Nursing Care: Ethical Dilemmas and Interventions for Mental Health

This case study examines the case of Mr. Chang, who is experiencing suicidal thoughts and burnout due to work-related stress, family pressures, and an ongoing inquiry. The analysis identifies key issues such as the high risk of suicide due to his conviction that his condition is self-inflicted and the presence of burnout symptoms like exhaustion and emotional withdrawal. Nursing interventions proposed include ensuring constant supervision, seeking immediate professional help, and providing supportive care to enhance patient safety and improve health outcomes. The study also addresses ethical dilemmas related to informed consent and disclosing the patient's medical condition to his family. Furthermore, the case study suggests a four-hour workshop involving experimental exercises, soft music, singing bowls, and oil therapy to manage compassion fatigue and promote well-being, aiming to alleviate the physical and mental health challenges associated with burnout.

University
Assignment
Student name
Name

Question 1a & 1b
Suicidal thoughts
Mr.Chang faces a high occurrence of suicidal thoughts. He is experiencing a lot of emotional
and distress pain emanating from his workplace, inability to tend for his family and mental
distress subjected to him during inquiry investigation in his practice. The patient has
exhibited various symptoms and his action portrays his habits. This is a high risk for the
patient in that he has convinced himself that what he is going through is self-inflicted and
thus don't require any medical management. Research has shown that many medical
residents often experience burnout and suicidal thoughts, (van der, Dillingh, Bakker, Prins,
2008). This is evident for patient Chang, as he has experienced intense burn out from his
workload, threatening his health status.
Nursing intervention
Nursing intervention suitable for Mr. Chang is ensuring that he is not left alone at home. As a
nurse, seeking help is of importance within the first 24-48 hours and caring for the patient till
adequate recovery at a health facility. This is key in enhancing patient support and in line
with NMBA standards of care on providing high nursing intention to enhance patient safety
and seek better health outcomes.
Question 2a and 2b
Burn out
The patient is suffering from long-term work exhaustion and stress which is preventing him
from taking part in activities such as his parental role at home. The patient is currently
undergoing various stressing issues such as feeling exhaustion, losing motivation, losing
passion and emotional withdrawal even from his family. Studies have linked burn out to be
job-related mental impairment, (Awa, Plaumnn & Walter, 2010). The patient has occasioned
a negative self-evaluation especially from pressure to deliver for his work and to balance
between his promotion and family roles. Burnout for the patient could be linked to job
dissatisfaction aiming to offer his best practice for the converted promotion position, (Paris &
Hoge, 2010).
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Nursing intervention
Burn out has detrimental effects on the person and interventions have shown to elevate the
physical and mental health for the patients, (Henry, 2014). In a study undertaken by Aycock
& Boyle, (2009), examined current interventions on managing compassion and fatigue, an
effective nursing intervention for patient Chang, is assessed and documented by Walton &
Alvarez, (2010), which the patient will be subjected to go through a four hour workshop
through guidance of psychiatric nurse and involvement of experimental exercises which
focussed on letting fatigue . This will be done through getting soft music, singing bowls and
oil therapy in singing bowls to enhance balance and well being.
Question 3
Nursing Ethical dilemmas
Informed consent
One key moral issues faced with respect to offering care assistance to the patient concern
about the informed consent about their treatment process to be initiated to the patient. In this
case, it seems the immediate family is not aware of challenges being faced by Mr.Chang.
Disclosing medical condition
Another key nursing issue to be faced is disclosing the medical condition of the patient. From
the case study it is evidence that even Mr. Changs’ wife is not aware of the conditions which
the husband is going through, thus proving difficult to disclose such information to them,
(Rainer, Schneider & Lorenz, 2018).
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References
Awa, W. L., Plaumann, M., & Walter, U. (2010). Burnout prevention: A review of
intervention programs. Patient education and counseling, 78(2), 184-190.
Aycock, N., & Boyle, D. (2009). Interventions to manage compassion fatigue in oncology
nursing. Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 13(2).
Paris, M., & Hoge, M. A. (2010). Burnout in the mental health workforce: A review. The
journal of behavioral health services & research, 37(4), 519-528.
Rainer, J., Schneider, J. K., & Lorenz, R. A. (2018). Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing: An
Integrative Review. Journal of clinical nursing
van der Heijden, F., Dillingh, G., Bakker, A., & Prins, J. (2008). Suicidal thoughts among
medical residents with burnout. Archives of suicide research, 12(4), 344-346.
Walton, A. M. L., & Mimi Alvarez, R. N. (2010). Imagine Compassion fatigue training for
nurses. Clinical Journal of oncology nursing, 14(4), 399.
Henry, B. J. (2014). Nursing Burnout Interventions. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing,
18(2).
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