2021) As it is in regards with what and how people think, feel and behave.
Individuals sometimes can use this term to mental health to mean absence of mental disorder.
This essay is developed to provide a understanding of mental health issues and its contemporary
theories and literature. It can also underpins the contemporary attitudes of registered nurses in
respect to the issues of mental health distress.
Case scenario
In the case of Jo who is 56 year old female, from Colombia, who lost her husband and
went through the grieving stage, she has stopped contacting GP, as last year GP wanted to talk
about her depression and prescribing anti-depressants. Her son told that she visited GP,
complaining about her poor sleep pattern, feeling dizzy and fatigue & weight loss but they found
to be absence of any medical cause. Also, her son informed last year in pandemic she often take
off from work, stopped making meal and taking care for her garden and mostly talks about
hopeless life. After first interaction with her new GP, she seems in tear and have trouble in
talking and confused, she also concluded her last GP was not suggesting appropriate treatment as
he was suggesting for depression.
MAIN BODY
As per the studies it has been observed that depression is a common and also serious
mental health illness that can influence a negative impact on individuals. (Azoulay and et. al.,
2020) As it negatively affects feelings of an individual, the adverse affect caused how an
individual feels, thought process of a person and also how an individual act. Fortunately, there
are ample of interventions which are consider for management and treatment of this concerning

mental distress i.e. depression. (What Is Depression?, 2021) It can cause acute sadness, loss of
interest in daily activities once an individual used to enjoy.
Studies concluded that depression can also lead to emotional as well as physical
problems, that lead an individual to reduce abilities of function at work or at home. Similarly, as
it has been observed that in the case of Joe, that due to demise of his husband, she was suffering
mentally as well as she was taking care of his son and house independently. (Malloy and et. al.,
2021) The feeling of loneliness is a root cause depression. Being not initiative in household
works, following disturbed sleep pattern and other are mutual signs and symptoms of depression.
Studies found that there are core relationship that has been observed between grief and
depression. (What Is Depression?, 2021) Grief process is natural and also unique at the same
time, it shares same features of depression. Both conclude intense sadness and also withdrawal
from usual activities.
In order to address these mental issues as registered nurse, there are certain skills which
should be present in registered nurse. The registered nurses should establish therapeutic
relationship with an individual. The therapeutic relationship can allow an individual to express
her in a proper way and also it can establish bonds of empathy in the care of an individual. The
way she feels about it it can helpful in understanding the behavioural patten of a Joe, the way she
react on the things and her point of view, opinions in regards with other so in order to fulfil the
criteria, a registered nurse should be good at counselling. The process of counselling can help in
determination of effective care plan, which can help in prevention of mental illness.(Glowacki,
and et. al., 2017) Studies concluded that counselling can help practitioners to understand an
individual better.
Also, a good communication will able to beneficial to care intervention to her in the
regards with administration. (What Is Depression?, 2021) At first, registered nurses should have
better understanding of nursing assessment, nursing diagnosis, developing planning and gaols,
nursing intervention and also evaluation, in order to address overall needs of an individual. The
nurse care assessment should be formulated acute care plan for an individual. Studies it has
found that the majority of health respondents felt that there has been increased rate of depression
which has been identified. (Inserra and et. al., 2018) It is believed that life events which occur in
an individual's life are essential aetiology of depression as well as generally it debits in regards
with pharmacologic treatments as well as psychological treatments of repression, that has been

