Schizophrenia on Recovery Focused Care

Recovery Focused Care
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Introduction
Schizophrenia is one of the most serious mental disorders, which affects the way that the patient feels, thinks and acts (Scheyett, DeLuca & Morgan, 2013). As such the patients will have difficulty establishing the different between imaginary things and those that are real. Sometimes they will show signs of withdrawal, become unresponsive and even have difficulty expressing normal emotions when in social situations. Contrary to common belief, the patients suffering from schizophrenia do not have split personality, they are not violent and thus not a danger to those around them (Dilks, Tasker & Wren, 2010). It is also crucial to note that, the disorder is not caused by childhood experiences, lack of will power, poor parenting and patients rarely exhibit similar symptoms. However the disorder has been found to be caused by genetics, viral infections, environmental events and extreme stressful situations (Scheyett, DeLuca & Morgan, 2013). Patients with the disorder have been found to have chemical imbalances in the brain; therefore they may have problems processing stimuli (Lakeman, 2010).
Recovery focused care is part of the sustainable means of containing the disorder and helping the patients. Most patients suffering from the condition have a problem leading a normal life. As such, recovery focused care offers the patient a chance to contain the condition using medical interventions as well as social interventions (Dilks, Tasker & Wren, 2010). It is not enough that the patient is not experiencing the symptoms and the relapses as often, as they also have the psychological part to deal with (Scheyett, DeLuca & Morgan, 2013). For the medical practitioners, this means that they have employ the best practices, involving the patient and other professionals to make the best interventions. The interventions have to help the patient with overall health and their well-being (Lakeman, 2010). This means that they have to address the symptoms, relapses, provide information to the clients and encourage social inclusion, such that the patients are able to manage their condition and improve their lives; in essence, interventions should embrace a holistic element.
Purpose of the study: To establish the fundamental elements of a recovery focused program designed for schizophrenia patients
Recovery Focused Care
In 2003 in America the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health that was formed under the president’s office, established a report on mental health titled Achieving the promise: transforming mental health care in America (Caldwell, Sclafani, Swarbrick & Piren, 2010). In the report they noted some of the fundamental components of mental health care directed towards recovery. The report cited that all the interventions directed towards recovery in mental health care must have the elements of respect, self-direction, holistic nature, hope, peer support, responsibility, non-linear care, empowerment, strength based treatment, individualized and person centered care (Caldwell, Sclafani, Swarbrick & Piren, 2010). In light of devising mechanisms to deliver recovery focused care, the rationale for these elements being that they form the backbone of the practices of care. The report further emphasized the fact that, relationships are crucial to the wellbeing of the patient, whether with the medical team or the families and friends.
The key foundations of recovery based care revolve around some key elements that have to be integral to the entire plan. One of the aspects that have to be addressed is that, the interventions have to acknowledge that care is patient and family driven. The rationale in this is that care has to be centered on the patient and not the medical teams. This also means that care decisions have to be run through the patient and their families to see how fitting they are and how the teams can assist (Reynolds & O’Hanlon, 2011). This means that, forcing patient to have medical care is not an intervention that would work. According to Watson, Thorburn, Everett and Fisher in the report titled Care without coercion – mental health rights, personal recovery and trauma‑informed care, the element of forcing patient under treatment is not productive (Watson, Thorburn, Everett & Fisher, 2014). This not only negates from the best nursing practices but also violates the rights of the patient. When the patients are subjected to treatment that they do not support, this increases the chances of having advanced complications as they are put under pressure and stress. This is a situation that cannot breed health and well-being of the patient (Simpson et al., 2015). Respect as mentioned earlier has to be part of the components that holds together the inventions. If the patient does not feel respected they are likely to respond to social interventions in the best way as intended (van der Krieke et al., 2015). This is an element that further tags on to the rationale that the interventions have to be patient centered, where they are involved in every decision of their health and well-being (M. Pierre & A. Wirshing, 2006).
The second key element that has to be observed is that, care has to be focused on the patients’ ability to cope with the challenges in life successfully, while building resilience, healthy relationships, facilitating recovery and not just treating the symptoms (M. Pierre & A. Wirshing, 2006). Part of the patients dilemmas are characterized by difficulty relating with those around them as they do not have the right stimuli responses (Reynolds & O’Hanlon, 2011). This means that the interventions have to be designed in a manner that, the patient have the ability to deal with the stress in their life as well as the emotions that come with interacting with their environment (Dilks, Tasker & Wren, 2010). Simple routines that the patient can handle and remember are crucial to forming that connection with the environment. This way they have a way of remembering and acclimatizing with what is important and what they do not need to heal. Ideally, treating the symptoms does not necessarily help the patient to lead a fulfilling life. It is crucial that the patient’s understand their situation, develop some degree of control over their lives, establish hope and accept the help that they receive from others (M. Pierre & A. Wirshing, 2006). As such, the element of coping with challenges is tied to the implementation of interventions that help the patents to develop better attitudes towards their condition, assimilate feelings, skills, roles and goals of the lives at the personal level. The rationale for this aspect is that it gives the patients the tools to interact with the environment in a much fulfilled manner.
As part of the components highlighted earlier, one other approaches that should be considered in the management of schizophrenia patient’s health and wellbeing is the aspect of community involvement. Recovery focused interventions have to apply the element of peer support and one of the major ways enhancing this aspect is using community (Chui, Mui, Cheng & Cheung, 2012). Within the community is the firm foundation of the social fabric that would enhance the patient’s ability to develop a holistic approach to their wellbeing. The rationale is that, by utilizing both the hospital and community setting, the patient is able to apply themselves and the interventions in a manner that allows them to interact with the environment fruitfully (Chui, Mui, Cheng & Cheung, 2012).
One other aspect that is crucial to consider when addressing recovery focused interventions is that of using multidisciplinary teams approach. In an intervention that is not only considering the management of the symptoms of the disease but also th...