PRINCIPLES OF CARE IN PSYCHIATRIC SETTINGS

What are the PRINCIPLES OF CARE IN PSYCHIATRIC SETTINGS?

1. The nurse views the patent as a Holistic human being with interdependent and interrelated needs.
2. The nurse accepts the patient as a unique human being with inherent value and worth exactly as he is.
3. The nurse should focus on the patients strengths and assets and not on his weakness and liabilities.
4. The nurse views the patent's behavior non-judgmentaIly, while assisting the patient to learn more adaptive ways of coping.
5. The nurse should explore the patients behavior for the need it is designed to meet and the message it is communicating.
6. The nurse has the potential for establishing a Nurse-patient relationship with most if not all patients.
7. The quality of the nurse-patient relationship determines the degree of change that can occur in the patients behavior.

What are the LEVELS OF INTERVENTIONS IN PSYCHIATRIC NURSING?

1. Primary - interventions aimed at the promotion of mental health aud lower the rate of cases by altering the stressors. Example: Health education, information dissemination and counseling.

2. Secondary - interventions that limit the severity of a disorder.

2 Components

• Case finding
• Prompt treatment

Examples: Crisis intervention and Administration of medications.

3. Tertiary - interventons aimed at reducing the disability after a disorder.

2 Components

• Prevention of complication
• Active program of rehabilitation

Examples: Alcoholics anonymous and Occupational therapy.

What are the CHARACTERISTICS OF A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE?

1. Empathy - the ability to see beyond outward behavior and sense accurately another persons inner experiencing.
2. Genuineness/Congruence - ability to use therapeutic tools appropriately.
3. Unconditional positive regard - respect

What are the ROLES OF THE NURSE IN PSYCHIATRiC SETTINGS?

1. Ward manager - creates a therapeutic environment
2. Socializing agent- assists the patient to feel comfortable with others
3. Counselor - listens to the patient's verbalizations
4. Parent surrogate - assists the patient in the performance of activities of daily living
5. Patient advocate- enables the patient and his relatives to know their rights and responsibilities
6. Teacher - assists the patient to learn more adaptive ways of coping
7. Technician - facilitates the performance of nursing procedures
8. Therapist - explores the patient's needs, problems and concerns through varied therapeutic means
9. Reality base - enables the patient to distinguish objective reality and subjective reality
10. Healthy role model - acts as a symbol of health by serving as an example of healthful living