Moreover, it is postulated within the literature that without medication, consumers will endure deterioration of their mental illness and these deteriorations may become more difficult to treat (Drach-Zahavy & Pud, 2010; Happell, Manias & Roper, 2004; Lavelle & Tusaie, 2011). Thus, it is imperative that consumers receive the correct medication. However, in current practice errors still occur. Medication errors are associated with significant rates of mental health issues and it is this population that may be particularly susceptible to medication errors due to various factors (Lavelle & Tusaie, 2011; Maidment & Parmentier, 2009; Ito & Yamasumi, 2003). This paper will explore factors that contribute to medication errors and their effects on mental health nurses.
Although one ethical limitation of a counselor is that they are not able to prescribe medication, the counselor still plays a major role in the clients overall treatment, to include medication. The role of the counselor is to offer recommendations to the physician for medication use, constant consultation and screening of the client for the need for medication, monitoring and evaluation of effects of medication, education to clients and family members, and advocating for the client to the physician. It is also a counselor’s responsibility to inform the client of available treatment methods (King & Anderson, 2004). For example, if I am seeing a client for depression I would be legally responsible for informing the client about antidepressant medication used to treat depression in addition to possible counseling treatments to ensure the clients right to effective treatment. Because counselors are responsible for assisting physicians in ensuring the best possible care for the client, it is important that I familiarize myself with psychotropic medication.
Kjell Asplund and Mona Britton, authors of Ethics of life support in patients with severe stroke, argue that there is a specific protocol that should be followed in order to deal with the multitude of ethical complications coma patients introduce. I disagree with this argument, because I think that the quantification of one’s life is an inhumane and ineffective method of treating patients. As an idealistic student aspiring to pursue allopathic medicine, I believe that the field I immerse myself in should not be an environment bogged down with impediments to moral action. Instead of a rigid method, I think that a case-by-case method remains the most appropriate action for patients with severe brain malfunctions. Before we delve into the moral implications surrounding care for stroke patients, it is important to understand what a stroke is.
Patients with a history of illicit drug use are seen as having a higher risk for simultaneous chronic drug related diseases.” Negative attitudes towards patients with a history of illicit drug use can adversely affect the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, resulting in suboptimal patient care”. (Chu 2013) I also agree with the author, that more education is need to help aide the nursing staff in ways to address their concerns in regards to dealing with a high-risk population. If the nurses where more educated on the social determinants of the mentally ill patient, the nurses would be better able to support
Other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia require a doctor to prescribe medication to keep the systems under control. While medication can help the patient live a normal life, it will not cure schizophrenia. In regards to providing needed services to the mentally ill the concept of deinstitutionalization has been effective. State and federal money has been used to fund services for outpatient care. These services include medication, and counseling.
This impairment affects the quality of the patient’s social lifestyle when the patient cannot perform normal daily activities and needs to depend on others. This will consequently affect the psychosocial aspect when the patient feels sad and unmotivated to move on with his or her life. Information from all the three aspects, the biological, psychological and social aspects of Biopsychosocial model is paramount as it helps the medical professionals to get holistic picture of the patient to achieve shared expertise with the patient (Larivaara, Kiuttu and Taanila, 2001, p. 9). Patient-centered care is another methodology that must be applied during clinical practice. Patient centered, in this context, means treating patients as partners, involving them in planning their health care and encouraging them to take responsibility for
The therapist must also ask the client a number of questions to find out whether they have any contra-indications to the treatment to see whether the treatment is okay to go ahead. The consultation is the most important part of the treatment because the therapist can find out whether the client is allergic to any products, whether they have any specific needs that the treatment will help or whether they have any illnesses or ailments that will restrict or prevent the treatment. Also if something happens to the client during the treatment then
Many people choose Antidepressant medication as a treatment because that is the first thing their doctors suggest. Antidepressant medication may relieve some of your depression symptoms, but it also comes with significant side effects and dangers. What’s more, recent studies have raised questions about their effectiveness. Learning the facts about antidepressants can help you make an educated decision about what’s right for you. Most mental health experts agree that when depression is severe, medication can be helpful, even life saving.
These are all things we expect to get when we visit the doctor as this is why we go there. However the biomedical model also puts some less obvious guidelines in place for doctors and other medical professionals to work to. For instance no blame should be attached to the patient who comes for help, no matter what the condition and that the cause of any illness is biological and only biological. It is these guidelines which make the biomedical model so affective when treating patients directly for their illness. Some of the main benefits of using these guidelines and the biomedical model however can be more easily seen when looking at an infection like HIV and AIDS.
Collaboration between health professionals and various services provided a new approach to individually treat people with mental illness within their community. This new approach assisted with reducing the related stigma for people who attend mental health services. However, today barriers and gaps still exist within the health care system and the community that are not ideal and these flaws can reduce access for the consumer and carer to obtain support and care from services. Within this essay, I will endeavour to examine potential barriers and gaps that consumers and carers have to negotiate in order to obtain service. Through research I will provide possible strategies to overcome various problems with integration, coordination and continuity of care so that mental health care needs are met and people are fully supported