Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example

Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example

Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

            Mental health resources are scarcely distributed among most communities within rural areas resulting in a heavy burden on the vulnerable members of the society. As a result, Jones et al. (2018) illustrate that various health care technologies such as video gaming are being prescribed to reduce the prevalence of mental health problems. Additionally, care coordination techniques and community resources such as support groups are utilized to bridge the gap in accessing mental health care. These efforts aim to ensure patient safety, care quality, and the achievement of affordable costs in providing mental health services (Druss & Goldman, 2018). The paper analyzes the assessment to determine the application of health care technology, care coordination, and community resources in reducing the burden associated with limited mental health services in rural communities. Two practicum hours were spent with the family affected by schizophrenia and depression during the assessment. As a result of the discussion, it was determined that concerted efforts from the government and the private sector are necessary to facilitate the application of health care technology, care coordination, and community resources in providing safe, quality, and cost-effective mental health services within the rural community.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

The Impact Of Technology In Addressing Limited Mental Health Care In The Community

            Digital technologies and internet-based interventions have significantly reduced the gap between the prevalence of mental disorders, treatment, and access to mental health care for treating and managing mental health disorders. For example, some technologies include prescription video games and Al-assisted therapy. Accordingly, a study by Abraham et al. (2020) illustrates that video games like Minecraft are designed for children to help them focus on multiple tasks simultaneously within the gaming environment. They provide a connection and a feeling of being part of a community of like-minded individuals who value and share similar goals with the patient. Moreover, they provide mood regulation, reduce rumination, and even initiate joy among the users (Abraham et al., 2020). By playing video games voluntarily, the patient can get intrinsic motivation and break down the stigma associated with depression and schizophrenia.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            Nevertheless, some research studies question the efficacy of prescribing video games to patients with mental illness. Männikkö et al. (2020) explain that the criticisms are associated with its disadvantages, such as its ability to lead to addiction/internet gaming disorder, aggression, anxiety, insomnia, and gaming injuries related to repeated use of muscles and tendons. As a result of the disadvantages, Männikkö et al. (2020) illustrate that replacing the traditional forms of therapy with video games is risky as they cannot offer the conventional support provided by the mental health services. Additionally, there are various barriers to using video games in the management of mental health disorders like depression. They include lack of familiarity with the video content, economic constraints making it difficult to access/purchase the video game equipment, and the limited adoption of gaming in rural communities, making it difficult for most people to accept its benefits.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            In addition to video games, the use of Al-assisted therapy also impacts the accessibility of mental health resources. They include Al chatbots such as Woebot, which are significant in practicing CBT strategies and managing symptoms of mental health illnesses between appointments. According to Shatte, Hutchinson, and Teague (2019), the commonly applied Al subsets are machine learning and natural language processing. Machine learning uses statistical methods and algorithms to design and make clarifications/predictions about how a patient gradually learns (Shatte, Hutchinson & Teague, 2019)(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example). Through this, mental health practitioners can understand psychological symptoms and contextual influences impacting a patient’s mental health and their relationships with the mental health outcomes. Moreover, the technique is applied to predict and understand mental health risks like future suicide risks based on health record data and potential risks of re-hospitalizations for the outpatients depicting severe mental health difficulties. Generally, Shatte, Hutchinson, and Teague (2019) observe that its potential barriers include factors like high costs of acquiring and operating the Al techniques. Also, some mental health facilities may not have the expertise to manage and use the technology.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            Shatte, Hutchinson, and Teague (2019) observe that the advantages of this Al technique include the provision of real-time data which clinicians leverage to expedite and optimize critical decisions, stimulation of tasks like tracking patient histories, assisting research, and saving time and resources by accelerating operations within the healthcare system. Despite the benefits, some researchers have expressed opposing views regarding the use of Al techniques.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) For example, Fiske, Henningsen, and Buyx (2019) argue that the technology may overlook some critical variables like economic restrictions and may lead to inaccuracies due to its heavy dependence on data from various sources such that limited availability of data on a particular illness or environmental factors could lead to misdiagnosis. Notably, this evidence on video games and Al technology has continued to grow in the nursing field. The mental health facilities where I practice nursing have adopted machine learning technology to facilitate support, safety and reduce the cost burdens on the patients.  (Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Care Coordination And Utilization Of Community Resources In Addressing Limited Mental Health Care In The Community

