Comorbid Mental Illness on Acute Medical Units

Overview

What do you think when you have a patient with pneumonia and a history of mental illness? Before even meeting the patient, do you assume you’ll face difficulty providing care? Several questions may come to mind: How much time will I need to dedicate to this patient? Will the patient take prescribed medication? What if the patient is aggressive? If the patient requires sedation, will that worsen their medical condition? These concerns and others may affect your nursing care.

A recent article in The Hospitalist refers to patients with an acute medical condition and a comorbid psychiatric illness as a management problem. However, rather than viewing these patients as problems, treat them holistically to help reduce symptoms and ensure quality, compassionate care. Take time to learn more about mental illness and how you can address patients’ symptoms and concerns.

Key Learning Outcomes

1. Describe nursing care for patients on an acute medical unit who have comorbid mental illness.
2. Discuss education and effective communication skills essential for nurses caring for patients on the medical unit with comorbid mental illness.
3. Define how caring for patients on a medical unit with mental illness in a holistic manner can help reduce symptoms and ensure quality, compassionate care.
4. Discuss nursing interventions in caring for patients on a medical unit with underlying mental illness.

Presented by:

Christy Perry, DNP, PMHNP, ANP, and Sattaria Dilks, DNP, PMHNP, FAANP

Christy Perry is an assistant professor at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Sattaria Dilks is department head of graduate nursing at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.