Matchstick Men: Obsessive-Compulsive Disor
Self-awareness, positive attitude and knowledge are critical to successful nursing in quality of client care that a nurse provides (Austin & Boyd, 2010, p.121). Consciousness of one’s biases, beliefs, values, experiences, fears, etc. generally improve the interactions with patients dramatically (Austin & Boyd, 2010, p.122). The movie Matchstick Men vividly illustrated how a mental disorder can interfere with everyday life (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003). Roy Waller, played by Nicholas Cage, is smart, scrupulous and straight forward. Living alone, he is acutely aware of his mental illnesses (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003). He lives his life by depending on an illegally obtained medication (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003).
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Roy displays several of symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003).
This disorder is characterized by involuntary recurring thoughts or images that the individual is unable to ignore and by recurring impulse to perform a seemingly purposeless activity (Townsend, 2011, p. 162). These obsessions and compulsions serve to prevent extreme anxiety on the part of the individual (Townsend, 2011, p. 162). For example, he can’t stand strand lying on the carpet or dried leaves in the pool; he uses a handkerchief to open doors; he eats only canned tuna of one specific brand, washes the can, seals it in a plastic bag then he throws it and washes his hands; he opens and closes doors three times while counting out loud (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003). This paper will be focused on possible impact of my personal beliefs and issues, previous experience and fears on my future nursing practice. I will reflect on my previous experience with people who had mental illnesses and addiction and will discuss how it may help and hinder interactions with
patients.
Topic I:
In the past I lived with close relatives who suffer from mental health disorders and addictions. Therefore, for me, people who have mental illnesses are not unusual, out-of-norm or outcast. I perceive them like any other people who have chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus or arthritis. The major difference, from my point of view, is that mental illness strongly affect not only person and his or her well-being but his/her significant ones too. I believe that this experience will allow me to see the person behind the diagnosis and will help me establish effective therapeutic relationship. I appreciate that though manifestation of mental health diseases often not being seen easily (in contrast to acute allergy reaction, bleeding, high temperature, etc.), they are very real for people who have to live with them and affect their lives enormously. Past experiences have given me insight into many challenges that patients and their families go through, which will help me to assist them to the best of my abilities. Moreover, I grew up in multi-cultural society where I interact with people from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Thus, I learned to respect and accept people who are different from me. I think this will help me to interact with clients in a non-bias, non-judgmental, and respectful way. Topic II:
Before I started the Practical Nurse program at Bow Valley College, I was hired as a support worker to help people with mental problems to integrate into society and provide necessary support with their daily routine. I found out that anxiety of making mistakes, uncertainty, and hesitancy when interacting with client had adverse effects. I was not be able to perform to the best of my ability, because I did not have sufficient knowledge about disorders, I did not have proper training and I always second guessed my decisions. Distress was overwhelming, paralyzing, and hindered my thought process, creating a barrier that got in the way of achieving the goals. I believe that nursing program I am currently in, is providing a lot of useful information and training. Unfortunately, not every student in this program has an opportunity to practice obtained knowledge and skills at mental health facilities. Therefore, this might negatively affect the quality of care provided by novice nurses due to lack of necessary practice and exposure to formal psychiatric-mental health treatment settings during the education process. Thus, I need to develop a plan of action what will help me to overcome this issue and ensure that I am able to provide best possible care.
Plan:
In Canada, one in five people suffer from a mental illness (Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative, 2006), which is 20% of entire population. Nurses literally come upon patients with mental health problems and mental illnesses in all areas of health care (Tognazzini, Davis, Kean, Osborne, & Wong, 2009, p.4). The development of a therapeutic relationship within the mental health setting requires a complex interplay of skills and knowledge, improved by the practice during clinical experience at mental health facilities (Dziopa, & Ahern, 2009). Nurses who graduate without any clinical experience in psychiatric-mental health nursing state that they have insufficient knowledge, skills and confidence in intervening with persons who have mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.6). Research conducted in urban areas has found that many nurses are unprepared to support the mental health needs of persons with mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.6). This supports the literature in emphasizing that clinical experience is highly influential on the extent to which nursing students are able to acquire the desired knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for persons with mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.7).
The Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses in Canada require that nurses possess knowledge obtained through practical nurse preparation and continuous learning relevant to their professional practice (The Canadian Council for Practical Nurse Regulators [CCPNR], 2013, p.5). So, I am going to continue to study for this course (Mental Health Nursing PSYC -152) and will strive to obtain deeper knowledge and understanding via complementary sources, such as Mental Health Canada http://www.mentalhealthcanada.com/main.asp?lang=e, Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses http://cfmhn.ca/ and Center for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm. Nurses who are interested to learn more about psychiatric-mental health can additionally take courses as continued education, such as Mental Health Nursing for LPNs at NorQuest College or enroll herself into Psychiatric Nursing Diploma program at MacEwan University. Another way to learn more about new trends and best practice is to review relevant nursing research and evidence-base best practice, such as published on Health Canada web-site http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/pubs/adp-apd/bp_disorder-mp_concomitants/index-eng.php or using Nursing Best Practice Guidelines http://rnao.ca/bpg. It is expected that nurse would recognize their own practice limitations and consult as necessary (CCPNR, 2013, p. 4). I am planning to reflect on my uncertainty and doubts, in order to understand if it is lack of knowledge or practice and address it accordingly by seeking information form reliable sources (e.g. Psychiatric and mental health nursing for Canadian practice textbook) or instructions from more experiences colleagues. During my clinical experiences and later during practice, I will try to find opportunities within my clinical experiences to expose myself to different psychiatric-mental health cases and will try to learn more about working with these patients. Following The Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses in Canada, I will engage in ongoing self-assessment of my professional practice and competence, seek opportunities for continuous learning, and recognize the impact of my values and beliefs on nursing practice and nurse-client therapeutic relationships.
Conclusion:
I am convinced that reflection on our own previous experience, analyzing the reason for feeling and reactions is a reliable way to explore our biases, beliefs, norms and value. This knowledge may play a vital role during interactions with a patient who is different from youself. This assignment gave me a chance to acknowledge my fear that without clinical at formal psychiatric-mental health setting I might not be able to be an efficient nurse in future. The research confirmed that clinical experience is an important part of education process. The second part of this paper was dedicated to developing the plan. After searching for options students and practicing nurses have, I realized that there are many possibilities to obtain necessary knowledge and experience.
Roy displays several of symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003).
This disorder is characterized by involuntary recurring thoughts or images that the individual is unable to ignore and by recurring impulse to perform a seemingly purposeless activity (Townsend, 2011, p. 162). These obsessions and compulsions serve to prevent extreme anxiety on the part of the individual (Townsend, 2011, p. 162). For example, he can’t stand strand lying on the carpet or dried leaves in the pool; he uses a handkerchief to open doors; he eats only canned tuna of one specific brand, washes the can, seals it in a plastic bag then he throws it and washes his hands; he opens and closes doors three times while counting out loud (Bailey, Griffin, Rapke, Scott, Starkey, & Scott, 2003). This paper will be focused on possible impact of my personal beliefs and issues, previous experience and fears on my future nursing practice. I will reflect on my previous experience with people who had mental illnesses and addiction and will discuss how it may help and hinder interactions with
patients.
