BASIC CONCEPTS IN PSYCHIATRIC NURSING Mental Health: - Balance in persons internal life and adaptation to reality.

- A state of well-being in which a person is able to cope with the normal stresses of daily life and his ability to realize his potentials. (WHO) - A state of emotional, psychological, and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, and emotional stability. Mental Health components: (Mohr) 1. Autonomy and independence 2. Maximization of ones potential 3. Tolerance of lifes uncertainties

4. 5. 6. 7.

Self-esteem Mastery of environment Reality orientation Stress management

Characteristics of a mentally healthy person: (Jahoda) 1. Attitude of self-acceptance 2. Growth, development and selfactualization 3. Integrative capacity 4. Autonomous behavior 5. Perception of reality 6. Environmental mastery Factors influencing a persons mental health: 1. Individual factors - Biologic make-up - Sense of harmony in life - Vitality - Ability to find meaning in life

- Emotional resilience or hardiness - Spirituality - Positive identity 2. Interpersonal factors - Effective communication - Ability to help others - Intimacy - Balance of separateness and connection 3. Social/cultural factors - Sense of community - Access to adequate resources - Tolerance of violence - Support of diversity among people Mental Ill Health: - A state of imbalance characterized by a disturbance in persons thoughts, feelings and behavior. - Poverty and abuses are major factors which increase the risk of mental illness in the home.

- Mental disorder is a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. (APA) General criteria to diagnose mental disorders: 1. Dissatisfaction with ones characteristics, abilities, and accomplishments 2. Ineffective or non-satisfying relationships 3. Dissatisfaction with ones place in the world 4. Ineffective coping with life events 5. Lack of personal growth

Factors contributing to mental illness: 1. Individual factors - Biologic make-up - Anxiety - Worries and fears - Sense of disharmony in life - Loss of meaning of ones life 2. Interpersonal factors - Ineffective communication - Excessive dependency or withdrawal from relationships - Loss of emotional control 3. Social and cultural factors - Lack of resources - Violence - Homelessness - Poverty - Discrimination such as racism, classism, ageism, and sexism Psychiatric Nursing:

- Interpersonal process whereby the professional nurse practitioner through the therapeutic use of self, assist an individual, family, group or community to promote mental health, to prevent mental illness and suffering, to participate in the treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally ill and if necessary to find meaning in this experiences. - It is both science and an art. Core of Psychiatric Nursing: - The interpersonal process is the core of psychiatric nursing practice. Clients of Care in Psychiatric Nursing: 1. Individual 2. Family 3. Community Mental Hygiene:

- It is the science that deals with measures to promote mental health, prevent mental illness and suffering, and facilitate rehabilitation.

FUNCTIONS OF A MENTAL HEALTH NURSE Basic functions: 1. Counseling - Interventions and communication techniques - Problem solving - Crisis intervention - Stress management - Behavior modification 2. Milieu therapy - Maintain therapeutic environment - Teach skills - Encourage communication between clients and others - Promote growth through rolemodeling 3. Self-care activities - Encourage independence - Increase self-esteem - Improve function and health

4. Psychobiologic interventions - Administer medications - Teaching - Observations 5. Health teaching 6. Case management 7. Health promotion and maintenance Advanced functions: 1. Psychotherapy 2. Prescriptive authority for drugs 3. Consultation 4. Evaluation Assignment: Write in your notebook and to be submitted on November 18, 2011. 1. What is DSM-IV-TR? 2. Enumerate the purposes of DSM-IVTR. 3. Identify the multi-axial classification system under DSM-IV-TR.

Quiz: Situation - As a nurse, you are expected to possess knowledge of basic principles and concepts in the practice of psychiatric nursing. 1. Which of the following is a generally accepted criterion of mental health? A. Self-acceptance B. Absence of anxiety C. Ability to control others D. Happiness 2. The science which deals with measures to promote mental health and reduce incidence of mental illness is: A. mental health nursing B. mental hygiene C. psychiatric nursing D. psychology 3. A major predisposing factor of mental illness in the home is:

A. urbanization B. poverty C. political confusion D. heredity 4. Mental illness is: A. a state of emotional balance B. a disturbance in the persons thoughts, feelings, and behavior C. always hereditary D. not treatable 5. Nursing as an interpersonal process: A. is the core of psychiatric nursing B. is best carried out in the hospital setting C. forms the basis of nursing interventions only D. is the only key to successful practice of psychiatric nursing - God Bless! -