Topic: Reflective essay regarding the personal recovery for people living with a psychotic disorder Intent: In this assessment, you will learn about the differences between clinical and personal recovery and therapeutic communication that fosters personal recovery for people who experience psychotic disorders
Task: Part one: explain the differences between clinical and personal mental health recovery and discuss how personal recovery can enhance the wellbeing of people who experience psychotic disorders.
Part two: reflect on how you, as a future registered nurse, can use therapeutic communication skills (e.g. active listening, probing, empathic responding) to assist a consumer living with the effects of a psychotic disorder identify their strengthens and embark on a personal recovery journey. Include no more than two examples of communication skills in your answer. Support your explanation and reflections with peer-reviewed articles, including nursing literature.
Format: Reflective essay APA 7 or UTS Harvard references in-text and reference list Paragraphs and full sentences
Introduction (outline the significance of personal recovery for people who experience psychotic disorders and the main points of your essay.
Body (written in full sentences and paragraphs; write your responses for part one and part two)
Conclusion (summarising the key points of your essay)
1.5 spacing Size 12 font Word Length: 1800 words
Introduction
The conceptualization of psychotic disorder refers to the diverse group of ailments where an individual's perception of comprehension of the real-life situation is distorted, and the mental state of turmoil is reflected in the formation of thoughts and ideas. The response of the individual becomes gibberish which impacts their better sense of judgment, emotional response to the situations, effectual communication and mostly change in behaviour (Aronovich, 2018). Hallucinations, delusion, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance-induced disorder, a disorder due to other medical conditions and paraphrenia are some of the types of psychotic disorders witnessed among the patients. The recovery through medical intervention, psychotherapy and digital support intervention has been the milestone in achieving a better state of the patients as focused by the healthcare service providers across the globe.
The essay focuses on two segments, where the first segment measures clinical recovery, and personal recovery conducted through novel pilot assessments developed as an intervention for the patients suffering from psychotic disorders. The personal reflection serves as the second segment highlighting the purpose of the personal enrichment in the profession of nursing while employing empathetic communication skills in the evidence-based practice in the healthcare organization.
Discussion
Part 1
Healthcare services are instrumental in the recent years while intervening with medical and therapeutic options contrived for the wellbeing of the patients suffering from psychotic disorders (Roosenschoon et al. 2019) the healthcare practitioners endorse the term recovery as a profoundly personal and exclusive process of developing one's approach, feelings, values and role in living a satisfied and contributing span of life even with the diverse inhibitions acting as obstacles in the growth of an individual. The literature on the personal recovery of an individual is based on the narratives of the patients where they focused on the process of their journey that has emerged relevant in their recovery (Thomas et al. 2016). There has been significant research conducted on the recovery process, which highlights five themes based on the acronym CHIME. The model suggests outstanding social Connectedness, fostering optimism and Hope, the transformation of an individual's identity, development of new Meaning of life, and Empowering an individual with responsibility for self-management of physical and mental health.
Clinical recovery in the context of the psychotic disorder can be referred to as attaining the stage of getting back to normal conditions being symptom-free. The clinical recovery takes into consideration the hypothesis that mental disorders are associated with more psychological causes which require medications for treatment. The root of the treatment is based on empirical or medical research. The clinical recovery is based on the diagnosis of the patient, devising plans for recovery without consulting the opinion of the patient, more chemical and neurotransmitters are involved, and the patient is more dependent on the physician who administers the medication. As reported by the Australian National Survey of High Impact Psychosis 4.5% out of 1,000 patients receive special care for their mental conditions (Van Eck et al. 2018). Out of the significant numbers, 92% of them have ongoing or recurring episodes, while 62% of them have shown consistent symptoms.
In a strong contrast personal recovery has witnessed the characteristics of the patients where the exhibited their strength in taking own decisions with mostly support from the therapists and close aids, has been able to achieve an identity other than being only a patient and gained a sense of self through a diverse range of life experiences while interacting with peers (Neil et al. 2018). Personal recovery journey of the patients focused on the narratives like the opportunity of freedom to express their thoughts and concerns to the therapists, the positive role of the caregivers in sharing human values like care, respect and love and self-reflection on the episodic experiences which they could discuss with the healthcare professionals. (Wyder et al. 2016)The narratives also included the dark side where the patients were not given enough room to voice out their feelings and concerns. In contrast, some of the patients experienced meaningless medication without being engaged in meaningful therapeutic activities.
