{"id":86974,"date":"2018-12-18T14:15:23","date_gmt":"2018-12-18T20:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/?post_type=insight_posts&p=86974"},"modified":"2021-01-05T14:06:54","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T20:06:54","slug":"physical-cure-mental-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/health-care\/physical-cure-mental-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical cure, mental care"},"content":{"rendered":"

During her time as a psychiatric nurse, Judy Kangas gave medication to patients from behind shatter-proof glass windows, participated in putting patients in restraints if they became physically aggressive, and even sat with them in group therapy sessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cPsychiatric nursing was the last thing I ever wanted to do,\u201d says Kangas, a nurse of 39 years with five years of experience in psychiatric nursing, \u201cbut it was probably the most rewarding nursing experience I ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she says most nurses today haven\u2019t had the same amount of involvement with mental illness as she has.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, when I\u2019m working with a nurse who hasn\u2019t had my level of exposure to mental illness, they let me take over because I have more experience,\u201d she says. \u201cThey recognize that they\u2019re not equipped to handle these cases and they back off. It\u2019s very frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kangas says that nurses who do not specialize in psychiatric nursing are not prepared to work with patients who come into a public emergency room with a mental illness, despite the prevalence of it. One in five adults<\/a> experiences a mental illness in the U.S. per year, and depression is the leading cause of disability in the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When a patient enters an emergency room due to a manic episode, their heart rate and blood pressure may be elevated. Nurses will know how to treat the physical aspects of that episode but, in Kangas\u2019s experience, most will not know how to treat the root of the problem\u2014the mental illness.<\/p>\n

However, the problem extends beyond just the widespread presence of mental illness. A severe shortage of psychiatric beds has been plaguing the nation for years. This forces patients with mental illnesses into emergency rooms and, in more extreme cases if their behavior summons police presence, jails, where they encounter staff and personnel who are untrained to provide the proper care they require. The United States only has 21 psychiatric beds per every 100,000 people<\/a> and needs more than 120,000 more to end the shortage.<\/p>\n

Nurses like Kangas are prepared to help all patients because of their extensive and specialized training in psychiatric care, but for many more, their education in treating mental illness is happening on the job. This approach to mental health within nursing is not sustainable because, as Kangas has experienced, nurses become fearful and reluctant to tackle the issue head-on.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost nursing programs don\u2019t get into great depth when it comes to mental health education,\u201d says Shannon Whitehead, director of the RN-BSN program at Dallas Nursing Institute, which is partner institution to The Chicago School under the nonprofit system of colleges and universities TCS Education System<\/a>. \u201cThere are usually some foundational classes, but the majority are core nursing classes.\u201d<\/p>\n

By including mental health education and training in nursing, nurses will find themselves ready and able to help a broader range of patients and will be more confident in their ability to help those with mental illness. This not only eases the pressures placed on nurses but also benefits patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a solid knowledge of mental illness is beneficial not only for nurses and their longevity in their career but also in taking care of patients,\u201d Kangas says. \u201cPatients know when they\u2019re being taken seriously and when someone really cares.\u201d<\/p>\n

The future of health care will surely require a closer marriage between the physical and the mental: ensuring that everyone is properly cared for and that all nurses are ready to tackle anything they may encounter, whether that be treating a broken wrist or providing care to someone with bipolar disorder. This type of training can ease the fears many nurses have about treating mental illness, as Kangas has witnessed, and help hospitals and emergency rooms save time and effectively provide care.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs time has moved on, we have found that integrated care works,\u201d says Dr. Sandra Siegel, The Chicago School counseling psychology<\/a> faculty member and former director of community mental health at Mount Sinai Hospital<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s good for patients because they can go to one place with multiple services. But you need to have people that are prepared to provide that type of care.\u201d<\/p>\n

This integrated approach is explored in The Chicago School\u2019s new online bachelor of science nursing degree program. Set to equip students with the mental health component that is all too often missing from nursing education, this program will help students go on to provide patients with the highest level of care possible\u2014not just by treating them physically, but also in recognizing and responding to their mental state as well.<\/p>\n

Hospitals can be frightening enough as it is, with loud noises, unfamiliar machines, and lots of people. It can be a very triggering experience even for those who don\u2019t live with mental illness. But at the end of the day, as Kangas notes, nursing is about empathy, ensuring that a patient doesn\u2019t suffer more than they need to. With nurses at the frontline of health\u2019s defense, integrated training is vital to providing the highest quality care possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re in a clinical hospital setting, you\u2019re seeing people at their worst,\u201d Kangas says. \u201cNobody asks to be mentally ill, but it affects so many people. That\u2019s why every nurse should have extensive mental health training. Combining psychology and nursing is invaluable and necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

—<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about the Chicago School<\/strong><\/p>\n

Interested in learning more about nursing or other programs at The Chicago School? Fill out the form below to request more information.<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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