            Care coordination entails the organization of patient care activities and sharing of information among participants dealing with the patient’s care to ensure the provision of safe and effective care (Druss & Goldman, 2018).(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) The activities include medication and care management, assessment, monitoring, follow-up, and linking of community resources. Notably, Jones et al. (2018) illustrate that its benefits include improving the patient’s long-term health by promoting medical access to them and helping create personalized care plans based on the patient’s mental health needs. Also, it improves the provider’s delivery of care. The information about the patient’s mental health is shared among different providers, making it easy to identify their needs. Furthermore, it improves care transitions as the treatment process progresses.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            Consequently, a research study by Kohrt et al. (2018) examining the role of community resources in mental health management found that utilization of community resources such as peer-to-peer or family-to-family education programs and On-Campus Clubs for students is beneficial to the improvement of mental health outcomes of patients. For instance, the resources can be used to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma and discrimination, support recovery and social inclusion of the patients, and reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders (Kohrt et al., 2018)(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example). The evidence from this research depicts how care coordination and utilization of resources are applied in mental health settings within my nursing practice. For example, we have established programs like support groups to care for mentally ill individuals within the community.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            Generally, the barriers to care coordination and utilization of community resources include a lack of needed functionality like data collection programs that provide only a limited amount of data to the coordinators. Also, Kohrt et al. (2018) illustrate that there are challenges with identifying community resources to be used in caring for the patient. These could result from the clinician’s resistance to interacting with other healthcare providers, as most feel that the providers are intruders dictating how they should handle their patients. Jones et al. (2018) observe that the poor relationship makes it difficult to coordinate with inpatient, home health, or therapists in underdeveloped communities. Moreover, patients may be reluctant to engage in care management practices due to a lack of trust in the nurse care managers (Jones et al., 2018). This makes it difficult for them to pay attention and follow self-care practices advised by the caregivers.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Analysis Of State Board Nursing Practice Standards Associated With Healthcare Technology, Care Coordination, And Community Resources

            The nursing standards and policies are designed to guide the effective application of technology in promoting patient safety, care quality and to reduce costs of the nursing intervention to the system and individual (Langer et al., 2018). As a result, Langer et al. (2018) illustrate that when applying the technology, a practitioner offering direct care to the patient should be involved in the setting and evaluation of the institutional and organizational choice of technology to be used. By complying with the standards regarding the quality and safety of the technology, one can ensure that the technology chosen meets the required quality standards and that they consider the safety and cost-effectiveness of the patient and facility using it.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            Consequently, through the standards and policies, care coordination would be improved by ensuring collaboration between nurses and other professions to exchange knowledge and ideas on the best ways of delivering safe and high-quality health care (Langer et al., 2018). As a result, one can develop initiatives to provide team-based patient-centered care and establish a collegial work environment. Furthermore, the standards requiring nurses to regularly evaluate safety, effectiveness, and costs while developing plans for delivery of health care services would be used to effectively apply the limited community resources in ensuring the provision of quality and safe health care (Langer et al., 2018).(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) Through this, one can develop innovative approaches such as treating the mentally ill patients in a nurse-managed health care center where the resources can equitably be distributed among the patients to ensure the provision of safe and quality services and cost reduction to the individual and facility.