also prognosis and their self involvement within the treatment of depression.(Knowledge,
attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania,
2009).
As per the studies, it has also important to circulate awareness in respect to the
depression, the data which has been estimated by WHO state that little awareness has been found
among people. Similarly, in the case of Joe, she was unaware that she was depressed. It has also
discovered by number of respondents that depressed is a way that individuals with poor stamina
encounters with daily life activities. (Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression
among primary health care workers in Tanzania, 2009) Depression have two essential main
groups, one it is termed to psychological and another group is called as biological one. It has
been found that psychological depression which can be considered harmful for an individual, due
t its adverse effects such as it can wide a range of suicidal rates in an individual, social
withdrawal and other negative influence. The biological one can be considered to be inheritance
(Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers
in Tanzania, 2009)
The majority of studies determined the attitudes in regards with depression as per the
believing people with lower stamina can suffer the depression, this factors can contribute to the
difficulties which some individual can encounters difficulties in differentiation between grief and
depression. The registered nurse should know the importance of life events and development of
depression (Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health
care workers in Tanzania, 2009).
Another study represents that the food insecurities also were also associated with the
development of depression as well as risk factors which were associated with anxieties that has
been found to be present.(Malloy and et. al., 2021) The several of beliefs that biochemical
abnormalities that has been found on the basis of depression that has considered to be consistent
along with the familiar general practitioners in other states and countries (Knowledge, attitudes
and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania, 2009).
The other knowledge which is required for a nurse practitioners that are understanding
person centred care, primer care with depressed individuals, understanding of psychotherapy as it
can be beneficial for individuals to achieve, it can be beneficial to lower prevalence of depressive
disorder in an individuals. (Mitchelland and Abraham, 2018) The most important intervention

that can be conclude in order to address depression of an individual can be int6erventions which
are determined tom motivate and also encourage individuals who are dealibg with depression.
(Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers
in Tanzania, 2009) In order to address, the concerns of Joe, it can be beneficial for registered
nurse to address cause root problem of an individual. In the case of Joe, the considered attitude
that can be considered to be effective is Psychiatric care.
With context of effectiveness of attitudes, it can be determined through evidence based
studies, that individuals who were dealing with number of issues in regards with depression, can
attained a better understanding of management of depressive systems. (Smith, 2020.) As it can
help them to manage their life events and can increase their self-esteem to deal with
circumstances of an individual's life. These considered attitudes can lead Joe to improve her
quality of life.(Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health
care workers in Tanzania, 2009) The encouragement intervention can be beneficial fro an
individual to increase their self-confidence, determining their self-worth and also can promote
productivity individualise. Physicalistic care involves number of phases of mental distress within
acute, maintenance as well as continuation of such domains. The models of psychiatric are tends
to relapse, remission, recurrence as well as it is has been considered to be recovery based which
highly depends on the signs as well as symptoms of an individuals. It has found that the recovery
procedure is being influenced by the individual's expectations, attitudes as well as it also requires
a organised system, for providing vulnerable support to an individual, support fro family, friends
as well as other loves ones of individual. In the case of Joe, it has been determined that primary
care should be provided to an individual to provide motivation, encouragement and support to
Joe, so that she can view her life in a different way. (Knowledge, attitudes and practice
pertaining to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania, 2009) Also, it has
been determined that effective communication along with effective counselling skills are
required to address and also help in determining the possible threats for an individual. It has also
considered tat it can entails present thoughts which an individual might be thinking in their back
of their mind. As due to depression cases it has been determined that depressed individual are
most likely to induce the risk factors which are interlinked with suicides. (What Is Depression?,
2021) While in the Joe, case it is essential to frequent analyse these factors,which an individual
might gain at any second of treatments. As per the studies, it has been determined that the

recovery model aims on the individual's along with mental illness as well as mental distress in
order to take look beyond the range of survival rate and the range of resource which are available
to address the issues of mental health disorders. (Teismann and et. al., 2018) These can also
encourage people to determine new gaols for their life events and also to move forward which
happened as life event. These intervention can also help an individual to believe in reality and to
accept what happened to their life also. (Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to
depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania, 2009)
In addition to this, these effective intervention which can also help an individual to
formulate new plans for them ton improve their quality of life. The intervention also involve
number of activities that can help in fostering skills of an individual. The skills that can be
enhanced by the assistance are concentrating skills, to be goal oriented and also making their free
time to analyse their self worth. The learning of self-pampering also demonstrated to an
individual which can help her to administrate the basic needs and requirements. (Knowledge,
attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania,
2009)
As per the several of studies, it has been found that other intervention which can also
might work in the recovery plan of an individual. (Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining
to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania, 2009) In which socialisation can
play a vital role, as it has been overbed in the case of an individual, since her husband died, she
was struggling alone as she do not have any friends to share her feeling to anyone, which can
play an essential role in the promoting depression. (Zimmerm and et. al., 2020) Also it has been
found that people who are depressed most likely to prefer to attain social withdrawal, in order to
address an individual should be initiative to become socially active, the learning should be
provided to them. Also effective counselling, motivation, encouragement of life expectancy that
can facilitate an individual to recover from mental illness as well as family support. (Knowledge,
attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers in Tanzania,
2009)
CONCLUSION
Depression is a considered as serious mental distress, which have potentiality to lead an
individual to mortality. The depression is also well known as major depressive disorder that is
common and serious mental illness that can reflect adverse affect on individuals. There are

