Registered Community Mental Health Nurse Procedures



DESCRIPTION

This is a regular or scheduled visit by the RCPN to the home of a client, family and significant others to provide nursing care. This helps to restore, maintain and promote clients’ physical, mental and social wellbeing.

AIMS

  1. Prevent client from relapsing
  2. Maintain continuity of care
  3. Interact with clients and family in their natural environment
  4. Identify stressors in the environment
  5. Prevent and or reduce institutionalization and stigmatization
  6. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  7. Ensure compliance
  8. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of an aged client with identified mental illness and his family. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family specific health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific needs of clients in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of care rendered to client by caregivers
  3. Prevent client from relapsing
  4. Interact with clients and family in their natural environment
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  7. Ensure compliance
  8. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of a client diagnosed with epilepsy. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and the coping strategies of client and family
  3. Prevent or minimize the frequency of epileptic attacks
  4. Maintain continuity of care
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  7. Ensure compliance
  8. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a decisive visit by the RCPN to the home of a client diagnosed with depression. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor client’s adherence to treatment and progress of recovery
  3. Monitor the progress of care rendered to client by caregivers
  4. Maintain continuity of care
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  7. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client suffering from mania. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and coping strategies of the family
  3. Monitor the progress of care rendered to client by caregivers
  4. Prevent client from relapsing
  5. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  6. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  7. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client diagnosed with schizophrenia. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s and family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and coping strategies of the family
  3. Monitor the progress of care rendered to client by caregivers
  4. Prevent client from relapsing
  5. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  6. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  7. Build confidence of the client and family
  8. Monitor the client’s home environment for safety

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client suffering from mental retardation. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s and family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and the coping strategies of the family
  3. Monitor the client’s home environment for safety
  4. Promote rehabilitation
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maintain continuity of care
  7. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  8. Build confidence of the client and family
  9. Stimulate physical and mental activity

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client suffering from suicidal tendencies. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s and family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the client’s home environment for safety
  3. Assess client for immediate referral to the nearest health facility when necessary
  4. Maintain continuity of care
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  7. Ensure compliance
  8. Build confidence and boost self-esteem of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client suffering from anxiety disorder. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and the coping strategies of the client
  3. Assess the client’s home environment for safety
  4. Prevent or minimize client’s level of anxiety
  5. Ensure compliance
  6. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  7. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  8. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a special visit made by the RCPN to the home of a client diagnosed with alcohol and or substance abuse. The nurse renders care with respect to the client’s/family identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Promote rehabilitation and reintegration of the client back to society
  2. Monitor client’s adherence to treatment and recovery
  3. Educate client on coping strategies for withdrawal symptoms
  4. Assess the client’s home/work environment for safety
  5. Meet the specific needs of clients in their home/work environment
  6. Interact with client, family and significant others in their natural environment
  7. Prevent client from relapsing
  8. Maintain continuity of care
  9. Assess, identify and manage stressors in the environment
  10. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  11. Ensure compliance
  12. Build confidence and boost self-esteem of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of a client suffering from postpartum depression. The nurse renders care to the client, baby, husband and the family with respect to their specific health needs.

AIMS

  1. Meet the specific health needs of the client, baby, husband/partner and family in their home environment
  2. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and the coping strategies of the client
  3. Assess client’s home environment for safety to prevent suicide and or infanticide
  4. Prevent recurrence
  5. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  6. Maintain continuity of care
  7. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  8. Ensure compliance
  9. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of a client who has defaulted in treatment. The nurse identifies factors influencing the default and help resolve challenges identified. She also educates the client and family on the importance of adhering to treatment and reviews.

AIMS

  1. Identify factors leading to defaults and manage possible relapse
  2. Prevent hospitalization/institutionalisation
  3. Educate client and family on the importance adhering to treatment
  4. Monitor the progress of treatment, recovery and the coping strategies of the client
  5. Assess the client’s home environment for safety
  6. Prevent or minimize client’s level of anxiety
  7. Maintain continuity of care
  8. Assess and identify stressors in the environment
  9. Maximise client, family and societal level of independence of health or wellbeing
  10. Ensure compliance
  11. Build confidence of the client and family

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to a Traditional or Faith Based healer’s establishments where patients suffering from mental illness among others are camped. The nurse renders care with respect to the clients’ identified health needs.

AIMS

  1. Educate clients and caregivers on the WHO’s Quality Rights of persons living with mental illness
  2. Inspect license of the institution
  3. Identify new clients
  4. Follow up on known clients
  5. Educate and promote best practices in the camp
  6. Help initiate referral processes for clients who need further treatment
  7. Reduce complications

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to a prison establishment to liaise with prison health personnel and educate the inmates and other staff to be able to identify individuals showing signs of mental illness.