            The effects of the policies associated with healthcare technology include; its applied health services research programs that have resulted in the development of knowledge and advancement of technological tools such as Al-assisted therapy tools like machine learning and decision-making models necessary for health care delivery. Moreover, Niveau and Welle (2018) explain that its regulatory roles have resulted in maintaining high-quality health care equipment such as x-rays that can produce accurate and reliable results. Another effect of the regulations is the increase in ethics while handling electronic health records in ways that do not compromise the privacy of the patient’s data, as Niveau and Welle (2018) observe. Additionally, the local, state, and federal policies affect the coordination of care in providing health care services to mentally ill individuals (Langer et al., 2018). The coordination between the state and the federal government has introduced programs like Medicare and Medicaid that have significantly facilitated the provision of health care services to mentally ill patients. Also, Langer et al. (2018) observe that the policies supporting and funding the utilization of community resources such as basic education programs have resulted in improved health conditions and reduced risks associated with mental illness.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

            The nursing code of ethics would be applied to inform care coordination by enabling the provision of the best care to mentally ill patients (Niveau & Welle, 2018). Through this, one can interact and communicate effectively with other interdisciplinary team members to facilitate the provision of quality care coordination. Moreover, Niveau and Welle (2018) observe that one would apply the code of ethics in engaging in consultations and collaboration with other health care colleagues to ensure effective decision-making and planning that can help improve access to mental health resources within the rural communities. In the case of healthcare technology, changes in legislation have given the nurses the duty of advocating for the maintenance of ethics as the patients progress through the continuum of care (Langer et al., 2018). As a result, one can respond to the changes in technology and policies guiding its use by facilitating discussions on patient-centered care and the development of self-care skills based on the responsibility of nurses in ensuring the well-being of the patients (Niveau & Welle, 2018). Similarly, the code of ethics will guide one in establishing and promoting community resources such as support groups for individuals living with mental health problems.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Conclusion

            To sum up, health care technology, care coordination, and community resources are critical in addressing the disparities in mental health resources within rural communities. Research studies by Abraham et al. (2020), Shatte, Hutchinson and Teague (2019), and Jones et al. (2018) support the application of advanced technology like machine learning, coordination of care between different professionals, and the utilization of community resources such as support groups in improving access to mental healthcare. In addition, ethical standards and state/federal standards and policies have effectively facilitated improved access to mental health care among rural communities. These efforts aim to ensure that mental health care services provided are of high quality, safe, and cost-effective to the individual and system.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

References

Abraham, O., LeMay, S., Bittner, S., Thakur, T., Stafford, H., & Brown, R. (2020). Investigating serious games that incorporate medication use for patients: systematic literature review. JMIR serious games, 8(2), e16096.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Druss, B. G., & Goldman, H. H. (2018). Integrating health and mental health services: a past and future history. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(12), 1199-1204.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Fiske, A., Henningsen, P., & Buyx, A. (2019). Your robot therapist will see you now: ethical implications of embodied artificial intelligence in psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy. Journal of Medical Internet Iesearch, 21(5), e13216.

Jones, A., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., & Simpson, A. (2018). Traditions of research in community mental health care planning and care coordination: A systematic meta-narrative review of the literature. PloS one, 13(6), e0198427.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Kohrt, B. A., Asher, L., Bhardwaj, A., Fazel, M., Jordans, M. J., Mutamba, B. B., … & Patel, V. (2018). The role of communities in mental health care in low-and middle-income countries: a meta-review of components and competencies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(6), 1279.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Langer, C. S., Antonelli, R. C., Chamberlain, L., Pan, R. J., & Keller, D. (2018). Evolving federal and state health care policy: toward a more integrated and comprehensive care-delivery system for children with medical complexity. Pediatrics, 141(Supplement 3), S259-S265.

Männikkö, N., Ruotsalainen, H., Miettunen, J., Pontes, H. M., & Kääriäinen, M. (2020). Problematic gaming behavior and health-related outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(1), 67-81.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Niveau, G., & Welle, I. (2018). Forensic psychiatry, one subspecialty with two ethics? A systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 19(1), 1-10.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Shatte, A. B., Hutchinson, D. M., & Teague, S. J. (2019). Machine learning in mental health: a scoping review of methods and applications. Psychological Medicine, 49(9), 1426-1448.(Mental Health Resources Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/