Reflection Model Of Stigma

Stigma is an important issue for healthcare providers who work in the field of mental health because it put clients at risk for ineffective coping. For organizational purposes, this paper uses the DEAL reflection model developed by Sarah Ash and Patti Clayton (2004). This critical reflection explores nursing students’ role in promoting professionalism and preserving clients’ dignity through the use of trauma-informed practice and anti-stigma health education. For health professionals, realizing the existence and influence of stigma is important for care planning. According to Emma Lindley, a senior researcher, stigma is “a socially mediated phenomenon which is co-created by social difference and prejudice”, though it is possible that

There are 6 principles of trauma-informed care: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration and mutuality, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity (Bair-Merritt, 2015). During my clinical placement, I noticed that clients with a lack of social support tend to have prolonged periods of hospitalization with multiple readmissions and rely heavily on social services. Many hospitalized clients expressed concerns regarding taking “Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)”, though AISH helped clients to relieve financial stress and improve the homeless condition (Duguay & Malacrida, 2009). Many clients feared of becoming dependent on disability funds and being labelled as “useless” or “lazy”. From N309, I learned that stigma arises from labelling, stereotype, otherness, lost of social status, and discrimination. The cause of stigma lies in between client’s ineffective coping with stress (“fear”) and people’s misconception of mental health (“blame”) (Gergel, 2014). People with traumatic experience tend to have more difficulty coping with stressful life events, and trauma-informed care encourages healthcare providers to help clients to produce positive self-perceptions and build resilience with the use of support and encouragement. Hence, I should put myself in the clients’ shoes and be non-judgmental towards

According to the transtheoretical model, moving forward to the next stage of change requires health education and support (BehaviourWorks, 2017). Nonetheless, I noticed that it was essential to explain to the client that compliance with pharmacotherapy could improve clients’ mood and help them gain clarity in the thought process. According to Lindley’s qualitative research, sending anti-stigma message with inclusive dialogue suggestions during the interview will potentially enhance client’s understanding and confidence when talking about mental illness (2012). Thus, I learned that I could provide health education with anti-stigma messages to help clients prevent