The metamorphosis of the soul:
Psychiatric nursing as a career choice
Ever
play with butterflies or the concept of butterflies? Maybe you have thought of
yourself as being a butterfly? There is a fine line between reality and
non-reality.
It
has been said that a person who has a genius mind is like a schizophrenic. The
difference lies in the fact that the genius can play with the world of
non-reality and get back out of it. The schizophrenic is locked into the world
of non-reality and cannot get out of it. He or she cannot function in terms of
the real world, while a genius able to do so.
Psychiatric
nursing is unique in that it includes the mental, emotional and behavioral
aspects of patients' lives. It is a medical specialty that focuses on the
prevention of mental illness, its diagnosis and treatment, as well as ongoing
research in that field.
New
registered nurses seeking to become specialized as psychiatric nurses, are
confronted with a challenge that is broad in scope. They will
have encountered numerous situations in their basic training as registered
nurses, in which their patients have been diagnosed and are being treated for
different kinds of psychiatric problems.
Patients
who have psychiatric problems are found in every area of nursing. In other
words, at any moment in time, any registered nurse may be confronted with
someone who is mentally ill, to the point where he or she is disoriented,
destructive or self-destructive. Most registered nurses will receive basic
training in psychiatry, for that reason.
The
word psyche is an ancient Greek word that means either soul or butterfly,
depending upon whether or not one believes in the existence of the soul. (1)
The
word butterfly is an appropriate image for depicting the human soul. The
butterfly is beautiful, but fragile. It goes through different stages in its
metamorphosis and reveals different aspects of its life, as well as its
inherent potential for flight. The human soul is like that.
Psychiatric
problems affect people of all ages. Professional nursing care for psychiatric
patients involves not only children, teens and adults, but also their families
and communities. It entails nursing care that includes the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual realms of patient's lives. Patients may be hospitalized
for diagnosis and treatment or they may be cared for at home or in
institutions. Recently, there has been a growing trend towards more home care
for psychiatric patients, of all ages.
Registered
nurses often seek to become more specialized as psychiatric nurses, after
obtaining their nursing degrees, from colleges or universities. Numerous
post-graduate courses are offered for those who prefer to become psychiatric
nurse practitioners. Some psychiatric nurses may choose to go further and
obtain master's degrees or doctorates in psychiatry.
There
are many different areas where psychiatric nurses can work, including
hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes or psychiatric hospitals. They can be
employed in community agencies or specialized facilities for alcohol and drug
rehabilitation. Some psychiatric nurses prefer to work in the mental health
field, with young children or teenagers. Other psychiatric nurses would rather
work with the elderly. Psychiatric nurses may work in research.
Mental
illness can include many different kinds of disorders with varying degrees of
severity, including schizophrenia, psychosis or bipolar disorder. Behavioral
disorders and depression are mental health problems; so is dementia.
An
important aspect of professional nursing care includes patient assessment,
which in turn, leads to the diagnosis and treatment of various kinds of
psychiatric illness. Treatment may include the administration of medication,
various kinds of psychotherapy or electro-convulsive therapy. Counseling and the
formation of therapeutic alliances, encourages and leads patients towards more
positive and constructive changes in their lives. Crisis intervention or
spiritual intervention by psychiatric nurses, is needed as patients with
mental illness can bring harm to themselves, as well as others in their homes
or communities.
Psychiatric
patients are encouraged to understand themselves more fully, by relating to and
drawing upon the power and strength of the inner self or psyche, which may be
referred to as the divine self.
Physical
care is an important aspect of psychiatric nursing, as patients who are
mentally ill, may not be able to care for themselves properly and may become
ill or require ongoing medical supervision. Supervision is also needed in many
of the psycho-social areas of their lives.
Psychiatric
nursing can be very rewarding, as registered nurses see their patient's lives
improving, but at the same time, there can be repeated regressions that demand
a high level of patience, compassion and understanding on the part of the
psychiatric nurses.
Students,
who wish to become psychiatric nurses, are encouraged to do research online with
regard to mental health, as well as mental illness. They will be able to find a
wide range of high school or community programs that focus on different aspects
of mental health and wellness or caring for those who have been diagnosed as
mentally ill. Many psychiatric programs are becoming prevention-oriented,
rather than directed towards the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
Numerous
community agencies focus on helping people with different kinds of mental
illness and offer recreational programs for these patients. Working as a
volunteer for some of these agencies, may help a student to understand mental
health issues and concerns.
A patient
who is mentally healthy, can enjoy playing with a butterfly or the concept of a
butterfly, while one who is not mentally healthy may see himself or herself as
being the butterfly. Just as a butterfly goes through various stages in life,
so can psychiatric patients who receive the proper diagnosis, treatment and
professional psychiatric nursing care.
Interested
in being a psychiatric nurse? Enjoy playing with the butterflies in your life
or the butterfly concept, while you focus on mental health, both for yourself
and others.
(1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychiatry
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