As informed by Bejerholm and Roe (2018), it is essential to understand that personal recovery comprises the eight dimensions of wellbeing of an individual who is suffering from psychotic disorders. The dimensions include emotional aspects that highlight the importance of sharing relationships with productive and caring people who would lend ears to the feelings and help the person in gaining mutual trust in the relationship. The other dimensions include financial aspect where support is provided by the peers to undertake employment, fulfil the basic materialistic needs and get support from the professionals that are provided at low-cost service. The social aspect hints at the development of social relationship where at least one phone call can be made to a near and dear one, getting active in the support group and supporting one's hobbies (Chan et al. 2018). The spiritual aspects support in making the connection with self, explore the principles and values that one seek in life and expand one's sense of understanding the deeper Meaning of life. The occupational, physical, intellectual and environmental aspects involve the skills to explore the natural beauty of the ambience, exercises for rejuvenation and working for a living.
Personal recovery in the mental disorder devises through peer support helps in self-directing an individual to take personal control of life, make healthy choices and decisions experience the freedom of empowerment (Cutler et al. 2017). The wellbeing of an individual is hence inter-connected with the process of personal recovery that builds a strong resilience to recover from the episodic experiences while coping up with inner inhibitions. Hope and courage emphasizes the journey of recovery that brings a balance in life while working towards achieving the goals that one can take pride in. Clinical recovery does aid in the process when the symptoms diagnosed is severe and requires medical intervention. However, the support of family and close relations help in intervening the fear, anxiety and inhibitions of an individual if early diagnosis and intervention are adopted.\
Part 2
The evidence-based practice in nursing highlights the therapeutic communication established with the clients, which refers to the technique employed to prioritize the mental. Physical and emotional wellness of the patients treated as clients in healthcare organizations. The registered nurses are trained to employ therapeutic communications which have a diverse range from using silence, acceptance, active listening to the expert stage of using humour and Hope together to instil positivity in the thoughts of the patients (Jones and Wright, 2017). Therapeutic communication is the foundation of nursing which focuses on the explicit needs of the patient, which is required to promulgate an exchange of information vital for the treatment.
The therapeutic communication helps the nurses to establish several goals like facilitating the emotions, feelings and opinion of the patients, support and teach the family and caregivers to promote self-care skills, share the plan of action with the client to reach a possible solution and most significantly understand the current concern of the patient which helps in promoting client-centred goals. Establishing therapeutic communication is an active process which helps to affirm the state of the patient, encourage safety feeling for the patient, and increase the value of mutual trust. At the same time, the ethical standard of practice is followed by the registered nurses (Gaylle, 2019). Being in the profession of nursing, I have learned the value of establishing determinative communication with my patients while the experiences become milestones as evidence-based practices. I am accountable and responsible for the wellbeing of my patients, where I have to curate an accurate plan for their care. It is essential for me to recognise the immediate needs which raise concern for the patients and resolve them with the best of my abilities employing critical thinking skills, problem analyzing and devising a plan to accommodate the requirements of the patients.
As a human being, I place the importance of listening to my patients at the priority level. Active listening is the foremost communication skill that I will indulge in my practice in the present and future circumstances. As contradicted by Moreland and Apker (2016), the complex ambience in the healthcare organization does not promote communication skills as expected by the patients. They perceive that nurses are always on their toes, attending huge inflow of patients in any healthcare organization. This is, to some extent, undeniably true. However, I intend to break this practice and involve being a caring nurse prioritizing on active listening skills. This will enhance my responses towards understanding the practicality of the situation where the primary and current concerns of the patients will have adhered.
The nursing literature majorly supports active listening, which proves to be beneficial while noting down the concerns of the patients (Delgado et al. 2020). I have observed that mindful listening helps to retain the information which is essential to communicate with the patient as well as with the healthcare professional like the physician to devise more active plans. Active listening has helped me in reducing my error while understanding the needs of the patients and enhancing a rapport (Haley et al. 2017). The patients will be ensured to be in secured hands when they get a mindful listening from the healthcare practitioners. This helps them to ease out their concern while reducing their level of stress, anxiety and fear of interaction to a considerable level. This is also evident that there will be challenges and barriers in the active listening to a patient while it is recommended to devise a plan that can minimize the sound or distraction to listening to the patient carefully.
The second communication skills that I would like to personally employ in my practice is an empathetic response to the patients. It is evident that when a person is provided with empathetic and not sympathetic reaction, the feedback or the response of the patient becomes more positive. Empathetic communication will involve repeating the concerns of the patients while framing open-ended questions which can provide them ample scope to share their concerns (Duarte et al. 2016). This will extract more information from the patients essential to device the treatment plan. Reflecting on the questions and providing the space to answer that helps the patients to gain confidence, and they feel empowered to take decisions (Hurley et al. 2020). Many powerful empathetic statements can be used in different situations which help the individual to get a smooth transition in the personal recovery journey.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be summarized that evidence-based approach employed in the nursing practice helps in reflecting on the recovery journey of the patients which is the prime concern to be addressed by the healthcare service providers in the present situation. The approach of clinical recovery and personal recovery will differ according to the difference in cases experienced by the individuals. Facilitating therapeutic communication being in the nursing profession will enhance my personal experience while augmenting the recovery journey of the patients.