NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 2 Discussion
The Nurse-Client Relationship
In this discussion, we’ll talk about the nurse-client relationship and the use of therapeutic communication as an important part of that relationship. Please answer the following questions:
What are your concerns or fears about mental health nursing in general? Are you interested in mental health nursing, or do you approach the topic with some anxiety?
What do you feel are essential aspects of a good nurse-client relationship?
Please include an example of how you established good rapport and a good professional relationship with a patient in the work or clinical setting. What nonverbal and verbal techniques did you use in this relationship?
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 4 Discussion
Interventions for a Patient in the Clinical Setting with a Mood Disorder
In this discussion, you’ll describe a patient with a mood disorder and the appropriate nursing interventions. Please answer the following questions in your initial posting:
Describe a client from your clinical setting or previous experience who experienced depression or mania. Include a brief history and 3-5 most pertinent medications.
Identify one problem that was not resolved with the treatment regimen. What are the reasons it may not have been successful? Include nursing as well as other team members.
Identify one effective nursing intervention and why you feel it worked.
Overall, do you feel this client was kept safe? Why or why not?
Please provide supporting evidence for your answers.
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 5 Discussion
Therapeutic Interventions for Clients with Severe Anxiety or Panic
In this discussion, we’ll discuss anxiety, effective and ineffective interventions, and stress management. Please include the following in your initial posting:
Describe a client from your clinical setting or work who experienced severe anxiety or panic. Include a brief history and three most pertinent medications.
Describe the assessment process for this patient.
Identify at least one effective and one non-effective nursing intervention. Why did they work? What didn’t work?
Name and describe two stress reduction techniques you have used and whether they were helpful or not in reducing stress.
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 6 Discussion
Schizophrenia from Patient’s Point of View
Think about a client with schizophrenia that you know about from personal, work or clinical experience, or from news media or other sources. Describe the individual.
What are the positive and/or negative symptoms?
What are the person’s struggles? What treatments have been tried and failed? What works?
If you were that person, what would you like to tell your nurse about yourself, your needs, and your fears?
Please provide evidence from professional sources to support your information. Include examples of your prior experience with a client who was having a problem with delusions and/or hallucinations.
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 7 Discussion
Borderline Personality Disorder
Read the case study about Borderline Personality Disorder and answer the following questions in your initial posting:
MODULE 07 CASE STUDY
S.is a 48-year-old divorced woman with one adult daughter and three grandchildren. She is currently working as an LPN part time in a nursing home and also works at a convenience store one or two days per week. She has had many jobs over the last 22 years, usually changing every one or two years. S notes that she has been called less often to work in the convenience store and worries that they don’t like her anymore. She reports being written up several times for arguing with customers. She also reports that her supervisor at the nursing home “is a bitch”; although she really liked her supervisor at first, she says “Now I hate her; she’s trying to get me fired.” S. reports that she has tried to get fulltime jobs five times in the last four years, was hired for three, but only lasted one or two weeks at each one.
S. reports that she is currently not talking to her daughter because “she is horribly mean to me and she needs to apologize or I won’t talk to her again”. She is upset that she hasn’t seen her three small grandchildren in about a year. She sends them presents and cards frequently that say “I still love you! Grandma”, but hasn’t called them since she stopped talking to her daughter. She is considering reporting to the county that her daughter is keeping her grandchildren from her.
S. is very unhappy that she isn’t in a relationship. She was abused by her ex-husband, and has a pattern of meeting and dating men who eventually abuse her. She states that her last relationship was very good, however; the man was not abusive and “I loved himvery much”. The relationship ended for reasons that S. doesn’t understand, although she does report many arguments that ended in “scenes” such as her throwing chairs, stomping out of the house, making crank phone calls to his family, and calling the police with false reports. But S. also reports that she “couldn’t have loved him more and I showed it”. She gives examples of going to her boyfriend’s place of work with flowers, buying him expensive presents, surprising him with tickets to Mexico at the last minute – she was very upset that he wasn’t willing to drop everything and go with her. S. reports asking him why he didn’t love her and what she was doing wrong on a regular basis. When the boyfriend asked to break up, S. reports sitting outside his house for weeks, crying; she called his mother, called his boss, and called and texted him until he filed a restraining order. This occurred about 4 months ago.
