“Therapeutic Therapy” plus 1 more nursing article(s): NursingCrib.com Updates
| |  |
| Therapeutic Therapy Posted: 10 Mar 2011 08:05 PM PST 
- A simple type of milieu therapy by which the total social structure of the treatment unit is involved in the helping process.
Goal and Objectives - To help the patient develop a sense of self-esteem and self- respect.
- To help him learn to trust others.
- To improve his ability to relate to others and with authority.
- To return him to the community, better prepared to resume his role in living and working.
Elements - People
- Organized activities
- Environment
Characteristics of therapeutic community - Emphasis on social and group interaction
- Focusing communication
- Sharing responsibilities with patient
- Living and learning abilities
Therapeutic Activities - Music appreciation thru arts
- Craft and occupation therapy
- Newspaper discussion
- Bibliotherapy
- Activities of daily living
- Calisthenics
- Indoor/ outdoor games
- Play therapy
Therapeutic Meetings - Circle meeting – highlights of 24 hours
- Small group – personal problems of patient
- Community meeting – problems of patient encountered in the ward of general interest
- Treatment planning – treatment regimen of a patient
- Discharge planning conference – discharge plan for patient
- Patient government meeting – officers of the patients discuss issue related to their welfare
- Staff's shift-to-shift meeting – discussion of the demotion and promotion of patient status
Attitude therapy - Prescribed ways on how to handle mentally ill patients according to the behavior symptoms they manifest.
Types of attitude therapy - Active friendliness – withdrawn patient
- Passive friendliness – paranoid patient
- Kind-firmness – depressed client
- Matter-of-fact – manipulative/ demanding client related
- No demand – furious in rage
Characteristics of attitude therapy - Consistency must be used in order for the client to reach the maximum therapeutic value.
- All persons who come in contact with the patient should have a uniform attitude.
- Should be prescribed by the physician and should be individualized depending on the individual needs.
 |
| Cognitive Disorders Posted: 10 Mar 2011 07:51 PM PST 
- Cognitive disorders are characterized by the disruption of thinking, memory, processing, and problem solving.
- Types of cognitive disorders include: delirium, dementia, and memory loss disorders (amnesia or dissociative fugue).
Risk Factors - Physiological changes such as neurological, metabolic, and cardiovascular disease.
- Cognitive changes
- Family genetics
- Infections
- Tumors
- Sleep disorders
- Substance abuse
- Drug intoxications and withdrawals
Signs and Symptoms - Irritability; mood most frequently seen in organic brain disorder.
- Change in level of consciousness.
- Difficulty thinking with sudden onset.
- State of awareness ranging from hyper vigilance to stupor or coma.
- Impairment in cognition and thought process, particularly short-term memory.
- Anxiety
- Confabulation
Therapeutic Nursing Management - The nurse plays a primary role in providing a safe environment for the client and others.
- Exogenous stimuli in the environment can intensify the client's level of orientation.
- Cognitive changes may often include a period of confusion or forgetfulness.
- The nurse may encourage family members to bring photographs or familiar items as strategy to orient the client.
- Psychological treatment may focus more on the family to offer them support during this stressful time.
- Cognitive changes affect the family and care providers. Cognitive decline often means a change in the family roles and activities of daily living.
- Pharmacologic therapy is implemented to reduce or alleviate the associated symptoms such as antianxiety medications, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.
Nursing Interventions - Determine the cause and treatment of the underlying causes.
- Remain with the client, monitoring behavior, providing reorientation and assurance.
- Provide a room with a low level of visual and auditory stimuli.
- Provide palliative care with the focus on nutritional support.
- Reinforce orientation to time, place, and person.
- Establish a routine.
- Client protection may be required.
- Have client wear an identification bracelet, in case she or he gets lost.
- The client should not be left alone at home
- Break test into small steps, giving one instruction at a time.
 |
