NURS2021 Dimensions of Physical and Mental Health Case Study 3 Sample
Assignment Details
Introduction:
In this assessment, you will analyse Alejandro's case and develop a comprehensive care plan that focuses on his recovery journey, considering the nexus between physical and mental health. This assignment aims to enhance your understanding of a recovery-based approach and nursing roles in mental health care.
Case Study
You are caring for Alejandro, a 32-year-old man, who has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. He experiences persistent sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities. Alejandro also struggles with sleep difficulties, fatigue, decreased appetite, and recurrent thoughts of self-harm. In addition, he manages chronic back pain with prescribed medication through his General Practitioner. Balancing responsibilities and neglecting self-care activities including cooking meals, attending sports activities he once enjoyed are ongoing challenges for Alejandro.
Diwata, Alejandro's wife, is his primary caregiver and provides emotional support throughout his recovery journey. She encourages him to attend therapy sessions and engage in self-care activities. She supports him with administration of his prescribed antidepressant (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors). Together, they navigate the complexities of managing Alejandro's mental health condition.
Use the following subheadings to guide your writing:
Introduction (approximately 150words)
• Provide a clear and concise overview of the assessment's purpose and the scope of discussion paper. Engage the reader, establish the context of this assessment, and highlight the significance of analysing Alejandro's case in relation to the Recovery journey and the nexus between physical and mental health.
Analyse Alejandro's mental health conditions: (approximately 300 words)
• Provide a brief overview of major depressive disorder highlighting their key features, symptoms. Discuss the specific impact these conditions have on Alejandro's daily life, functioning, and overall well-being.
Recovery-based approach (approximately 300 words):
• Discuss how applying a recovery-oriented model can benefit Alejandro's journey towards wellness, fostering self-determination and improving his overall quality of life.
Nexus between physical and mental health (approximately 300words)
• Explore the interconnectedness between physical and mental health in Alejandro's case.
Nursing roles in supporting Recovery: (approximately 300words)
• Describe the essential nursing roles and responsibilities in supporting Alejandro's recovery journey. Include aspects such as effective communication, carer involvement, collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, and patient education in providing holistic care.
Conclusion: (approximately 150 words)
• Summarise the key points discussed in your analysis, highlighting the impact of Alejandro's mental health conditions, the principles of a recovery-based approach, the nexus between physical and mental health, and the importance of basic nursing roles. Emphasise the significance of person-centered care, empowerment, and collaboration in Alejandro's recovery journey.
Note:
Ensure that you support your analysis with evidence-based research and appropriate references. Use APA 7th edition.
Solution
Introduction
Alejandro is a 32 years old man, who experiences depressive disorders like hopelessness, sadness, fatigue, sleep difficulties and many more. Additionally, day by day his appetite capability also decreased, which has an impact on their physical health. Through these struggles, Alejandro lost his interest in different types of activities. Diwata, his wife, is the primary caregiver of Alejandro and tries to provide mental support during his recovery time. The overall assessment gives a clear concept of Alejandro's mental health conditions, so readers can understand the topic. The significance of this assessment is to evaluate Alejandro's whole recovery journey and find a proper sequence between his mental and physical health.
This assessment aims to analyse the mental health conditions of Alejandro, which will be discussed here. A recovery-based approach that creates a sequence between physical and mental health will also be evaluated here.
Analysis of Alejandro’s Mental Health Conditions
Alejandro was a person who used to enrich his days by cooking meals for himself and attending sports activities. However, the situation has been distorted and he is facing various issues that are disrupting him in doing the above activities (Vaci et al., 2020). The primary problem is his mental issue which is currently having a disturbing effect on his daily activities. The 32-year-old man is going through severe depressive disorder which has been found through a diagnosis. He is facing major symptoms like sadness and hopelessness which are the most concerning aspects of this issue and are the first signs of depression even in a fully grown man (Firth et al., 2020). He has also lost his interest in activities which has significantly distanced him from the daily activities that he used to participate in previously. Moreover, the problem has also dismantled his view towards the basic actions in his family which has also concerned his wife, Diwata.
These issues have also impacted majorly in his daily schedule and activities which were mere actions for him some years ago. He has sleep difficulties which significantly result in fatigue and loss of interest in his daily life. Moreover, the issue of depressive disorder has also decreased his appetite which has lowered his body weight and induced lethargic syndromes in him. It has also diluted his sense of self-control and personal interest which has significantly disrupted his mental state too (Jenkins et al., 2021). He has been encountered by his wife sometimes while self-harming himself which is a major cause to be concerned about the problem. However, it may not have any direct link with the physical pressures while his mental condition is a reason which has infiltrated chronic back pain. This is significantly concerning and it has also demanded his power to conduct the various activities that he used to perform earlier for university assignment help.