S. admitted herself to the mental health unit when she felt suicidal. She reports that she had stopped her individual psychotherapy 3 months ago and stopped going to DBT. She also stopped her anti-depressant at that time, as she felt it wasn’t working, and missed her last two psychiatrist appointments.
How would you use therapeutic communication and principles of cognitive behavioral therapy with the client?
Describe your assessment process. What are some likely co-morbid conditions? List one nursing diagnosis and an appropriate nursing intervention.
What interdisciplinary referrals might be appropriate?
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 01 Written Assignment – Compare and Contrast Two Mental Health Theories
Submit a paper which compares and contrasts two mental health theories:
You may choose your theories from the textbook or from other sources.
Describe each theory, including some history about the person who developed the theory and the major ideas and applications of the theory.
Describe the ways in which the two theories are similar, and how they differ.
Include a statement of how each theory could be used in your nursing practice. Include specific patient examples if you have them. You may also critique the theory: Is there anything with which you disagree or are there any problems you can identify?
It is expected that this essay will be 2-3 pages in length (not including the title page), double-spaced. Your paper should include an introduction and conclusion and proper APA citations from any source material you use, including your text.
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 03 Written Assignment – Cultural Considerations in Mental Health Nursing
Submit an evidence-based practice paper about cultural competency in mental health nursing. An evidence-based practice paper allows you to explore best practice and help improve client outcomes on a psychiatric unit. Your paper should describe how you, as a nurse, will include – or have included – cultural awareness in a client diagnosed with a mental illness. The person you describe could be someone in your clinical setting, someone you have worked with in the past, or a theoretical client.
Remember that culture can also include gender equality, sexual orientation, and other cultures besides race and religion – including cultures unique to one particular family. Your paper should be at least 3 pages (double-spaced, not including the title or reference pages) in APA Format and include:
Assessment: Discuss what you would assess in regard to a client’s culture. For example, are there specific dietary requirements? Are schedule changes necessary to avoid conflicts with religious practices? Who is the spokesperson for the family? What would you assess?
Diagnosis: List any mental health nursing diagnoses this person has or may be at risk for. Include at least one cultural diagnosis.
Planning: What planning needs to be done to ensure the cultural and emotional safety of the client?
Implementation: What are interventions that would ensure the safety of your client in regard to culture? Include at least two interventions. For example, if your client has religious beliefs that affect the ability to take medications, what interventions would you create to ensure the client’s safety? What can you do to make sure the client’s cultural needs are met?
Evaluation: How will you evaluate whether your implementation was effective? Make sure the parameters are objective and measurable.
In your summary, discuss whether any completed interventions were successful. What could be done differently in the future? If the interventions have not yet been carried out, you might discuss some institutional changes that could be made to ensure cultural safety for all clients in that setting.
Your paper should utilize proper APA guidelines and include at least three scholarly sources to support your paper. A scholarly source is a source that has been peer reviewed and has appropriate authors that are credentialed. For more information on APA, please visit the Online Library.
 
NUR2488 Mental Health Nursing
Module 11 Project
Now, it’s time to turn in your semester project. Remember your project should include the following:
A Mental Health Concern – and the Patient or Community – for your project.
A brief history of the patient including diagnoses and medications – or a brief description of the community issue.
Any substance abuse, addiction or violence issues surrounding this mental health problem. Describe the attempted interventions that have been made for your patient or community, and identify what has been successful and what has not. Submit a rough draft of information gathered so far.
Describe your thoughts regarding your patient’s or community’s mental health issue. Are there any cognitive concerns? Think about interventions that may be helpful. Include sources for evidence-based practice.
List appropriate nursing interventions for your chosen patient or community. How will you evaluate effectiveness? Include an evaluation tool or rubric.
Complete your Semester Project by identifying mental health resources that can be used for your chosen patient or community. Finish with an educational tool for your patient or community.