Mental Health Nursing Report: Mental Health Challenges in Australia

This report delves into the multifaceted realm of mental health nursing, focusing on the Australian context. It commences with a critical analysis of mental health literature, exploring various perspectives on mental well-being and illness, including definitions from the World Health Organisation and UK surgeons. The report then investigates aetiological factors contributing to mental illness, specifically in Australia's indigenous population, encompassing genetic predispositions, stressful life situations, injuries, substance abuse, and lack of social support. Furthermore, it examines evidence-based nursing practices, such as permanent supportive housing, and highlights the benefits of early interventions in mental healthcare, including less intense treatment, reduced symptom severity, and improved recovery outcomes. The report concludes by discussing evidence-based nursing approaches for emerging mental conditions, such as Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), emphasizing patient participation and proactive engagement in treatment.

Mental Health
Nursing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Critically Analysing Mental Health Literature.......................................................................3
Aetiological factors of Mental illness.....................................................................................4
Evidence based Nursing.........................................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
Benefits of Early interventions in Mental healthcare.............................................................6
Evidence based Nursing for emerging mental conditions......................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
Books and Journals.................................................................................................................9
Online.....................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Mental Health practices are wide range of practices and level of understandings that are
included in treating of patients suffering from mental health issues, and also providing evidence
based practices and scientific techniques for the researchers and academia. In the modern world,
mental health challenges for individuals and similar cases are seen rising exorbitantly. Therefore,
the need for developing an understanding for such problems of Health and Social life of people
becomes important (Foster and et.al. 2019).
In this report, mental health challenges being rising in Australia have been taken as base
for developing an understanding in the context of mental health challenges. The discussion in the
report includes, literature review and its critical analysis; Aetiological factors causing mental
illness; incidences of Evidence based Nursing for existing and emerging diseases; and benefits of
early mental healthcare interventions.
TASK 1
Critically Analysing Mental Health Literature
In this section of report, literature or literary works regarding mental health ad mental
illness are discussed. Literary works are helpful in giving idea about the opinions of various
scholars, professors, researchers, government institutes, academic institutes and many other such
interested stakeholders that are having key knowledge and understanding of the issue of mental
health and mental well being of humans. Therefore, its understanding becomes most relevant and
important. World Health Organisation, biggest international institute for health related aspects
describes mental health 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.” Therefore, in the opinion of researchers at
the biggest institute, mental health is a state of mental and emotional well being and stability of a
person. It is a position of normalcy where abilities of a person are known to one and the
individual is capable of handling general problems of life. But it is not necessary all the time.
However, mental stability allows one to utilise all wisdom and conscience in best manner
possible, along with patience and persistence, but sometimes even under normal circumstances a
person is not seen coping up with problems of life. Neither it is important that when an
individual is not able to fight normal life stresses and problems, an individual must be suffering

from mental illness. This issue is mainly concerned with willpower and level of understanding of
an individual. Hence, the definition by the biggest institute can not be said entirely wrong, but it
does not offer precise comprehension of metal health and stability in people. Also, there are
evidences, that can be catered from experiences of patients suffering from mental issues, which
derives that at many circumstances during the suffering, patients were able to deal with some
problems which they mentioned of not handling at normal mindsets. They fought with some
unimaginable stresses, and got rid of them in such manner which derived them key lessons and
offerings of life (National mental health workforce literature review, 2011).
Mentioned by UK Surgeon Journal of 1999, “mental health is the successful performance
of the mental function resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people,
and providing the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity. The term mental illness
refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders—health conditions characterized by
alterations in thinking, mood, or behaviour associated with distress or impaired functioning.”
The journal of 1999, by some notables surgeons of UK, opines the mental health of people by
levels of performance. The understanding is that mental health must be resulting in productive
results, related to work or related to personal relationships. Also, there has to be capability of
coping with adversities and changes. Again, this can be regarded as insufficient. For example,
consider the case of an autistic or introvert person, for that individual socialisation and
relationships are immaterial or not that important. However, that individual can not be regarded
as mentally ill, but that is more personal choice and attitude of that individual. Similarly,
productivity of a person at work may be seen low compared to other people, but that is due lack
of knowledge and proficiency (Evidence-based psychological interventions in the treatment of
mental disorders: A literature review, 2018).
Many more literary works had been considered, and they all dealt with some areas of
mental aspects of individuals, and thus there cannot be seen any concrete definition of mental
health. However, looking at the personal experiences of patients, one can easily conclude that
this issue is very wide and understandings here has huge scope.
Aetiological factors of Mental illness
Aetiology is the study of the causes which are pertaining to any sort of medical problem
and disorders in an individual. In case of mental illness the causes can be very wide and there are
chances that any similarities could not be seen among them. However, at many circumstances

