October 2017
The importance of calm and confident approach in mental health
Nursing is one of the few professions that involve an elevated level of stress and challenges. Sometimes the surroundings in which nurses perform their work are unpredictable, and the patient needs so individualized that it requires special skills and confidence in making any decision, in order to be an effective nurse. Different areas of work, such as medical intensive unit or mental health environment, involve specific clinical procedures, decision making skills and levels of care. As Ennis (2015) mentions in his article that most of the time, intensive unit nurses assess levels of consciousness or delirium of the patient while in mental health environment the most important skills of the medical caregivers are calmness to an unpredictable situation (Ennis., Happell, &Reid – Searl, 2015). According to Ennis et. al, the clients admitted to the acute mental health facilities are often in crisis during their initial phase of meeting with a medical provider. It is very important for the mental health nurse to help clients develop strategies for safety precaution and guide them well through a crisis. In order to be able to complete all these tasks, nurses need a specialized set of skills.
Methods
Based on the study that was conducted in mental health facilities, calmness and confidence of the clinical leaders in a crisis or a stressful situation was an important factor in the effectiveness of clinical leaders who can manage stressful or crisis situations. Participants identified crisis –driven or unpredictable situations where a clinical leader’s ability to remain calm and confident made a difference to the overall outcome or experience for both staff and clients (Ennis., Happell & Reid – Searl, 2015). They described how nursing leaders in the mental health used a calm and confident approach as a part of the intervention that led to a positive outcome for the clients. Doctors, charges nurses and nurses working with psychiatric patients require a high level of skills in order to maintain a therapeutic relationship with the client during crisis situation. These interventions were described by the clients as a therapeutic, and are playing a significant role on the treatment and recovery of patients.
A confident and calm posture can also have a shaping or corrective impact on the nurses who are new to the field. This is especially true for the undergraduate nurses as they seek to experience and find their preferred area of practice. Demonstrating effective skills of crisis management can help them change their perspective toward mental health service and motivate them to explore the rewarding experience within the psychiatric unit. According to Ennis et. al, in order to nurture the ability to remain calm and confident in aggressive and violent situations or in cases of emergency, the clinical leaders must manage their role well in directing caregivers delegating tasks to the staff. It is very important for clinical leaders to understand that the ability to remain calm and confident in emergency situations serves as a grounding strategy for the caregivers and patients involved, thus eliminating chaos, confusion and maltreatment. This is also true of instances involving aggressive behavior. Remaining calm and confident can help the patient deescalate, and thus, serve as a teaching strategy for self-soothing. Such skills are the essence of the therapeutic intervention, which can lead to a positive outcome for the individuals.
Evaluation of the article
Clinical Leadership in Mental Health Nursing (2015) article contains significant information about how to behave in different crisis situations for mental health clinical leaders based on the study that was done in mental health facilities. Most of the participants in this study described how clinical leaders in mental health nursing used calm and confident approaches in different clinical situations, which had a positive outcome on the clients and positive influence on other people. Also, participants identified occurrences where the ability to remain calm in a crisis situation and make good decisions inspired a sense of respect. Body language is another important approach in treating mental health clients. In the midst of the challenges of mental health patients, a nurse’s ability to remain calm and confident, and to communicate that through her body language can help the patient feel safe, rather than bullied and harassed.
Conclusion
The posture of calmness and confidence of clinical leaders in mental health has an important impact in clients’ positive outcome and also a positive influence on other nurses, especially on undergraduate nurses. Calmness and confidence approaches toward clients in mental health during crisis situations not only build a positive therapeutic alliance, but also provide stability and safety for the patient, often leading them to look at clinical leaders with respect, due to their ability to manage the situation well and make good decision. In conclusion, in order to maintain a calm and confident posture, the clinical leader must continue to develop a high level of skills which will in turn teach clients to develop strategies that will help them navigate safely during times of crises.
Reference
Ennis, G., Happell, B., & Reid-Searl, K. (2015). Clinical leadership in mental health nursing: the
importance of a calm and confident approach. Perspective In Psychiatric Care, 51 (1), 57-62. doi 10.1111/ppc.12070