Introduction
The foundation of reflective practice in nursing is very evident, especially in the mental health and psychotherapy field. It is about a long and self-aware journey within your professional Field that gives better understanding and opportunities to express your emotions, no matter the patient’s Primary Health condition. This journal is about an unforgettable meeting with a humanized patient whose surgery has sharply laid open the role, a more exact role of PMHNP, which deals with patients who do not have psychiatric disorders. While I am taking this reflection into account, I will look into the emotional side of me, triggers in me and the extent of the influence of these aspects on me and my work either as a business leader or an employee.
Patient Interaction: A Turning Point
A footnote in my nursing career comprises an experience involving a patient named Alex, for whom I will be using the code name. He had severe diabetes, which ultimately led to the deterioration of his health, threatening to claim his limb through amputation. The psychological and emotional effect of the traumatic experience was evident in Alex-it was not psychiatric, but the fact remains. It was not about the complicated nature of Alex’s physical manifestations of the illness; instead, it was the profound and mysterious sense of despair and hopelessness that they experienced, xeroxing a dark shadow of their will to fight for their health. The following fact made a significant impact on the connection between psychiatric mental health nurses and the patient more conspicuous because it was a reminder that the core of psychiatric mental health nursing is outside the limits of typical diagnosable mental health conditions. It compels the hearts of the people to accusation and sympathy, which is reflected in the cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being of a patient.
Impact on Understanding of PMHNP Role
I charge interacting with Alex the most on the issue of the PMHNP role, this critical fact is that the PMHNP is not one occupation that fits all the patients in the same manner. It not only gave me insights into how psychiatric nurses are more than practitioners of mental health but also provide holistic care to patients. That is to say, seeing the need for mental health support for those affected by chronic physical ailments arrived to my mind like an epiphany, and I realized that it should be integrated into existing care. Being a part of witnessing the way Alex was struggling and the interdependent relationship between physical and emotional health taught me that our vocation is not to just treat only the symptoms but to help the whole human being, i.e., to be the one who is nurturing the person. This foundation has underlined the very nature of health by expounding the need for cookies with the implication that nurses have a significant role in this (Nicholas et al., 2021). I hence intend to pay these issues attention as I plough on in my practice to offer patients with a holistic care irrespective of their nature of health challenge or illness.
Personal Strengths and Limitations
The interaction with Alex brought to the forefront my sensitivity to emotions, which is a powerful characteristic of mine. This empathy not only helped me to connect with Alex on a deeper level but also created a comfortable place where he could share his fears and frustrations. Both of these attitudes made possible Alex’s deepening to transcend his fears and discover his inner strengths. During the first couple of sessions, my ability to authentically listen and validate their feelings helped to nurture a better therapeutic relationship, which in turn made it more effective. I realized that my innate power of empathizing with these patients and having a genuine concern for them is one of the most valuable tools in psychiatric mental health nursing since it allows me to comfort and mother these patients when they are in a fragile state.
However, this strength also revealed a personal limitation: keeping up emotional distance progress. The fact that my connection to Alex deeply affected me to the extent that I felt drained emotionally as I knew that I had to think about their welfare all the time, even outside duty hours. I was able to see the impact of psychoanalysts, and I learned how to ensure self-awareness and set boundaries for my emotional resilience. Understanding this limitation, I have sought to practice self-care strategies and professional development, which will always enable me to keep up with compassionate care while pledging to myself that my emotional health is protected.
Therapeutic Use of Self
I effectively employed myself in the therapeutic process by respecting their attributes- being empathetic, concerned, and always ready to help someone who is in need. The process, therefore, was enabled to be supportive and trustworthy. It bears mentioning that this approach is the core of psychiatric nursing. It requires paying close attention to what a patient has anguished about, making their concerns heard and understood, and giving a patient comfort that breaks the stereotypical patient-provider scheme. Through discussing relevant personal experiences while showing my vulnerability, I really wanted to remove the mysteries associated with healthcare processes and just pretend that I know them and remain a more connected individual. Clearly, this is strategic self-disclosure, and at the same time, it is an example of how to open up about fears and master resilience (Datta-Barua and Hauser, 2023). The efficiency of our engagement plan was easy to observe as Alex became more involved in their treatment plan and began to switch their emotional needs without pain. I understood at a deeper level what an excellent healer empathy can be and that an authentic bond between the prescriber and the patient actually may boost the positive results.
Learning and Future Application
I am moved to think about my experience with Alex. Although it is not the most accessible theme to understand, but a very enlightening one, just to show that caring for patients inceptionally is essential for nursing practice. Through this, I have come to realize the interdependence of physical health and psychology, this fact making me now sure that to heal my patients extends beyond treating the physical symptoms to supporting their mental and emotional well-being. Along the way, I have discovered that what care boils down to is the feeling of genuine compassion, acceptance, and giving attention to the person as an entire entity (Davis et al., 2023). Moving ahead, I will consider this insight in my future evaluations of the patient’s conditions. Now, I am more compelled than ever before in order to incorporate humanistic techniques into my professionalism, with a chance that every injured person will be taken for medical treatment but also psychological support and kindness. This balance between medical and personal care is more than just another professional responsibility. It’s just a personal statement of mine (Fiske et al., 2020). It means dealing holistically with the health cases; this implies patient needs assessment and provision of care that fosters healing and rehabilitation through the promotion of total well-being.
Conclusion
Reflective experience is an outstanding part of the PMHNP’s toolset. Since our lives and interactions are pretty superficial in the modern world, it can help one understand and experience these encounters on a deeper level, which will allow you to become aware of the traits that are critically important for our business, such as empathy, resilience and the complexity of health. My handling of Alex, a patient with medical circumstances other than psychiatric disorders, was a touching manifestation that psychiatric mental health nursing is not limited to treating the conditions alone. It pointed out which factors are the most important in the whole treatment process and why the emotional and mental support of patients is significant for their recovery. I discovered through this self-reflection the need for emotional boundary management plus the significance of self-care so as to continue doing it professionally with contents that meet the patient’s needs. Ever since I had this internship, I have always been certain that the ideas learned from the experiences will stay with me till I finish my career. I am dedicated to creating a place that serves total human wellness – the mind, body, and spirit.
References
Datta-Barua, I., & Hauser, J. (2023). Clinician self-disclosure in palliative care: describing a taxonomy and proposing a communication tool. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, 40(9), 987-993.
Davis, A., Repair, P., Wilson, M., De Luca, E., Doutrich, D., & Thanasilp, S. (2023). Transforming nurse self-care through the integration of spirituality: lessons from international collaboration in palliative care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 34(1), 91-99.
Fiske, A., Buyx, A., & Prainsack, B. (2020). The double-edged sword of digital self-care: Physician perspectives from Northern Germany. Social Science & Medicine, 260, 113174.
Nicholas, P. K., Breakey, S., Tagliareni, M. E., Simmonds, K., & Sabo, K. K. (2021). Climate change and population health: Incorporating stages of nursing’s political development. Nursing Outlook, 69(1), 65-73.
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