one can notice that a particular factors or cause is triggering or leading to another cause as well,
further deteriorating mental health of a person (Oates, Drey, & Jones 2017). The report has made
discussion over 5 such important factors that are seen leading to mental health problems in
indigenous people of Australia.
History of Mental illness- If an individual have a history of mental illness and patients thereon,
in the family and blood relations, there are more frequent chances for that individual for
developing mental illness at any stage of life. This cause is attributed to genes effect. There are
possibilities that the individual may get descended these diseases from parents and ancestors.
This cause is totally biological and not psychological.
Stressful life situations- There have been evidences of people suffering from mental illness,
anxieties and depressions, in case a particular person has been continuously suffering problems
in life (Slemon, Jenkins, & Bungay 2017). A chain of such incidents that are affecting mental
stability of the person kept on occurring at periodic intervals and affects the stability of that
person. The problems occur at that time when the individual keeps over thinking about those
problems and could not figure out any permanent solution to fighting that problem. Therefore,
situations gets worsened for that individual. Similarly, overlapping of problems of with each
other is seen causing more distress for that person.
Injury- When an individual encounter any accident, that damage any part of the brain of that
person, then there are chances of incurring mental illness. Because, that part of the brain will
stop performing its role, and deficiencies will occur for the individual in regular life cycle.
Alcohol and drug addiction- These addictions are such which are trigger in the mental illness
and traumatic position of individual. The effects of these addictions are such where not only
mental health and physical health will deteriorate but the financial position will also weaken.
These addictions are hard to forego and attracts a person more and more towards itself
(Santangelo, Procter, & Fassett 2018). Thus, person will be start making more expenses towards
it and productive works will not be done. Therefore, another problem will get added to life of
individual, of finance besides mental trauma.
Few healthy relationships- There is a psychological need of human behaviour that they want to
be surrounded and supported by love and affection, especially at the time of any distress. This
affection and understanding are offered by those people who stands closely related to that
individual, like family members and friends. In case the individual have few people in life with

such relations and sue to some reasons those people could not offer solutions, there are chances
of increasing sufferings more (Harrison, Hauck, & Ashby 2017).
Evidence based Nursing
Evidence based nursing practices are those practices which are consistent with the
scientific approaches of treatment and assures positive client outcomes. Although, evidences
based researches are generally referred to as the guidelines for researchers but the true evidences
are considered grounded by definitions that are permitting the quality of the research and its
outcomes.
Permanent Supportive Housing
Permanent supportive housing is that program that supports individuals suffering from
mental illnesses in finding a permanent housing for themselves, of independent nature. There are
evidences where mental health of patients are also seen deteriorating because of over
socialisation of people. Happy and smiling faces of people are also seen deteriorating mental
condition and triggers depression. Therefore, there is a need for isolation for such patients. The
mental instability had made them really sensitive. In such housing there are specific rules as well
which do not apply with normal tenancies rules and some privileges are given to mentally
challenged people (Flaskerud 2018). The participants in this program are also given facilities to
improve their behavioural challenges.
TASK 2
Benefits of Early interventions in Mental healthcare
Early intervention in mental health is indicative of identification and treatment of mental
issues and challenges in the patients at early stage of disease or disorders, and at the stage when
the problems are at cultivating stage. The interventions are basically adopting those methods and
practices that are helpful in finding long term and permanent solutions of problems. Researches
made in context of patients in Australia has suggested that with early interventions in the mental
diseases many productive and fruitful results have been bought up. Also, these interventions
have made patients enable to find cures and reduce worsening effects. Some of the benefits of
these interventions, pertaining to cases of mental healthcare in Australia have been discussed as
follows:

Less intense treatment- This is the foremost benefit of the early interventions that the scale of
treatment that would be required for imparting to the patients. When cure for disease will be
started form early days of cultivation of disease, than its harmful impacts can be mitigated and
reduced to lower levels. Thus, the requirement of heavy treatment at later stage can be reduced to
normal rate (Rice, Stalling & Monasterio 2019). Also, patients can learn those methods and
techniques with the help of which patients can be making cure in future, if same problems arises
again. A type of first aid can be learnt by them.
Less severe continuing symptoms- With the help of early care health interventions the severity
of the impacts and the continuing of these symptoms for longer period can be reduced to nominal
levels. Nominal levels are those in which patients, of good intelligence specially, can help
overcoming the disease oneself. They will be in no longer requirement of the prescribed
treatment and medications. However, this is applicable mostly in the cases of depression and
anxiety.
Longer and Full recovery- Most dangerous outcome of untreated mental health issues is that
they could lead to relapse of situation. This is a situation from which patients are seen
overcoming mental illness in time, and the disease last with them forever. Early interventions of
health care reduce these chances.
Evidence based Nursing for emerging mental conditions
Illness Management and Recovery (IMR)
Illness Management and Recovery is that evidence based Psychiatric treatment where the
patients are allowed themselves to participate in the practice of treatment. It is the general
understanding that in the treatment process, those patients would be seen participating more
which has the diseases at the cultivating stage or at the emerging levels, for those who has
acquired the severity of illness shall not be able to participate the encouragingly in the treatment
process. In the IMR practice, practitioners are seen offering weekly sessions, seminars, helping
patients to develop change plans and treatment plans. They are seen frequently engaging with the
patients in communications, while establishing cheerful communication with them rather than
talking about illness (Wand and et.al. 2019). However, whenever required these practitioners
keep on communicating about the affects of disease and consequences if that is not treated in
time. Also, the communications in this manner includes behavioural techniques and stress
management techniques as well. Stress is considered as biggest hurdle in treatment of patients

with mental sufferings. Stress do not allow patients to think beyond the problems and they just
keep revolving around existing conditions. Hence, effective communications are needed that are
seen in IMR practice.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that mental illness and challenges thereon
are significant and are holding prominent place in disturbing health and social order scenario of
the Australia and the world. The analysis of literature review have derived the fact that there are
no concrete definitions for mental illness that can establish precise understanding of these
diseases. The remarks of various scholars are specific to some areas where practical examples
describes that understanding to this matter is very wide. Aetiological factors have bought various
causes of these diseases and thus underlining the connectivity of causes with routine social life of
people. The Early healthcare interventions remarked significance of treatment, also at some
points it was felt that curing is much necessary, because in future there can be irrecoverable
circumstances. Most helpful in the report has been Evidence based Nursing practices, which
highlighted prominent techniques of providing care and treatment to patients with existing and
emerging diseases of such nature.

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). 71-85.
Oates, J., Drey, N., & Jones, J. (2017). ‘Your experiences were your tools’. How personal
experience of mental health problems informs mental health nursing practice. Journal of
psychiatric and mental health nursing. 24(7). 471-479.
Slemon, A., Jenkins, E., & Bungay, V. (2017). Safety in psychiatric inpatient care: The impact of
risk management culture on mental health nursing practice. Nursing Inquiry. 24(4).
e12199.
Santangelo, P., Procter, N., & Fassett, D. (2018). Mental health nursing: Daring to be different,
special and leading recovery‐focused care?. International Journal of Mental Health
Nursing. 27(1). 258-266.
Harrison, C. A., Hauck, Y., & Ashby, R. (2017). Breaking down the stigma of mental health
nursing: A qualitative study reflecting opinions from western australian nurses. Journal
of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 24(7). 513-522.
Flaskerud, J. H. (2018). Stigma and psychiatric/mental health nursing. Issues in Mental Health
Nursing. 39(2). 188-191.
Rice, M. J., Stalling, J., & Monasterio, A. (2019). Psychiatric-mental health nursing: Data-driven
policy platform for a psychiatric mental health care workforce. Journal of the American
Psychiatric Nurses Association. 25(1). 27-37.
Wand, T. and et.al. (2019). Documenting the pre-implementation phase for a multi-site
translational research project to test a new model Emergency Department-based mental
health nursing care. International emergency nursing. 45. 10-16.
Online
National mental health workforce literature review. 2011. Online. Available through:
<https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/96b0e0ed-22d5-4cdb-b5ba-7ece94088835/
National-mental-health-workforce-literature-review-2011.pdf.aspx>
Evidence-based psychological interventions in the treatment of mental disorders: A literature
review. 2018. Online. Available through:
<https://www.psychology.org.au/About-Us/What-we-do/advocacy/Position-Papers-
Discussion-Papers-and-Reviews/psychological-interventions-mental-disorders>