Essay NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

Current problem or issue in health care

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

 I have selected mental health issues in the community for current problems or issues in health care. Mental health is essential for well-being because it includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being (MentalHealth.gov, 2020). It means it affects how we think, act, and feel. In general, we ignore mental health issues because it does not cause a severe problem right away. We focus on things that can affect us immediately. Mental health gets worse every day if it is left untreated. We have seen in the news dangerous incidents like a school shooting, shooting at the mall, shooting in the street that we can never forget. Most of these people involved in such incidents have mental health conditions. Next, mental health affects our thinking, mood, and behavior. If it is left untreated, it can negatively impact our well-being. Therefore, I feel like our community needs to take action on mental health issues to save our community. 

Everyone experiences mental health differently. Some common mental health problems can lead to serious health problems, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, post-traumatic disorder (PTSD), paranoia, and psychosis (Better Health Channel, n. d.). These disorders can affect everyday life. It can affect the relationship with family and friends. If left untreated, it can lead to severe mental health issues, including suicide. 

There are many causes of mental illness, including lifestyle and environmental stressors, substance use, stress, spiritual causes, trauma, and biological causes (Salifu Brew, Sarfo, & Kpobi, 2018). Illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine, marijuana are highly addictive and cause mental illness. Many patients at my workplace who have a mental health condition reported using illicit drugs, smoking, drinking alcohol, and abusing drugs. Also, they have said that they had a traumatic experience at a childhood age that contributed to mental illness. The authors in the article strongly believed that a healthy person could instantly develop a mental health condition from ingesting recreational drugs. “The rapid effect of drugs on the mental well-being was perceived to be caused by the incompatibility between the psychoactive substance in the drugs and the human blood (Salifu Brew, Sarfo, & Kpobi, et al.). The authors have suggested that stressful life events can contribute to mental illness in the article. 

In the article, there are three leading causes of mental health problems: extrinsic, intrinsic, and spiritual (Anjara, Brayne, & Van Bortel, 2021). Extrinsic factors refer to daily life and financial difficulties. Patients are unable to cope with stress, and they lack social support. They are growing up in poverty and have financial pressures of debt. Intrinsic factors refer to life’s challenges. Patients in this category have unmet needs that may bring negative emotions to their life. Spiritual factors believe in good versus evil. People in this category have daydreaming or have an empty mind that could allow passing evil spirits. Also, they lack interaction with God, which leaves a person vulnerable to spirits possession. (Anjara, Brayne, & Van Bortel, 2021).

Essay NURS FPX 4020 Assessment 3 Improvement Plan In-Service Presentation CF

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

During pregnancy, high dose alcohol consumption increases the risk of mental illness. According to the article, it can cause developmental delays, including “ADHD, behavioral problems, lower IQ, increased frequency and severity of depressive symptoms, and psychosis-like symptoms (Burgess, & Moritz, 2020).”  Alcohol can have a long-term effect on the newborn baby. Alcohol is a toxic substance. Our liver does a great job breaking down harmful substances, but unborn babies do not have developed liver. 

Mental illness is common, but it is treatable. It can affect any age, from childhood to old age. The most important thing about mental illness is that it directly affects thinking, mood, and behavior. People cannot survive in the community if they have bad behavior. Sometimes mental illness is challenging to recognize because people may not have signs and symptoms early. If you are experiencing any of the following signs, you must get professional help. These signs are having low or no energy, feeling helpless or hopeless, eating or sleeping too much or too little, hearing voices, thinking of harming yourself or others, inability to perform ADLs, having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head, experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships, and feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared (MentalHealth.gov, et al). 

The significant issues with mental illness that I have noticed in my experience are either people ignore mental illness or hesitate to see providers. Many patients have reported to us that they have stopped taking medications. When patients feel better or have no symptoms of mental illness, they stop taking prescribed medication. According to John Hopkins, 26% of Americans ages 18 and older, about 1 in 4 adults suffer from a mental disorder, 18% of people ages 18- 54 have an anxiety disorder, and approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over will suffer from a depressive illness (John Hopkins, n.d.). Also, the researcher has found that people who commit suicide have a diagnosis of mental disorder and most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance abuse disorder. 

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

Communication can play a vital role in taking care of mental illness. If you are experiencing any signs of mental illness, please share your experience with your loved one. Some tips may include: do not hesitate to ask for professional help, sleep well, eat healthy, and be physically active. If your provider has prescribed medications, you need to talk to your provider for any concerns. People feel better when taking medications but realize that they are on medications. Keep in touch with your provider before deciding to change your mental health treatment plan. I would request the community and federal government to provide free mental health care for all. As a nurse, I have seen many mentally ill patients who cannot stop taking drugs and drinking alcohol. Many resources are available to help them, but you need to ask for help. For example, if you feel suicidal, a hotline number 800-273-8255 to call and speak with someone. If you need help with substance abuse and mental health, SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-4357 is available to help. Support is available 24/7, and you need to ask for help to save yourself and your community. 

I want to change mental health by providing education to patients. Many times patients told me that drugs help them to stay mentally well. I have printed information from reliable sources and showed how drugs affect every system in the body. I have shown them videos made by the professionals. A nurse needs to educate a person who cannot stay away from alcohol during pregnancy that abstaining from alcohol consumption is the safest for a baby. As a nurse, I would always consider respecting ethical principles. It helps to provide safe and quality care. Beneficence is all about providing care for the benefit of patients, not anybody else. Nonmaleficence teaches that nurses make sure patient is free of harm. Autonomy is respecting the patient’s choice. Justice is treating all patients fairly. Mental health is essential for wellbeing. It is possible when we all take care of each other. For example, if somebody is on drugs, we need to find resources to help them to stop using drugs. Therefore, let’s make our community healthy and safe.

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 4 Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue SJ

References

Better Health Channel. (n. d.). Types of mental health issues and illnesses. Retrieved from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/types-of-mental-health-issues-and-illnesses.

Burgess, D. J., & Moritz, K. M. (2020). Prenatal alcohol exposure and developmental programming of mental illness. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 11(3), 211-221. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S2040174420000082.

Feldman, D. B., & Crandall, C. S. (2007). DIMENSIONS OF MENTAL ILLNESS STIGMA: WHAT ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS CAUSES SOCIAL REJECTION? Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(2), 137-154. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2007.26.2.137.

John Hopkins. ( n .d.). Health. Mental Health Disorder Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics.

Anjara, S. G., Brayne, C., & Van Bortel, T. (2021). Perceived causes of mental illness and views on appropriate care pathways among indonesians. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1), 1-74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-021-00497-5. 

MentalHealth.gov. (2020). What Is Mental Health?. Retrieve from: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health.

Salifu Yendork, J., Brew, G. B., Sarfo, E. A., & Kpobi, L. (2018). Mental illness has multiple causes: beliefs on causes of mental illness by congregants of selected neo-prophetic churches in Ghana. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 21(7), 647–666. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2018.1511694.