Health_Psychologly_Committee_Report

Health Psychology Committee Report By Joanne Petrie HCA/250 Marie Smith Axia College University of Phoenix 9/14/11 Health Psychology Committee Report In my effort to accomplish or solve patient health care, to regulate by reducing the length or duration of hospitalizations and employ use to enhance the adherence to medical systematic plans, the Health Psychology Committee has established a branch of medicine that deals with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders that are compromised of five personnel that are responsible for carrying out the psychological stage of work that will enable the treatments of individuals under medical care to be on a more rational and complete level. By carrying out hospitals (Child Development Institute, 2008). If this were the only reason to carry out the use of the science of mind and behavioral methods in the treatment of individuals this would be enough reasons exclusive of anyone or anything else. Although, taking into regard the plainly true presence of stress in any instance of not being in good health, and the fact that stress not only effects behavior responses but also impairs immune system functioning by changes in the body’s physical systems, the role of psychology becomes even more evident in providing patient care (Sarafino, 2006). By uniting the study of science of mind and behavior into health care the patient can experience the amount of stress being reduced which will in the end increase or improve their overall health. This will have a beneficial or tangible effect in shorter hospitalizations and enrich patient flexibility with treatment regimens. An individual awaiting or under medical care will be well or better equipped with the necessary tools or skills to successfully cope and adapt with a assortment of illnesses. Operative coping plans or methods can only be gained or planned by action or efforts used through the use of psychological procedures. J. Petrie 1 Program Overview & Emphasis The five psychologists will develop within a particular scope the psychiatry division. These positions will include a child and adult psychologist, abuse counselor, inpatient-only psychologist, and a pain management specialist. Each one who specializes will work closely with their patients and also work with other professional specialists in the field to ensure the patient’s medical needs are sufficiently consigned to the direct care of another. In addition, the distributing among a number of specialists will meet on a regular basis as a whole to investigate by reasoning or argument their patient’s management action plans and determine the importance of patient progress. Patient treatment and interaction plans will have a high level of industrialization and high standard of living using the positive approach in psychology. The human strengths of hope and self-control will be the main subject or focus. Individuals who have high levels of ability and skills to control their internal states are less likely to succumb to negative effects of stress the fostering of self-control is essential to patient health (Bolt,2004). Patients can experience or take part in their treatment plans to reinforce their self-control thus effecting the cause of increased positivity to- wards their medical or illness regimens. Troubled areas will be assessed and identified, and realistic goals to be achieved on behavior or thinking processes will be set, something that promotes well-being of these desired ends toward which effort is directed will be identified, and possible progress or achievement will be assessed with a detailed program for overcoming such achievements so patients can take part in monitoring their gradual betterment. The patients social support network will be assessed and utilized as well (Bolt, 2004). J. Petrie 2 Child Psychologist The child psychologist of the psychiatry division will have tasks assigned to duty which include to work jointly with local schools to ensure the actual fulfillment of various health educational programs for school aged children. This curriculum would include exercise and nutritional outlines which would promote healthy behavior. These psychologists would work and perform with the schools to identify the areas of special interest and needs for educational issues. For example: If a school is in a poverty stricken location with high crime turn-out and drug use is apparent, the most evident need would be for a program proposal that would create alternative measures for children that promote positive behavior in the attempt to stop the likelihood for straying from standard, principles, or normal behaviors. The psychologist will also be responsible for the labor or task of helping the child to cut down on stress and reduce anxiety issues during patient hospitalization. Particular attention will be paid to avoid separation disorder in the event of the guardians or parents absence (Sarafino, 2006). The child clinical psychologist will also work with the patient outside of prior hospital- ization with the aim of educating their patients about their approaching hospitalization or procedures in the effort to diminish the feelings of worrying. The psychologist will also tour the hospital with the patient to familiarize the patient with the surroundings (Sarafino, 2006). The psychologist will be accountable to bring into common action group meetings in which children that are willing and able to interact with other kids on a routine basis in a unified building of social activity designed for children. During these group fellowships the psychologist will be available to inspect and determine any noticeable physical or behavioral controversy which may need attentiveness and will then consult the other members of the staff to refer J. Petrie 3 and address their medical needs. The child psychologist will acknowledge each child on a regular basis and operate closely with their families, doctors, specialists, surgeons and any other staff members to ensure the least possible stress for the child during their procedure or illness. Adult Psychologist The psychologist for the adult population will be held accountable for psychological actions or processes for adults preceding any surgery, medical steps followed in regular definite order, and disorders of stress to be diagnosed by carrying out any necessary stress-relief interactions and work with the patient to ensure skills of coping to promote a successful adjustment to terminal or chronic diseases or illness. The psychologist will also accommodate or work with other divisions of labor when absolutely needed in the effort to provide and promote the most desirable or satisfactory pain management, stress relief interventions and emotional well-being of their patients. If the patient requires a more complex pain method of management for their ailment the adult psychologist will provide a procedure to the specialist of pain management. The psychologist will operate closely with their patients on a one-on-one level as well as providing medical services to families who may need assistance in dealing with chronically or terminally ill loved ones. In many cases that involve a terminal illness the psychologist will talk about hospice care, a living will and funeral arrangements and any other legal matters regarding the healthcare of their patients and their final stage preparations. Substance Abuse Counselor The Abuse Substance counselor will be held accountable for actions or processes in the use of