3 Minute Speaker - Kay McCauley - Mental Health Nursing
Kay explained what Mental Health nurses do when providing care for patients/consumers in an acute inpatient mental health ward.
Mental health nursing is different from general medical or aged care nursing. Consumers may have one or more disorders, eg; psychotic or bipolar disorders, live with depression and or suicidal thoughts and attempts.
The key roles of the Mental Health Nurse:-
- keep consumers, other patients and staff safe
- observe and monitor symptoms and behaviour
- Interact with consumers and family/carers
- Talk and communicate
Mental health nurses do this by developing a Therapeutic Relationship
- To build trust and rapport with the person
- To enable the consumer to connect wit the mental health nurse
- To help them talk about the illness and events
- Discuss and administer treatments, eg medications
The therapeutic relationship allows the use of therapies such as Motivational interviewing and the Stages of Change model with Trauma Informed approach to care. This means we assume consumers have experienced trauma (until proven otherwise). Trauma may be physical, emotional, abuse etc. Research evidence tells us the majority of those in mental health services have had trauma in their lives.
Two scenarios were presented displaying how spending time (even briefly) "with" someone, even saying little, can make a huge difference to how they behave, feel and respond.
Communication is important for everyone, every day, every time we speak with someone.