AIMS

  1. Educate on the WHO’s Quality Rights of persons living with mental illness
  2. Help facilitate referral for clients who may need further assessment and treatment
  3. Assess and manage known clients
  4. Identify, manage or refer new clients
  5. Offer crisis support and safety planning

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a special visit by the RCPN to a correctional facility to educate and assess children and persons who have been convicted of criminal or civil offences. The nurse assists in the rehabilitation of the individuals in the facility back to society.

AIMS

  1. Facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration to the society
  2. Promote the WHO’s Quality Rights of persons living with mental illness
  3. Assess and identify inmates who may need treatment for mental illness and other forms of psychological management

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a form of assessment done by the RCPN on a client in the community to identify risk factors and causes of mental ill health. This can be done during the nurse’s routine activities in the community or through a distress call made to the RCPN on psychiatric emergencies by client, family member/caregiver and or an opinion leader.

AIMS

  1. Assess clients to identify risk factors, causes of mental ill health and refer appropriately
  2. Help mitigate crisis in the family and promote conducive home environment
  3. Early identification of new clients for prompt management
  4. Prevent injury to self and others
  5. Prevent destruction of property
  6. Provides a baseline data for further management
  7. Reduce stigmatization
  8. Inform decision on resource allocations

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is a purposeful visit by the RCPN to the home of client and family to organize family therapy sessions. The nurse facilitates the sessions with respect to health needs and crisis identified in the family.

AIMS

  1. Help mitigate crisis in the family and promote conducive home environment
  2. Promote effective communication in the family
  3. Understand and handle special family situations
  4. Ensure continuity of care and effective rehabilitation

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

Family therapy is a type of psychological counselling done by the RCPN at the facility for clients and family to help them improve upon their communication and resolve conflict. The nurse facilitates the sessions with respect to health needs and crisis identified in the family.

AIMS

  1. Promote effective communication in the family
  2. Promote recovery
  3. Help mitigate crisis in the family and promote conducive home environment
  4. Identify appropriate coping mechanism(s)

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN builds a therapeutic relationship with the client in the community. This makes the client feels respected, comfortable and cooperates with the nurse in disclosing his/her needs.

AIMS

  1. Develop mutual trust between client and nurse
  2. Reduce anxiety and promote recovery
  3. Maintain the dignity of client
  4. Promote effective communication throughout the nurse client relationship

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a clinical assessment process that is used by the RCPN to determine the client current state of mind under the domains of appearance, attitude, behaviour, mood, affect, speech, thought process, thought content, perception, cognition, insight and judgment.

AIMS

  1. Provides a baseline data which enables the RCPN to monitor and evaluate the progress of client’s response to treatment
  2. Obtain useful information in formulating a diagnosis
  3. Plan effective nursing and medical care

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a transfer process initiated by the RCPN in consultation with other health team members from their facility to another facility or hospital in order to meet the needs of the client to ensure continuity of care. This process is initiated after the nurse realizes that the client will need further management in another facility after assessment.

AIMS

  1. Meet client’s specific needs
  2. Ensure continuity of care
  3. Prevent complications
  4. Promote recovery

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN receives a client with mental disorder from another facility or hospital into her unit to be managed for continuity of care. This process occurs after the nurse has received all the needed information about the client from the referral facility.

AIMS

  1. Meet client’s specific needs
  2. Ensure continuity of care
  3. Prevent relapse/complications
  4. Promote recovery

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN transfers a client with psychiatric emergency to a psychiatric hospital for immediate attention. This process is initiated after the nurse identifies a client who is a threat to herself or others.

AIMS

  1. Meet specific need of client
  2. Ensure continuity of care
  3. Provide prompt treatment
  4. Prevent complications

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN teaches and gives information to the client diagnosed of mental disorder and his family on ways of ensuring personal and environmental hygiene at home. This activity helps to enlighten client and family to achieve good health.

AIMS

  1. Promote physical and environmental hygiene of a client living with mental illness

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN teaches and gives information to a group of people in the community, workplace or psychiatric unit on mental and general health issues. This activity helps to enlighten the group to achieve good health.

AIMS

  1. Promote mental and physical wellbeing
  2. Create awareness on general health issues
  3. Promote positive behaviours

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN teaches and gives information on the client’s condition. This is to enlighten the client on the causes, signs, symptoms and management of the disease.

AIMS

  1. Ensure client has insight into the condition and adhere to the treatment regimen
  2. Prevent relapse
  3. Boost confidence
  4. Understand effects of medication and its complications

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

It is an intervention that is used as a last resort to immobilise a client who is aggressive to self, family, community and or properties. It includes the use of medications or minimal mechanical/physical restraint when medications are not readily available. This can be done with the assistance of family members, community, and or the law enforcement agencies.