J. Petrie 4 rescue programs for the excessive use of drug substance abusers. Therefore, the substance abuse counselor will operate with a social worker to establish after care plans that are effective and in place upon a patient discharge. Those who are suffering from substance abuse or addiction must get an intervention that addresses both their psychological and physical dependencies (Sara- fino, 2006). The syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that follows a dis- continuance of an addicting drug must be dealt with carefully and on a case of specific levels to guarantee the minimal amount of psychological distress and physical discomfort. The substance abuse counselor will consider and develop a plan of intervention or initial detoxification methods for their patient which is case approved for applying various techniques of treatment regimens that include medical services when necessary. Patient readiness for the accepted changes will be assessed before they begin treatment. These patient’s identified to be in the contemplation or preparation stage will be considered for intensive treatment regimens which will consist of a detoxification process followed by an intensive individual and group therapy session which the abuse counselor finds suitable to their specific case (Sarafino, 2006). These group meetings will help the patient to identify their addiction with other patient’s that are also in recovery program to process and provide hope and inspiration to the patient. Individual therapy methods will help aid in the initial stages of coping skills and reduce the relapse stage by reducing the patient’s stressors and increasing their confidence. The Abuse counselor will provide a stress plan of management involving meditation and relaxation exercises and cognitive restructuring to help aid the client in his or her ability to develop constructive and thought patterns of realistic views to relate to his or her recovery methods (Sarafino, 2006). J. Petrie 5 Treatment of the addict will shift from a focus on pathology, illness and disease symptoms to the pursuit of health and wellness through a variety of treatment options on a need specific basis appropriate to each individual patient (Recovery and Mental Health, 2008). As hope is a critical emotion to recovery from addiction this shall remain the main theme of approach to treatment (Recovery and Mental Health, 2008). Inpatient-only Psychologist The tasks and duties of the inpatient-only psychologist include the implementation of out- patient healthcare for the recovering addict, working with the terminal or chronically ill or acute client to incorporate effective methods of coping and adjustment skills and providing the client with preparation training before any medical services are rendered. The coping skills are developed for the inpatient by working closely with their psychologist to help identify the strategies that are beneficial to the patient. These coping methods may include a variety of strengthening and meditation or relaxation exercises, distraction skills, and biofeedback and imagery methods. The psychologists will use an operant approach to treatment when necessary (Sarafino, 2006). The psychologist will also provide and assess an initial pain management or assessment diagnosis of each patient and develop a plan of action for the patient’s pain level which in turn will be forwarded to the pain specialist for cases involving or experiencing chronic pain or symptoms which may be complicated by other aggravating circumstances such as a patient that is identified as an addict or who is in a recovery program or treatment regimen. Pain Management Specialist The pain management specialist is a psychologist who is trained in patient pain regimens. By eliminating or reducing pain effectively in their patients, the patient will become more motivated J. Petrie 6 to adjust or adhere to medical techniques or regimens, and will uphold and maintain an optimistic attitude and have a greater sense of hope regarding their recovery or illness (The Health Psychology Network, 2008). In many cases that involve patients who need or require an extensive pain recovery regimen for their illnesses or procedures which result in pain that is not easily taken care of or managed, either chronic, or in the event that the patient is a known addict or recovering substance abuser where careful plans of action and thorough attention needs to be concerned with to help in the aid of treating the patients pain situation, this psychologist will be held accountable for developing the most important and beneficial method of treatment options for the patient. Acute pain can be treated with prescribed medications by the pharmaceutical drug stores which are prescribed by the psychologist who finds which pain medications are appropriate for each case. The effort of the psychologist will examine all possible methods of pain treatment to reduce the likelihood of dependence and find a cure to help aid in ongoing relief. Narcotic treatment regimens will be continuously and closely monitored by the pain specialist and when the appropriate time shows that the patient is responding to treatment and recovering the patient will be switched to a non- narcotic drug such as NSAID drugs or over-the-counter pain reducers. In addition, the specialist can recommend other methods of pain management and relief regimens including meditation and relaxation exercises, physical therapy, massage and cognitive restructuring training, and biofeedback training, while also working on an individual level with their patient to enhance their coping skills (The Health Psychology Network, 2008). In many cases of terminal or chronic illness this specialist will be useful to ensure the patient is kept as comfortable and pain free as possible with close observation and monitoring of each client. To conclude, that healthcare has been very successful in treating and maintaining a patient’s physical inabilities of illness without the added benefits of psychological interventions. We now know that we must not lose sight of the factors that a patient is a unique person. Each and every individual has feelings and thoughts that are related to their health and well-being status. To treat the patient as a “whole individual”, we must not forget or ignore the emotional health of these patients. By incorporating psychology into our total healthcare system, we are surely guaranteed a much better outcome for those people who are in need of services provided by specialists. Hope is our only salvation, and is sometimes the only thing we have to look forward to, to bring us through our dark hours of need, and is the essential to patient care in attitude and behavioral functioning (Bolt, 2004). Hope is the mainstay and is able to be fostered through our psychologists and specialist. Everyone deserves the afforded opportunity to have essential access to one or more of the elements or divisions of psychiatry which is available in most hospitals. REFERENCES Sarafino, E.P. (2006). Health psychology biopsychosocial interactions (5th ed.) Hoboken, N.J.: JohnWiley & Sons. Child Development Institute (2008). Helping your child deal with fears & phobias. Retrived March 9, 2010 from http://www.cdipage.com/ Recovery and Mental Health (2008). Community Care, Issue 1737, 32-34. Retrieved March12, 2010 from EBSCO host database. The Health Psychology Network (2008). Pain Management. Retrieved March 12, 2010, from http://www.healthpsychology.net/Pain_Management.htm