Mental Health Nursing: Inpatient Care, Commitment, & Milieu Therapy

This assignment delves into various aspects of mental health nursing, focusing on inpatient care settings and milieu therapy. It addresses the differences in caring for voluntarily and involuntarily committed clients, the ethical considerations surrounding involuntary commitment, and the levels of care within inpatient settings, including acute, long-term, and palliative care. Furthermore, it explains the principles and steps of milieu therapy, highlighting the nurse's role in fostering self-care, providing client education, and administering medications. The assignment also explores the effectiveness of milieu therapy as a treatment modality for individuals with mental illness. Desklib offers this solution and many other resources to support students in their studies.

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH NURSING 1
Mental Health Nursing
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

MENTAL HEALTH NURSING 2
While doing a clinical rotation in a psychiatric–mental health facility, a client is involuntarily
committed.
Would you feel differently caring for a client who was voluntarily or involuntarily
committed?
A person who is voluntarily committed is someone who willingly signs into the
psychiatric unit. On the other hand, the involuntarily admission usually occurs when a person
petitions a judge to commit a person to psychiatric unit which is against their will. The
person may be involuntarily admitted when deemed dangerous to himself or others. In that
case, I would different when caring for both clients, the voluntarily and the involuntarily
committed. This is because the involuntarily admitted might even harm me while trying to
deliver my services to him/her.
Have you ever witnessed a client be involuntarily committed inappropriately? If yes,
how did that make you feel? If not, how would that make you feel?
I have never witnessed a person be involuntarily committed inappropriately.
However, that would make me feel bad and sympathize for the person. The reason being is
because this person doesn’t know what he/she is doing and therefore should just be handled
with care. Accordingly, that person has the right to challenge what is said about him or speak
for himself through his/her lawyers.
Do you believe that involuntary commitment orders are necessary? Why or why not?
Yes, involuntary commitment orders are necessary. This is because if a person does
not understand himself or doesn’t know what he/she is doing, which might cause harm to him
or others then should be ordered to be involuntarily committed to save the person and other

MENTAL HEALTH NURSING 3
people that might be affected. The involuntarily committed person usually has limited
insight, poor judgment and very little motivation.
2. You are caring for a psychiatric–mental health client who would like more information on
different mental health care settings.
What are the different levels of care for inpatient settings?
The inpatient setting usually involve longer stay in a psychiatric hospital. In that case,
there is acute care, long term care and palliative care. The palliative care is usually offered at
any stage of illness to prolong the patient’s life. The long term care is usually provided in an
y conceivable setting and provides a variety of services.
Define and explain the different types of inpatient settings
The inpatient care usually requires overnight hospitalization where patients stay at the
medical facility for at least a night under the supervision of a nurse or a doctor. The inpatient
setting is usually broken into two parts, that is facility fee and those related to the surgeon.
3. You are working for a psychiatric–mental health facility that uses traditional milieu therapy.
Explain the five steps of milieu therapy.
Milieu therapy has long existed to be the effective treatment modality for the
mentally ill. Accordingly, it is the scientific structuring of the environment so as to effect
behavioral changes together with improving the psychological health functioning of a person.

MENTAL HEALTH NURSING 4
Explain one of the roles of the nurse in milieu therapy (fostering self-care; providing
client education; conducting community meetings or life skills groups; administering
medications; or working with support groups).
Within the hospital, nurses are the only members that spend time with the clients
throughout. However, they make sure the client’s psychological needs are met
Do you believe milieu therapy is effective? Why or why not?
Yes, Milieu therapy is effective because it relieves on several key components.