Preface

Assisting clients to promote a repertoire of healthy coping skills and effective ways of functioning in society is the ultimate goal of psychiatric mental health nursing. To meet this goal, the nurse must establish a therapeutic environment in which the person feels safe and accepted. The development of interpersonal rela-tionships to facilitate communication and the use of a problem-solving approach constitute the foundation for excellent nursing care.

To meet this nursing care challenge, it is essential that the nurse operate from a strong knowledge base in order to enhance therapeutic use of self in the clinical setting. This book endeavors to provide the nurse with essential information to use as a re-source in providing quality nursing care to diverse clients with emotional problems in an array of settings.

The purpose of this book is to be a guide for practicing nurses and students to use in the construction of individualized plans of care for psychiatric clients. More specifically, it provides the nurse with practical information on the principles of care related to distinct emotional disorders. This book is divided into chapters based on the major psychiatric mental health problems identified in nursing practice settings and on the major psychiatric disorder categories included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). Each chapter is constructed using the nursing process framework, and every section includes an overview containing essential background information on the particular types of emotional disorders presented. In the clinical presentation section, crucial assessment data are incorporated. The most current North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) nursing diagnoses that are relevant to caring for psychiatric clients are listed. Pertinent nursing interventions and their accompanying rationales are provided. Emphasis has been placed on communication skills that nurses will find valuable in interacting with their clients. Appropriate information on related therapies is also included.

Additionally, the nursing care needs of a client with H1V/ AIDS and of the homeless person with chronic mental illness are presented because these populations have increasingly become a major concern of health care professionals. A chapter on the special needs of the abused person is included because nurses often encounter clients who have been victims of abuse. Inclusion of this information empowers nurses to be in the forefront to deal effectively with the most pervasive and complex of present-day social issues.

To enhance readability and easy access to relevant material, the book is written in an outline format after a concise and informative overview of information is presented. The inclusion of tables contributes to the succinct coverage of major components of nursing care. At the end of the book, the reader will find appendices that illustrate the complete listing of current NANDA nursing diagnoses, the DSM-IV classification with details on the multiaxial system, and a guide for a mental status assessment. An overview of the most commonly used psychiatric drugs is presented and basic information is provided on sexual and gender disorders. Finally, selected references are furnished for the nurse who desires to do further study on current clinical concepts of psychiatric mental health nursing care.

This book can be used as a resource for nurses as they endeavor to meet the challenge of providing the most humane and holistic care for people with psychosocial health issues.