Clinical Reflection

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Clinical Reflection: Therapeutic Use of Self One of the complexities of mental health is the disease’s unpredictability, not only of its progression but also its manifestation. Patient’s mood and behaviors can change in any given moment, so I try to put in to use all theories learned to anticipate and adapt. Each individual patient react differently to the various therapeutic approach. Consequently, their altered mental state makes it difficult for me to apply a generalized perspective towards their care. These patients, however, all have genuine needs to be met. Some of those needs may be attained with as simple as practicing therapeutic use of self. The patient assigned to me during clinical was sleeping in the activity room and asked to be allowed to continue to do so, to which …show more content…

I do not know if it was the shower that comforted and calmed my patient down or the fact that I was there listening, engaging him in a conversation while he was bathing, but his whole demeanor changed after that warm bath. He calmed down and was more pleasant. Hence, the effect of therapeutic communication was profound. By simply making myself available and considering the implication of that one simple request, made a considerable difference in my patients behavior that day. Dementia and the other mental illness may affect the patient’s memory, thinking. and social abilities but there is always that need to experience and express human emotions. Therefore, therapeutically encouraging the patient to express not only his thoughts but also his feelings relieves the patient of those negative emotions. The goals of mental health nursing are to diagnose, to provide protection, to build relationship, and to teach the patient; the greatest of which, I believe, is establishing that trusting and caring

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