Optimal care of depression
The key factors of optimal care of people with depression or depressive symptoms include medication and physiological treatment (Hart et al., 2019) Depression or depressive symptoms is one of the major public health issues that impact economically and socially on the individual, businesses, families and social services. It is a recurring or chronic disease and so is managed as a chronic illness. Patients with depressive symptoms are at greater risk of less complete recovery or chronic course of depression. Psychotherapies and medications through antidepressants as well as ensuring optimum care and effective treatment of patients with depressive symptoms will enhance the entire recovery processes (Hart et al., 2019).
For a specific analysis of optimal care to people suffering from depression through patient-centered care, this research is based on case study 2 about Harry. Harry is a 68 years old man who lives in Wagga Wagga in New South Wales Australia. From the case report, Harry has a previous history of depression, and recently he has become hypochondriac which is attributed to being lonely since the passing of his wife. Depression in Harry’s case manifests from his unusual change of activities. Harry has stopped going to the bowling club and attending the men’s shed where he is a foundation member. He prefers to buy ready food from local Woolworths since he cannot cook.
Optimal care of depression in the primary care setting needs a systematic approach that involves case detection and diagnosis, education and engagement of depression patients, application of evidenced-based treatment comprising psychotherapy, medications, and case follow-ups to ensure the patient is improving. Furthermore, evidence-based self-management such as educating patients and family members about depression, overcoming barriers to adherence to medication, healthy nutrition, and diet and exercise helps to improve the health status of the patient (Chen et al., 2019). Besides, other key factors in the treatment of depression include support, food and diet and brain stimulation therapies
Practicing nurses play an important role in the management of patient’s illnesses and so enhancing care intensity, clinical, and self-management skills. Nurse-led collaborative care incorporates follow up schedules, systematic management plan, and inter-professional communication. Nurse-led care improves the recovery process from depression or depressive symptoms, enhances adherence to medication and treatment, response to treatment, quality of care and recovery from symptoms among patients (Gagliardi et al., 2019.
Patient-centered care is widely accepted as the approach and practice that supports effective care. It creates a shared responsibility between the health professionals and the patient management either within or outside the health facility. Patient-centered care is therefore a fundamental principle in the management of chronic diseases such as depression since it involves the genuine concern of patients’ values and needs.
The overall process of primary care of people with depression involves evidence-based care and interventions comprising of the development of a care plan, referral process, assessment, review, and follow up management. Besides, nurses’ responsibility extends to systematic assessment, specific and accurate required assessment, holistic approach, continuity care, and improved patient education (Gagliardi et al., 2019.
In most parts of the world, chronic conditions are among the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and inequitable health outcomes. Patients require to be engaged with nurses or healthcare providers who they can have a conversation about their health and needs which are within the context of their lives. Nurses should be willing to be guided by their patients’ perceptions about their needs and not by their own beliefs clinical management of the illness or not by the assumption of similarity.
In patient-centered care, self-management can be defined as a set of processes and tasks that are used by the patient to manage and maintain wellness from a chronic condition such as depression. It involves the management of attitudes, lifestyle, diet, and behavior. Self-management is aimed at managing all the effects of a chronic condition such as depression on all aspects of living by the patient suffering from chronic illness. Nurses provide systematic approaches that patients can employ to ensure effective self-management skills that can improve their self-efficacy and in turn reduce health care cost implications (Chen et al., 2019). Through health professional training like training by nurses, better uptake, adherence, and implementation as well as effective self-management plans are achieved.
Nurses provide supportive interventions and education system to the patients so that they the patients gain skills and confidence to manage their health conditions. This education might include problem-solving approaches, goal setting skills, and regular assessment of problems and progress. Nurses also provide self-management support to the patients which involves effective problem solving, monitoring a patient’s health condition, patient education, shared decision making, and group supports. These self-management methods provided by nurses take into consideration how effective are they, how cost-effective and safe (Gagliardi et al., 2019).
Patient empowerment refers to the individual patient’s capacity to make decisions about his or her behavior, health, and to take or have control over aspects of life that influence his or her health through the incorporation of self-efficacy and personal control (Chen et al., 2019).
