Essentials Of Mental Health Nursing

Mental health is often spoken of as a state of wellbeing associated with happiness, contentment, satisfaction, achievement, optimism or hope in which the individual realize his or her own abilities and can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make contributions to his or her community. It is considered that without mental health, there is no health. It is an integral part of overall health. Mental disorders are actually much more prevalent than is apparent on the surface; mental health problems are an increasing part of health problems the world over; mental illness adversely affect the day-to-day functioning, economic productivity, health relationships and families, physical health and overall quality of life. Psychiatric nurses work throughout the continuum of mental health care in settings ranging from hospital-based to community-based with growing interest in providing psychiatric care in primary health care setting. Therefore, there is a need to prepare well-equipped nurses with knowledge of mental health nursing and its skills. This title has been written in accordance with the needs of present existing syllabus prescribed for nursing course. Principles and concepts of mental health nursing, assessment of mental health status, therapeutic communication and nurse-patient relationship, treatment modalities and therapies, nursing management of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, nursing management of mood disorders; nursing management of neurotic, stress related disorders; nursing management of somatization and other related disorders, nursing management of sexual and gender identity disorders are discussed.