Recovery-Based Approach
Recovery-oriented model is highly effective for the patient’s case as through these collaborative relationships will be ensured. This collaborative relationship will benefit in fostering proper understanding regarding strengths, opportunities and wishes in the case of Alejandro. Through this, it will be very easy for the caregivers to respond efficiently to those particularly identified strengths, values and needs of the patient (Winsper et al., 2020). Currently, Alejandro has faced various problems in which the tendency of self-harm is included and a recovery-oriented model will be most suitable to help him overcome those thoughts. This model will not be focussed on identifying deficits and pathologies. However, full focus will be provided on his strengths and abilities. Thought of wellness can be fostered in him by placing trust in him so that he can gain knowledge from his own experience. However, in this regard, Alejandro must play an active role in his recovery. In the recovery procedure empowering Alejandro will be the main focus where he can make decisions on his own regarding his physical and mental health. This will help the medical practitioners and caregivers to foster greater levels of self-determination (Lysaker et al., 2020). In this regard, it is also necessary that the relationship with the caregivers must be based on authenticity, emotional availability and respect for Alejandro. Moreover, while making supportive relationships with Alejandro the caregivers must avoid any kind of shaming as his physical condition is still worsening. All these things will help him in improving the overall quality of life of Alejandro as he will take active participation in the recovery process. His experiences will help identify progress made by him in the recovery process. Moreover, through obtaining feedback from him necessary changes in the recovery plan can be ensured. Thus, it can be expected that a positive recovery of Alejandro can be ensured soon.
Nexus Between Physical and Mental Health
The physical and mental health of a patient are closely connected and poor mental health can be regarded as an important risk factor for chronic physical conditions. This concept is also applicable to the case of Alenjandro. Regarding the symptoms of Alejandro, the sleep difficulties can be regarded as the major depressive disorder and have a large impact on the physical and mental balance (Almeida et al., 2022). This disorder causes fatigue and restlessness in the patient and the patient Alejandro can be considered as the ideal example. As a result, Alejandro also faces a decrease in appetite that is closely connected with having proper sleep. The decrease in his appetite causes him to not get enough nutrition and as a result the deterioration in his physical health (Piccolo et al., 2022). Regarding the connection between physical and mental health for Alejandro the thought of self-harm is also a concerning factor. The mental illness of him not only makes him severely depressed but also creates the idea of self-harm. The outcome of Alejandro's self-harming approach can also be varied according to the seriousness of the mental condition.
Apart from discussing the relationship between physical and mental health, nursing activities to maintain the physical and mental health are also very important for the recovery of this illness. Proper nursing activities can increase the recovery rate of the patients with major depressive disorder. In the process of nursing care of the patient like Alejandro both physical and mental areas are important. The supply of emotional support along with basic caregiver services such as therapy sessions and self-care activities can increase the awareness of the maintenance of the physical and mental health within Alejandro (Axelin et al., 2022). Regarding Alejandro's illness, balancing the responsibility and self-care activities along with attending sports activities are also very important suggestion to connect physical and mental health.
Nursing Roles in Supporting Recovery
Effective communication
Communication is such a factor of nursing that allows communication between the doctors, specialists, and the caregiver. The nurses can take care of Alejandro by always communicating with the doctor and following the instructions. In this perspective, Alejandro’s wife, who is a caregiver for him, needs to support him with effective care (Hurley et. al., 2022). The nurses can ask Alejandro about his problems as well as his need for medication which leads the nurse to provide him with information regarding proper medication management.
Carer Involvement
Carer involvement is a must in the case of Alejandro which is due to him being affected with mental health problems and needing a segmented approach from his wife. He needs stability in life again which is missing from his current phase and to get back to his normal life, he needs the physical and mental support of the caregiver. His wife should be concerned about every word he utters and should catch them before he gets annoyed about not getting it.
Collaboration with the Multidisciplinary Team
Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team is also a major option in his case which will help the whole unit in providing a comfortable zone to Alejandro in his journey of getting better. It will help him in getting the appropriate support in every case which is necessary for him to get up and do his daily activities again (Hübel et al., 2021). Moreover, the multidisciplinary will also provide him with efficient and experienced solutions to get back on his feet.
Patient Education in Providing Holistic Care
Education is an important matter in the recovery case of Alejandro. The nurses can provide education to Alejandro about holistic care. Educating him will be the primary duty of a nurse which can ensure that Alejandro understands the process of post-operative care. In this context, nurses need to inform Alejandro about his wound care technique, pain management strategies, and medication management.