Topic I:
In the past I lived with close relatives who suffer from mental health disorders and addictions. Therefore, for me, people who have mental illnesses are not unusual, out-of-norm or outcast. I perceive them like any other people who have chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus or arthritis. The major difference, from my point of view, is that mental illness strongly affect not only person and his or her well-being but his/her significant ones too. I believe that this experience will allow me to see the person behind the diagnosis and will help me establish effective therapeutic relationship. I appreciate that though manifestation of mental health diseases often not being seen easily (in contrast to acute allergy reaction, bleeding, high temperature, etc.), they are very real for people who have to live with them and affect their lives enormously. Past experiences have given me insight into many challenges that patients and their families go through, which will help me to assist them to the best of my abilities. Moreover, I grew up in multi-cultural society where I interact with people from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Thus, I learned to respect and accept people who are different from me. I think this will help me to interact with clients in a non-bias, non-judgmental, and respectful way. Topic II:
Before I started the Practical Nurse program at Bow Valley College, I was hired as a support worker to help people with mental problems to integrate into society and provide necessary support with their daily routine. I found out that anxiety of making mistakes, uncertainty, and hesitancy when interacting with client had adverse effects. I was not be able to perform to the best of my ability, because I did not have sufficient knowledge about disorders, I did not have proper training and I always second guessed my decisions. Distress was overwhelming, paralyzing, and hindered my thought process, creating a barrier that got in the way of achieving the goals. I believe that nursing program I am currently in, is providing a lot of useful information and training. Unfortunately, not every student in this program has an opportunity to practice obtained knowledge and skills at mental health facilities. Therefore, this might negatively affect the quality of care provided by novice nurses due to lack of necessary practice and exposure to formal psychiatric-mental health treatment settings during the education process. Thus, I need to develop a plan of action what will help me to overcome this issue and ensure that I am able to provide best possible care.
Plan:
In Canada, one in five people suffer from a mental illness (Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative, 2006), which is 20% of entire population. Nurses literally come upon patients with mental health problems and mental illnesses in all areas of health care (Tognazzini, Davis, Kean, Osborne, & Wong, 2009, p.4). The development of a therapeutic relationship within the mental health setting requires a complex interplay of skills and knowledge, improved by the practice during clinical experience at mental health facilities (Dziopa, & Ahern, 2009). Nurses who graduate without any clinical experience in psychiatric-mental health nursing state that they have insufficient knowledge, skills and confidence in intervening with persons who have mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.6). Research conducted in urban areas has found that many nurses are unprepared to support the mental health needs of persons with mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.6). This supports the literature in emphasizing that clinical experience is highly influential on the extent to which nursing students are able to acquire the desired knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for persons with mental health problems and mental illnesses (Tognazzini et al., 2009, p.7).
The Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses in Canada require that nurses possess knowledge obtained through practical nurse preparation and continuous learning relevant to their professional practice (The Canadian Council for Practical Nurse Regulators [CCPNR], 2013, p.5). So, I am going to continue to study for this course (Mental Health Nursing PSYC -152) and will strive to obtain deeper knowledge and understanding via complementary sources, such as Mental Health Canada http://www.mentalhealthcanada.com/main.asp?lang=e, Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses http://cfmhn.ca/ and Center for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm. Nurses who are interested to learn more about psychiatric-mental health can additionally take courses as continued education, such as Mental Health Nursing for LPNs at NorQuest College or enroll herself into Psychiatric Nursing Diploma program at MacEwan University. Another way to learn more about new trends and best practice is to review relevant nursing research and evidence-base best practice, such as published on Health Canada web-site http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/pubs/adp-apd/bp_disorder-mp_concomitants/index-eng.php or using Nursing Best Practice Guidelines http://rnao.ca/bpg. It is expected that nurse would recognize their own practice limitations and consult as necessary (CCPNR, 2013, p. 4). I am planning to reflect on my uncertainty and doubts, in order to understand if it is lack of knowledge or practice and address it accordingly by seeking information form reliable sources (e.g. Psychiatric and mental health nursing for Canadian practice textbook) or instructions from more experiences colleagues. During my clinical experiences and later during practice, I will try to find opportunities within my clinical experiences to expose myself to different psychiatric-mental health cases and will try to learn more about working with these patients. Following The Standards of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses in Canada, I will engage in ongoing self-assessment of my professional practice and competence, seek opportunities for continuous learning, and recognize the impact of my values and beliefs on nursing practice and nurse-client therapeutic relationships.
Conclusion:
I am convinced that reflection on our own previous experience, analyzing the reason for feeling and reactions is a reliable way to explore our biases, beliefs, norms and value. This knowledge may play a vital role during interactions with a patient who is different from youself. This assignment gave me a chance to acknowledge my fear that without clinical at formal psychiatric-mental health setting I might not be able to be an efficient nurse in future. The research confirmed that clinical experience is an important part of education process. The second part of this paper was dedicated to developing the plan. After searching for options students and practicing nurses have, I realized that there are many possibilities to obtain necessary knowledge and experience.