Patient empowerment occurs when nurses focus on increasing patients’ capacity to make informed, autonomous decisions about their health issues. This ensures that the patient is not a passive recipient of healthcare services but takes part in making self-decision as well as has to control his or her health progress or problems. Empowerment takes into consideration patients decision even if they choose to hand over responsibility its seen as their choice and so the patient is still empowered (Hart et al., 2019)
When nurses collaborate and take a team approach, the patient with depression will experience a better outcome. Nurse-led care improves the recovery process from depression or depressive symptoms, enhances adherence to medication and treatment, response to treatment, quality of care and recovery from symptoms among patients (Gagliardi et al., 2019). Nurse-led collaborative care incorporates follow up schedules, systematic management plan, and inter-professional communication. The overall process of primary care of people with depression involves evidence-based care and interventions comprising of the development of a care plan, referral process, assessment, review, and follow up management. Also, their responsibility extends to systematic assessment, specific and accurate required assessment, holistic approach, continuity care, and improved patient education (Gagliardi et al., 2019).
Nurses can facilitate proper self-management and empowerment by listening to patients. Patients require to be engaged with nurses or healthcare providers who they can have a conversation about their health and needs which are within the context of their lives. Nurses should be willing to be guided by their patients’ perceptions about their needs and not by their own beliefs clinical management of the illness or not by the assumption of similarity.
Patient empowerment is key in patient-centered care since it improves the management of chronic conditions such as depression. It promotes health professionals’ and patients’ satisfaction as well as improved clinical outcomes. Empowerment is based on various factors such as age, socioeconomic resources, and culture. However, it is a process and an outcome and so patients can be empowered by the nurses and general health care providers (Chen et al., 2019).
General primary care providers and family settings are the key people that nurses approach to ensure successful patient empowerment because they are the first group that interacts with the patient and they understand their social, cultural, and economic background. Their goals are already oriented towards encouraging patient empowerment (Hart et al., 2019)
Depression in primary care is under detected, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. Older adults like Harry who is living alone are at high risk of not being recognized as depressed or to get optimal care. They should, therefore, be routinely screened for depression in clinical settings which can provide effective treatment and optimal care through patient-centered care (Frost et al., 2019). Practicing nurses play a vital role in ensuring effective management of depression in primary care through various steps to ensure optimal care including detection and diagnosis, patient engagement and education in treatment, initiation, and administration of evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy and effective treatment (Frost et al., 2019). They also, do consistent follow-ups to ensure the patient is adhering to treatment prescriptions. From the case study, harry is living alone and he longer takes part in games as before, this is likely to worsen his health problems. Optimal care including ensuring he is not living alone participates in regular games and exercise activities and following up on his daily health report will help him improve from depressive symptoms. This primary care should be a collaborative process between the family members and the nurses.
The case study about Harry is based in Wagga Wagga in NSW, Australia. Depression is less visible in rural and remote areas as compared to urban areas. Infrastructural and geographical limitations have great challenges to the detection and treatment of depression. Treatment of depression is mostly at the individual and family level rather community level. However, depression has a social problem that is influenced by environmental and societies’ settings. Therefore, societal concepts such as social networks, social capital, and social isolation are significant factors in the treatment and management of depression (Heidara, 2019).
Treatment and management of depression in this region, research suggests Wagga Wagga region develop their ways to manage depression such as informal support mechanisms and standard depression management general practices. The population in this region is considered conservatives and therefore depression management should involve traditional medical models because they are not willing to try other medical alternatives. There are health facilities within the region but they are very few and so their uptake for depression cases is very low and so general practitioners are of significance in the management of depression through educating patients, family, and society about depression as prescribing anti-depressants (Heidara, 2019).
Depression treatment and management in the primary care setting and health care services involve an evidence-based collaborative approach where the general practitioners, nurses, and other health care providers work together to provide patient-centered care (Gagliardi et al., 2019). This collaborative approach ensures that the patient is not passive in treatment but involved in decision making which ensures patient satisfaction and better depression outcomes. Patient-centered care is an effective approach in the management of depression because it involves carers, patients, and the family. The incorporation of primary care providers and family in treatment and management of depression helps to ensure the patients are adhering to effective treatment for behavioral problems. Follow up services and tracking of treatment adherence and assessment of treatment effectiveness by the health care providers in collaboration with the patients and general practitioners to ensure patients achieve the desired clinical outcomes (Hart et al., 2019). Patient-centered care approach can help in effectively managing and treating patients suffering from depression as it ensures there is patient empowerment, enhances patient self-management, and gives power to patients to address their needs despite their health problems.