Conclusion
From the above discussion it can be concluded that mental health conditions have a great impact on Alejandro because he faces challenges with his physical and mental health. Here, Alejandro’s mental health conditions are discussed briefly, regarding how he faces struggles in his mental condition, giving a clear concept. The recovery-based approach is also evaluated here with the recovery-oriented model. The recovery-oriented model is very helpful for patients' cases because it analyses a clear concept about patients' needs, strengths, and values. Moreover, physical and mental health are interrelated to each other, which spreads the effect of Alejandro’s recovery journey. During the recovery journey, nurses play a vital role, which is discussed here and nurses have different kinds of activities like effective communication, carer involvement, and patient education in holistic care. However, in Alejandro’s recovery journey, person-centred care helps a lot, where Diwata is the primary caregiver, who provides mental support to her husband.
References
Almeida, L. M. H., Flicker, L., Hankey, G. J., Golledge, J., Yeap, B. B., & Almeida, O. P. (2022). Disrupted sleep and risk of depression in later life: A prospective cohort study with extended follow up and a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 309, 314-323. Retrieved from: https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/179589146/Almeida_et_al._2022_Disrupted_sleep_and_risk_of
_depression.pdf
Axelin, A., Feeley, N., Campbell?Yeo, M., Silnes Tandberg, B., Szczapa, T., Wielenga, J., ... & Separation, Closeness Experiences in Neonatal Environment (SCENE) research group. (2022). Symptoms of depression in parents after discharge from NICU associated with family?centred care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(6), 1676-1687. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jan.15128
Firth, J. A., Smith, L., Sarris, J., Vancampfort, D., Schuch, F., Carvalho, A. F., ... & Firth, J. (2020). Handgrip strength is associated with hippocampal volume and white matter hyperintensities in major depression and healthy controls: a UK Biobank study. Psychosomatic medicine, 82(1), 39-46. Retrieved from: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:257817ee-a011-4a97-8ba2-246de0e700aa/download_file?file_format=application%2Fpdf&safe_filename=Firth_et_al_2019_handgrip_strength_is_associated_with_
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Hübel, C., Abdulkadir, M., Herle, M., Loos, R. J., Breen, G., Bulik, C. M., & Micali, N. (2021). One size does not fit all. Genomics differentiates among anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge?eating disorder. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(5), 785-793. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/eat.23481
Hurley, J., Lakeman, R., Linsley, P., Ramsay, M., & Mckenna?Lawson, S. (2022). Utilizing the mental health nursing workforce: A scoping review of mental health nursing clinical roles and identities. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 31(4), 796-822. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/inm.12983
Jenkins, P. E., Ducker, I., Gooding, R., James, M., & Rutter-Eley, E. (2021). Anxiety and depression in a sample of UK college students: a study of prevalence, comorbidity, and quality of life. Journal of American college health, 69(8), 813-819. Retrieved from: https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/88148/3/MH%20Symptoms%20in%20University%20Students%20Final.pdf
Lysaker, P. H., Gagen, E., Klion, R., Zalzala, A., Vohs, J., Faith, L. A., ... & Hasson-Ohayon, I. (2020). Metacognitive reflection and insight therapy: a recovery-oriented treatment approach for psychosis. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 331-341. Retrieved from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2147/PRBM.S198628
Piccolo, M., Belleau, E. L., Holsen, L. M., Trivedi, M. H., Parsey, R. V., McGrath, P. J., ... & Javaras, K. N. (2022). Alterations in resting-state functional activity and connectivity for major depressive disorder appetite and weight disturbance phenotypes. Psychological Medicine, 1-11. Retrieved from: https://cdasr.mclean.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Piccolo_PM_InPress.pdf
Vaci, N., Liu, Q., Kormilitzin, A., De Crescenzo, F., Kurtulmus, A., Harvey, J., ... & Nevado-Holgado, A. (2020). Natural language processing for structuring clinical text data on depression using UK-CRIS. BMJ Ment Health, 23(1), 21-26. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nemanja-Vaci/publication/339182275_Natural_language_processing_for_structuring_clinical_text_data_on_depression
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Winsper, C., Crawford-Docherty, A., Weich, S., Fenton, S. J., & Singh, S. P. (2020). How do recovery-oriented interventions contribute to personal mental health recovery? A systematic review and logic model. Clinical psychology review, 76, 101815. Retrieved from: https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/131772/2/WRAP-how-recovery-orientated-interventions-mental-logic-model-Winspear-2020.pdf