Therapeutic Self-Awareness in Nursing

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Questions and Answers

What is an example of a tertiary level prevention strategy?

Any of these

Tertiary prevention (correct)

Primary prevention

Secondary prevention

Which characteristic is essential for a psychiatric nurse to accurately sense another person’s inner experiencing?

Unconditional Positive Regard

Empathy (correct)

Genuineness

Respect

What is the role of a psychiatric nurse as a ward manager in a psychiatric setting?

Creating a therapeutic environment (correct)

Assessing skin problems

Providing health education

Monitoring blood pressure

Which activity falls under health promotion in psychiatric nursing?

Health education Signup and view all the answers

In psychiatric nursing, what does the ability to use therapeutic tools appropriately refer to?

Genuineness Signup and view all the answers

Which level of prevention strategy involves monitoring medication administration in psychiatric care?

Secondary prevention Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of exploring in therapeutic communication?

To prevent overwhelming the client with multiple factors or problems. Signup and view all the answers

Which technique focuses on concentrating on a single point in therapeutic communication?

Focusing Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of focusing in therapeutic communication?

To concentrate energies on a single point. Signup and view all the answers

Which technique involves asking the client to consider appropriate behaviors in future situations?

Formulating a Plan of Action Signup and view all the answers

If a client refuses to explore a subject in therapeutic communication, what should the nurse do?

Respect the client's decision and not push them to explore further. Signup and view all the answers

Why is formulating a plan of action considered beneficial in therapeutic communication?

To help clients consider appropriate behaviors for future similar situations. Signup and view all the answers

When a nurse asks a client to verbalize what they perceive, what is the main rationale behind this technique?

To understand the client's perspective Signup and view all the answers

What is the rationale behind encouraging clients to compare ideas, experiences, or relationships?

To help clients recall effective coping strategies Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for a nurse to understand his or her own feelings and beliefs?

To better communicate and understand others Signup and view all the answers

What does self-awareness entail according to Campbell (1980)?

Understanding one's personality, emotions, and motivation Signup and view all the answers

How does self-awareness benefit a nurse's interactions with clients?

By enhancing communication and understanding Signup and view all the answers

Why does encouraging a client to describe ideas fully play a significant role in therapeutic communication?

To relieve the tension the client is feeling Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of asking a client to appraise the quality of their experience in therapeutic communication?

To guide clients to assess their own experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Johari Window according to Luft (1970)?

To create a word portrait of a person in four areas Signup and view all the answers

When a nurse explores a subject or idea further with a client, what is the primary aim of this technique?

To delve deeper into the client's thoughts Signup and view all the answers

Why should a nurse understand themselves before trying to help others?

To recognize clients' values without judgment Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a nurse understands their own feelings and beliefs?

They improve their ability to communicate and understand others Signup and view all the answers

Why might asking clients to consider people and events based on their own values be an important aspect of therapeutic communication?

To encourage independent thinking and appraisal Signup and view all the answers

Which neurotransmitter is known for its excitatory effects and has been implicated in brain damage from conditions like stroke and Alzheimer's Disease?

Glutamate Signup and view all the answers

What effect do drugs that increase GABA function, such as benzodiazepines, typically have?

Treatment of anxiety and sleep induction Signup and view all the answers

In Alzheimer's Disease, individuals tend to have a decreased number of neurons that secrete which neurotransmitter?

Acetylcholine Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the maximal therapeutic effect that can be achieved by a drug?

Efficacy Signup and view all the answers

What describes the amount of drug needed to achieve the maximum effect?

Potency Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to the amount of time it takes for half of the drug to be removed from the bloodstream?

Half-life Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychiatric Nursing

Monitoring of medication administration, blood pressure, and skin problems are all examples of prompt treatment.
Helping a patient find an alternative to their home after it was destroyed by a fire is an example of tertiary level of prevention strategy.

Health Education

Health education, communication, and information dissemination are examples of activities under health promotion.

Characteristics of a Psychiatric Nurse

Empathy: the ability to see beyond outward behavior and sense accurately another person's inner experiencing.
Genuineness/Congruence: the ability to use therapeutic tools appropriately.
Unconditional Positive Regard: respect for the client.

Roles of the Nurse in Psychiatric Settings

Ward Manager: creates a therapeutic environment.

Therapeutic Communication Techniques

Exploring

Definition: delving further into a subject or idea.
Examples: "Tell me more about that.", "Would you describe it more fully?", "What kind of work?"
Rationale: helps clients examine issues more fully and understand their problems better.

Focusing

Definition: concentrating on a single point.
Examples: "This point seems looking at more closely.", "Of all the concerns you have mentioned, which is most troublesome?"
Rationale: helps clients concentrate on a single point and prevent overwhelming feelings.

Formulating a Plan of Action

Definition: asking the client to consider kinds of behavior likely to be appropriate in future situations.
Examples: "What could you do to let your anger out harmlessly?", "Next time this comes up, what might you do to handle it?"
Rationale: helps clients plan in advance and develop coping strategies.

Encouraging Description of Perceptions

Definition: asking the client to verbalize what he or she perceives.
Examples: "Tell me when you feel anxious", "What is happening?", "What does the voice seem to be saying?"
Rationale: helps the nurse understand the client's perspective and relieve tension.

Encouraging Expression

Definition: asking the client to appraise the quality of his or her experience.
Examples: "What are your feelings in regard to..?", "Does this contribute to your distress?"
Rationale: helps the client make their own appraisal and develop self-awareness.

Self-Awareness

Definition: understanding of one's personality, emotions, sensitivity, motivation, ethics, philosophy of life, physical and social image, and capacities.
Importance: necessary for the nurse to understand himself or herself before trying to help others.
The JOHARI WINDOW is a tool that can be used to learn more about oneself.

Neurotransmitters

Histamine

Role in mental illness is under investigation.
Some psychotropic drugs block histamine, resulting in weight gain, sedation, and hypotension.

Acetylcholine

Synthesized from dietary choline found in red meat and vegetables.
Persons with Alzheimer's Disease have a decreased number of acetylcholine-secreting neurons.

GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

Drugs that increase GABA function are used to treat anxiety and induce sleep.

Glutamate

An excitatory amino acid that can have major neurotoxic effects at high levels.
Implicated in brain damage caused by stroke, hypoglycemia, sustained hypoxia or ischemia, and some degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease.

Psychopharmacology

Important terms to know: efficacy, potency, and half-life.

Efficacy

Refers to the maximal therapeutic effect that can be achieved by a drug.

Potency

Describes the amount of drug needed to achieve that maximum effect.
Drugs with a low potency require higher dosages to achieve efficacy.

Half-Life

The amount of time it takes for half of the drug to be removed from the bloodstream.
Drugs with a shorter half-life may need to be given multiple times a day, while drugs with a longer half-life may be given once a day.

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Description

Explore the concept of self-awareness in nursing practice, including understanding personality, emotions, beliefs, and attitudes. Discover the importance of nurses gaining recognition of their own feelings and beliefs before helping others.