Role of a Nurse in Psychological Counseling

Role of a Nurse in Psychological Counseling

Nurses play a crucial role in psychological counseling to patients with social care needs that obstruct normal lives. The nurses have a role of working closely with mental illness patients to help them manage their conditions and live productive, normal, and fulfilling lives (Kub & Feldman, 2015). Psychiatric counseling nurses are responsible for evaluating mental health needs, identifying their mental needs, and developing the right psychotherapy treatment plans. The nurse is responsible for undertaking psychometric testing to assess the condition of a patient and provide the relevant treatment tor the condition.

Psychological counselors have the role of developing personalized plans that will fit individuals depending on the severity of their conditions. Nurses have the responsibility to identify the outcomes and progress that a client is making after a period of administering various forms of treatment (Grzanka, Santos & Moradi, 2017). The nurse working as a counseling therapist for mental cases should also coordinate with the family members or other persons close to the patient. The coordination is essential to ensure that the treatment is enhanced at home for an all-round approach to treating the mental condition. Creamer and Austin (2017) show that nurses have the responsibility of offering to counsel individuals and groups. The purpose of personalized and group counseling is to achieve different goals in the process of the treatment plan since patients present with varying needs.

Psychologists may also develop a long-term counseling session that will require a patient to make several visits with a specified period of time. The counselor will be required to keep a record of the improvements made by the patient (Creamer & Austin, 2017). Therefore, the basic role of a psychologist nurse in counseling is to assess the condition, provide personalized treatment and coordinating with other specialists for further assistance.

References

Creamer, A. M., & Austin, W. (2017). Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies Identified: An Opportunity to Build Mental Health and Illness Skills and Knowledge. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(5), 231-236.

Grzanka, P. R., Santos, C. E., & Moradi, B. (2017). Intersectionality research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(5), 453.

Kub, J., & Feldman, M. A. (2015). Bullying prevention: A call for collaborative efforts between school nurses and school psychologists. Psychology in the Schools, 52(7), 658-671.