Supporting patients with serious mental illness during physical health treatment

Abstract

People with serious mental illness (SMI) are more likely to experience severe health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and stroke, and are likely to die earlier, than the general population. This article explores the reasons for such disparities, using a case study approach to outline the ways that general nurses can support people with SMI when they access general healthcare services. It identifies five areas of learning from the case study: diagnostic overshadowing and stigma; developing the therapeutic relationship; the ward environment; inclusion of family members and carers; and integration of physical and mental health services.

Renal nurses' experiences of patients with severe mental health conditions receiving acute haemodialysis: A qualitative study

“…HCPs' need to develop a trust and rapport with the individual with SMI, by employing skills of active listening and empathy (Chuttoo & Chuttoo, 2019). However, mastering these skills requires practice and may be challenging for nurses that fail to facilitate, active listening, empathy, self-awareness and nonjudgemental behaviour (Young, 2018).…”

Epilepsy, dissociative seizures, and mixed: Associations with time to video-EEG

“…Depression and anxiety are commonly experienced by patients with epilepsy [95], therefore neurologists may be familiar with and comfortable treating patients with these conditions. However, patients with other psychiatric conditions including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia frequently have barriers to accessing healthcare for seizures and other physical conditions [96][97][98][99][100].…”

Diagnostic overshadowing: An evolutionary concept analysis on the misattribution of physical symptoms to pre‐existing psychological illnesses

“…While not commonly listed with cognitive and clinical biases (Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2021; Croskerry 2015Croskerry , 2019, recognition continues to grow for this phenomenon as a type of bias within health care (Becker-Haimes et al 2021;Hinde et al 2021;Jamieson & Mason 2019). Knowledge of diagnostic overshadowing is particularly vital for nurses as they are not only hands-on care providers but lead advocates for patient care (Chuttoo & Chuttoo 2019;Mart ınez-Mart ınez et al 2021).…”

“… 2021 ; Jamieson & Mason 2019 ). Knowledge of diagnostic overshadowing is particularly vital for nurses as they are not only hands‐on care providers but lead advocates for patient care (Chuttoo & Chuttoo 2019 ; Martínez‐Martínez et al . 2021 ).…”

“…2015van Nieuwenhuizen et al 2013). In addition, the need for debiasing interventions and culture change emerge as significant prevention messages within several publications(Almeida et al 2022;Chuttoo & Chuttoo 2019; Cromar-Hayes & Seaton 2020;Giddings 2013;Shefer et al 2014Shefer et al , 2015Stoklosa et al 2017;Wood & Tracey 2009). Table1offers an overview of conditions, definitions, and thematic elements present within the sample.…”