AIMS

  1. Prevent injuries to client and others
  2. Protect properties
  3. Promote client and community safety

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a therapy in mental health care where the RCPN recommends the referral and or facilitate the admission of a client in the community who has recovered from mental illness including alcohol and or substance use to a rehabilitation centre. This therapy may also be applicable to clients who have suffered from sexual disorders for them to benefit from proper human sexual rights and family values

AIMS

  1. Prevent relapse
  2. Promote reintegration client into society post admission
  3. Promote independence of client

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is when the RCPN helps a client with physical, emotional and mental issues make an informed decision to improve their sense of wellbeing, alleviate feelings of stress or distress and resolve life crises.

AIMS

  1. Relieve stress from client and family
  2. Improve client and family’s wellbeing
  3. Prevent complications/relapse
  4. Build confidence and boost client’s self-esteem
  5. Improve client’s coping mechanism
  6. Provide social and legal support where necessary

TYPES

  1. Counselling the mentally ill at home
  2. Counselling the sexually abuse at home
  3. Counselling client with alcohol or substance abuse disorder at home

DESCRIPTION

This is the process by which the RCPN encourages a client with mental illness to make an informed decision to improve their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.

AIMS

  1. Relieve stress from client and family
  2. Improve client and family’s wellbeing
  3. Prevent complications/relapse
  4. Improve client’s coping mechanism
  5. Provide social and legal support where necessary

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is when the RCPN uses counselling sessions to help victims of sexual abuse to overcome the trauma that might have been experienced.

AIMS

  1. Prevent post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD)
  2. Improve client and family’s wellbeing
  3. Refer victim to the appropriate agencies for redress

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

Durbar is a formal community gathering where the RCPN facilitates the discussion of issues concerning mental health in the community. This enables information dissemination, consensus building and education on issues of importance to the community.

AIMS

  1. Information dissemination
  2. Consensus building
  3. Foster social and behavioural change
  4. Promote good community mental health

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a form of psychotherapy where the RCPN assists a group of clients facing related psychological problems to develop new coping skills and mechanisms in solving their challenges.

AIMS

  1. Help clients identify their challenges and make informed decisions
  2. Boost client’s self esteem
  3. Assist client gain new skills for social survival
  4. Develop self-awareness

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is where the RCPN assist client manage the distress associated with disordered perceptions e.g. hallucination and illusion.

AIMS

  1. Protect the client from harming self and others
  2. Help distinguish between reality and disordered perceptions

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is where the RCPN assist client to replace their disordered thoughts with realistic ones.

AIMS

  1. Protect the client from harming self and others
  2. Help organise/replace their faulty thoughts with realistic ones

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a type of psychological therapy where the RCPN uses leisure activities to assist clients improve on their skills, abilities, overall health and emotional well-being. The nurse works with the clients to set goals and develop plans based on client’s interests and the resources available in the community.

AIMS

  1. Improve and maintain physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual functioning in order to facilitate full participation in life
  2. Help rebuild skills, improve mood, social connections and strengthen quality of life
  3. Improve coping mechanisms

TYPES

  1. Indoor
  2. Outdoor

DESCRIPTION

This is a psychological therapy in which the RCPN works hand-in-hand with the client to bring about positive change in the client’s maladaptive behaviours.

AIMS

  1. Identify the causes for the maladaptive behaviours of the client
  2. Help client appreciate himself and find ways of dealing with life challenges

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a therapy the RCPN uses to help client experiencing psychological stress. It may involve tensing and relaxing muscles throughout the body. The therapist assists the client to focus the mind on positive self and global images through meditations.

AIMS

  1. Help decrease the physical and psychological effects of stress on the client
  2. Relaxes client to cope better
  3. Prevent relapse/complications
  4. Reduce muscle tension, stress, blood pressure and control pain

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a therapeutic setting for individuals requiring treatment for a range of psychosocial challenges. This therapy is done by the use of interpersonal, social and interactive approach for a group of clients in the community with common challenges.

AIMS

  1. Foster positive growth and change in maladaptive behaviour of clients
  2. Increase client independence and gain control over their personal activities
  3. Improve healthier way of thinking

TYPES

  1. N/A

DESCRIPTION

This is a process where the RCPN teaches and gives information on the client’s medication. This is to enlighten the client on the therapeutic and adverse effects of medications.

AIMS

  1. Ensure the client understand the therapeutic and adverse effect of the medication in order to make an informed decision about the treatment
  2. Prevent abuse/addiction
  3. Enhance compliance to treatment regimen
  4. Prevent overdose and under dose of medication

TYPES

  1. N/A