Ethics in Psychiatric Mental Health Practice

Mental Health

Mental health includes the social, psychological and mental wellbeing of human beings. Mental health includes how we make personal choices, how we feel and act over a situation as well as how we think. In addition, mental health is a very important at all stages of our lives from childhood to adolescence and all through to adulthood (Phoenix, Hurd & Chapman, 2016). Most people suffer from mental health illnesses and disorders eating disorders, addictive behaviors, anxiety disorders, and depression. The mental health conditions influence our moods, the way of thinking and our behaviors.Ethics in Psychiatric Mental Health Practice

The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) play a major role in assessing, diagnosing, as well as treating the mentally challenged patients (Lai et al, 2020). In addition, the PMHNP provides therapy to the mental health patients and also prescribe the right medication for the patients.

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Ethical Issue

A study was conducted by Findlay et al (2016) to ascertain the relationship between patients suffering from poor behavioral decisions and schizophrenia that caused poor health in the patients. Using descriptive qualitative study to scrutinize the decision making in schizophrenia patients, the researchers studied the perspectives and experiences of the patients involved. The participants involved in the study were above 18 years and were all willing to share their experiences about the schizophrenia condition. However, the patients who showed communication problems were excluded in the study group.Ethics in Psychiatric Mental Health Practice

After scrutinizing the sampled and the collected data, the researchers discovered that the schizophrenic patients had a clear understanding of their condition. In addition, the study revealed that the schizophrenic patients understood the cause of their predicament since they easily revealed their behavioral indulgence. Furthermore, most patients admitted publicly about listening to music and smoking as a way of relieving their stress. From the study, it was concluded that schizophrenic patients perfectly understood their conditions. In addition, the study revealed that the schizophrenic patients would easily engage with the PMHNPs for better and relevant treatment methods. The researchers also discovered that the poor outcomes experienced in schizophrenic patients is highly influenced by the PMHNPs through poor decision making.

Moral and Ethical Dilemmas

PMHNPs have to make the right decisions when handling patients suffering from the mental disabilities with caution. Mostly, mentally ill patients are faced with forceful commitment to care because of the poor decisions made by their families (Lai et al, 2020). As a result, most patients might contest to their family member’s decisions since they feel offended and undervalued. The PMHNPs will therefore be faced with unethical dilemmas since they do not conform to the legal rights of a patient. Furthermore, the PMHNPs and family members make wrong decisions that worsen the health of the patients thus prolonging recovery time.

Analysis and State Health Laws and Regulations

The department pf mental health in Chicago offers excellent cate to mental health patients. The state directs the mental health department must collaborate with the community health providers as well as local partners to provide credible mental health services (Streiner, Norman & Cairney, 2016). Further, the law explains that the mental health interventions work differently for different patients. Therefore, the PMHNPs are directed to fully understand the patients’ problems first and apply only the relevant procedures for desirable outcomes. In addition, the law supports the mental health practitioners to integrate all the necessary approaches that will bring the patients to recovery while still abiding with the law.Ethics in Psychiatric Mental Health Practice

Opinion

            Encountering ethical dilemmas when treating mental health patients is normal for the PMHNPs. However, it is advisable for the PMNHPs to directly engage the members of the family when such issues arise. Additionally, the PMNHPs should put into consideration the opinion given by the patients when choosing the right treatment method. When all the parties are in sync it becomes easy for the PMNHPs to disseminate the most appropriate treatment approach. As a result, the PMNHPs will work within the set laws as well as satisfying the patients’ needs thus getting desirable outcomes.

 References

Findlay, L. J., El-Mallakh, P., Howard, P. B., Hatcher, J., & Clark, J. J. (2016). Health Behavior      Decision-making in African-American Adults Diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 36(7), 493-504.

Lai, J., Ma, S., Wang, Y., Cai, Z., Hu, J., Wei, N., … & Tan, H. (2020). Factors associated with    mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to coronavirus disease 2019.             JAMA network open, 3(3), e203976-e203976.

Phoenix, B. J., Hurd, M., & Chapman, S. A. (2016). Experience of psychiatric mental health        nurse practitioners in public mental health. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 40(3), 212-          224.

Streiner, D. L., Norman, G. R., & Cairney, J. (2016). Health measurement scales: a practical        guide to their development and use. Oxford University Press, USA. Ethics in Psychiatric Mental Health Practice