number intervention which can facilitate healthcare provider to provide preventative measures to
an individual who is dealing with mental health distress i.e. depression. (What Is Depression?,
2021) In the case of Joe, it has been discovered that due to her husband death she is engaged with
this mental distress. Depression is common mental illness which affects on what an individual
feel and act Studies observed that there are core relationship which has been found within
depression and grief. The required skills of nurse practitioners can be involve effective
communication skills, establishing therapeutic relationship with patients and others. The
knowledge which is required to work with service user understanding models and effective
interventions to lower adverse affects of mental distress. Social gathering, effective counselling,
motivation, encouragement of life expectancy and other can be helpful in management of
depression.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abrahams, Z., Lund, C., Field, S. and Honikman, S., 2018. Factors associated with household
food insecurity and depression in pregnant South African women from a low socio-economic
setting: a cross-sectional study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53(4),
pp.363-372.
Azoulay, E., Cariou, A., Bruneel, F., Demoule, A., Kouatchet, A., Reuter, D., Souppart, V.,
Combes, A., Klouche, K., Argaud, L. and Barbier, F., 2020. Symptoms of anxiety, depression,
and peritraumatic dissociation in critical care clinicians managing patients with COVID-19. A
cross-sectional study. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 202(10),
pp.1388-1398.
Edgcomb, J.B., Thiruvalluru, R., Pathak, J. and Brooks III, J.O., 2021. Machine learning to
differentiate risk of suicide attempt and self-harm after general medical hospitalization of
women with mental illness. Medical care, 59, pp.S58-S64.
Glowacki, K., Duncan, M.J., Gainforth, H. and Faulkner, G., 2017. Barriers and facilitators to
physical activity and exercise among adults with depression: A scoping review. Mental Health
and Physical Activity, 13, pp.108-119.
Howard, L.M., Ryan, E.G., Trevillion, K., Anderson, F., Bick, D., Bye, A., Byford, S., O'Connor,
S., Sands, P., Demilew, J. and Milgrom, J., 2018. Accuracy of the Whooley questions and the
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in identifying depression and other mental disorders in
early pregnancy. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 212(1), pp.50-56.
Inserra, A., Rogers, G.B., Licinio, J. and Wong, M.L., 2018. The microbiota‐inflammasome
hypothesis of major depression. Bioessays, 40(9), p.1800027.
Malloy-Diniz, L.F., Bonney-Helliwell, M., Joaquim, R.M. and Elliott, G.K., 2021. The
Utilization of Cultural Movements to Overcome Stigma in Narrative of Postnatal
Depression. Stigma's Impact on People With Mental Illness: Advances in Understanding,
Management, and Prevention.
Mitchell, J.M. and Abraham, K.M., 2018. Parental Mental Illness and the Transition to College:
Coping, Psychological Adjustment, and Parent–Child Relationships. Journal of Child and
Family Studies, 27(9), pp.2966-2977.

Smith, A., 2020. Introduction to special issue on mental health and mental illness in physical
education and youth sport.
Teismann, T., Forkmann, T., Brailovskaia, J., Siegmann, P., Glaesmer, H. and Margraf, J., 2018.
Positive mental health moderates the association between depression and suicide ideation: A
longitudinal study. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 18(1), pp.1-7.
Zimmerman, H., Riordan, B.C., Winter, T., Bartonicek, A. and Scarf, D., 2020. Are New
Zealand psychology students more susceptible to essentialist explanations for mental illness?
Neuroessentialism and mental illness stigma in psychology and non-psychology
students. New Zealand Journal of Psychology (Online), 49(3), pp.16-22.
What Is Depression?, 2021 <https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-
depression>
(Knowledge, attitudes and practice pertaining to depression among primary health care workers
in Tanzania, 2009) <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2652424/>