Psychological Complications Resulting From Illnesses and Injuries

Psychological Complications Resulting From Illnesses and Injuries
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The nurse's role goes far beyond that which is expected. Nurses are the main communicators between patients, doctors, and family, and they care for more than just physical ailments. Often, nurses are presented with difficult situations where being an advocate becomes paramount to the healing of the patient. One of the issues that patients with acute and chronic illnesses or extended hospitalization face is a tendency to become depressed. The nurse's role in this situation requires more than just attention to the physical problem. Another situation where a nurse may need to shift his or her care is when a patient presents with a suspicious injury or illness. In addition to considering the legal and ethical responsibilities of the nurse, he or she must consider the psychological undertones that may be present.
Explain your patient encounter, highlighting the challenges the situation presented, and briefly summarize the contents of your journal article.
The patient had been diagnosed with depression following a leg injury. Depression limited his ability to undertake normal daily functions. Additionally, the patient indicated he felt depressed and tired. Nonetheless, it was challenging to ensure there was an effective treatment. The patient was initially skeptical on whether there was a need for intervention, even as this would enhance resilience and recovery. The study by Giummarra et al. (2018) is a systematic review focusing on the effectiveness of early psychological interventions on the severity of psychological symptoms in adults after traumatic injury. The psychological symptoms were assessed in terms of depression, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety. Exposure and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) were singled out as effective interventions for patients with PTSD three months after injuries. Still, the risk-stratified and stepped care was more effective in the population (Giummarra et al., 2018).
What strategies did you employ to help handle the situation? What other strategies could you have used?
A review of past studies on depression management and cognitive behavioral therapy was identified as one of the most effective interventions in patients with depression. The PHQ-9 tool was used to determine the severity of depression was administered, and the self-reported survey tool provided insights on the need to alleviate depression (Levis, Benedetti, & Thombs, 2018). Subsequently, a mental health practitioner was contacted to help implement the CBT intervention to alter nega...