Mental Health Nursing

“Mental health is a branch of nursing concerned with the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and their symptoms”

- AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority)
- NMBA (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia)

ü Realizes own abilities
ü Can cope with normal stressors of life
ü Can work productively/ fruitfully
ü Able to contribute to their community

Mental Health PROBLEM:is a problem that does not meet the criteria for a Mental Disorder (e.g. worry and sadness)
Mental DISORDER:is adiagnosable illness that significantly interferes with an individual’s cognitive, emotional or social abilities

NURSING DIAGNOSES:most mental health nurses translate behaviors into a nursing diagnosis by relating the behavior to the cause e.g. refusing food (behavior) related to fear that food is poisoned (cause).

DSM-IV-TR DIAGNOSES:The DSM IV TR system is descriptive, it is based on symptoms rather than the cause, it gives a systematic description associated features, specific age, cultural & gender related features, prevalence, incidence, risk, predisposing factors, familial pattern, course, complications, and differential diagnosis, with a diagnostic criteria specific to each disorder.

Clinical disorders and other disorders that may be a focus of clinical attention
- includes all psychiatric disorders except personality disorders and mental retardation
- 17 categories: mood disorders, anxiety disorders etc

Personality disorders and intellectual disability (mental retardation

Physical disorder or general medical condition that is present in addition to the mental disorder
- may be causative, consequential or unrelated to the mental disorder

Psychosocial and environmental problems that contribute to the development or exacerbation of the disorder, may be positive or negative stressors

Global assessment of functioning (GAF) scale

Is a reflection of the evaluating clinician's judgment of a patient's ability to function in daily life. The 100 point scale measures psychological, social and occupational functioning

A predisposing factor is something present before the development of a disorder that places a person at higher risk of developing it. A precipitating factor is a stressor implicated in the development of a disorder such as bereavement.
1. Organic factors (nature)involve biological and genetic factors such as degeneration, trauma, poisons, infections and vitamin deficiencies.
2. Functional factors (nature/psychological)involve personality type, psychological defences, locus of control and self perception.
Socio-cultural factorsinvolve cultural background, social position, bereavement, disasters, developmental transitions and gender

V Individual factors:temperament, coping style, attachment to family, intelligence, optimism.
v Family factors:supportive, caring parents; secure, safe family; stable family; supportive relationship with another adult.
v School Context: sense of belonging, positive school climate, school against violence.
v Life events and situations:economic security, good physical health, opportunities at critical life transitions.
v Community and Cultural:sense of connectedness, attachment and networks within the community, strong cultural identity, access to support services.

The process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure