Case Study in Mental Health Nursing: Eating Disorders and Assessment

This case study provides insights into the experiences of a mental health nurse working with a patient dealing with an eating disorder. It highlights the importance of a supportive family and professional guidance. The study identifies the patient's needs, including improving their relationship with food and opening up to family without fear of criticism. It emphasizes the role of mental health nursing in assessing a patient's cognitive and behavioral functioning, developing a treatment plan, and providing ongoing support and education. The case also touches on the ethical responsibilities of mental health professionals, such as respecting patient autonomy and maintaining confidentiality. The patient's engagement in the assessment process, particularly in biological and social aspects, is crucial for enhancing mental capacity and understanding their challenges. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide range of study tools and solved assignments for students.

ESSAY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
BIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................2
Mental health nursing..................................................................................................................2
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4
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INTRODUCTION
This report in particular gives information regarding the case study and the personal
experiences with the service user in particular. Also, the needs of the service user and the
information regarding the concept of assessment of mental health nursing including the risks is
given below. And lastly information regarding the professional role and the engagement of the
service user is given below.
BIOGRAPHY
As a professional or a service provider in the field of mental health nursing this case
particularly is one of the most common cases that have particularly occurred in the past several
years. The patient in this case particularly deals with eating disorder since almost a duration of
more than a year in particular. Also, one of the good things in the life of the patient was that she
is around a family that is supportive and also has friends around her. This makes the situation
less bad as there is a social circle and also professional help and guidance is provided to the
patient or the service user in particular from almost a year. I also got to know about the patient
that she has a little mental pressure too as she was not allowing herself to open up to her parents
as she feared heir criticism, though they never made her feel that way. Eating disorder is one
major issue due to which the patient either faces overeating issues or does not eat at all and the
relationship of the patient with food is not good. This mainly happens due to various different
reasons. Majorly this happens due to the age, life transitions, family history, etc. In this case it
was not particularly discussed by the patient. One major thing that I understood was that the
issues that have been occurring since a long duration of time and people are not giving
importance to them enhance eventually. The impact also enhances.
MAIN BODY
Mental health nursing.
The major needs that are specifically identified in this case in particular for the service user
are mainly the requirement of opening up and share her feelings with her friends and family
without fearing the criticism. One next need is to improve the relationship of the service user or
the patient with the food. This will in turn have a positive impact on the eating disorder of the
patient. Which basically means that it should be ensured that the electrolyte balance and the
nutrition is adequately maintained in particular. And the weight of the patient must be monitored
on a regular basis.
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A mental health assessment nursing refers to a conversation between the service user and
the service provider or a structured assessment of the cognitive and the behavioural functioning
of the patient in particular (Foster. and et.al., 2019). The procedure of mental health nursing
analyses and the evaluation of the mental health of the patient then developing a treatment plan
accordingly. Then consulting the other health professionals, maintaining the medical records and
lastly support and educate the patient and their families (Townsend. and Morgan., 2017). The
major risk that is faced is lack in education and the training of the patients by the service
providers which will further lead in errors in the care and the judgements.
Major roles and the responsibilities of the mental health care professional is to provide all
the patients regardless of any biased behaviour the most appropriate and the required treatments
(O’Reilly. and et.al., 2018).
The major responsibilities are to treat the patients with respect for the autonomy, justice,
beneficence, principle of the non- maleficence, boundary violations, confidentiality and
disclosure, informed consent as well as involuntary treatment. As all the individuals are entitled
to get the best mental health nursing and assessment and are to be treated with respect as well as
humanity. There should particularly be no discrimination when the issues are related to mental
illness.
This particular service user was engaged in the overall mental health assessment in
various ways. In the biological aspect the assistance from the professional will obviously support
the patient in enhancing their mental capacity and areas of the brain as medications and major
guidance is provided. As the patient is able to discuss all the issues they are particularly facing to
the professionals then the patient’s brain also gets less burdened and there is a clarity for
different thoughts as well. In the social aspects the patient will also personally get to learn more
about the issues or the challenges they are facing and the family members of the patients will
also understand the issues faced by the patient and further their knowledge can help others in the
society too. And mainly, the dietary requirements for the patient to build a better relationship of
the patient with food is also provided in the assessment procedure which is one major necessity
for this specific patient.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Foster, K. and et.al., 2019. Resilience and mental health nursing: An integrative review of
international literature. International journal of mental health nursing. 28(1). pp.71-85.
O’Reilly, M. and et.al., 2018. Whose responsibility is adolescent’s mental health in the UK?
Perspectives of key stakeholders. School mental health. 10(4). pp.450-461.
Townsend, M.C. and Morgan, K.I., 2017. Psychiatric mental health nursing: Concepts of care in
evidence-based practice. FA Davis.
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