There are many healthcare issues that affect healthcare professionals on a local, national, and global level. One healthcare issue that is evident among all three levels is mental health parity, or lack thereof. Although strides have been made through legislature to correct the disparities in mental health care, the field and its patients continue to be plagued by inadequate access and resources as well as an unrelenting stigma.
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), nearly a quarter of American adults experience a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. The ANA also states that individuals who struggle with a mental disorder have poorer health outcomes and multiple co-morbidities. These two factors along with inadequate healthcare access for those individuals makes …show more content…
The ICN believes that mental health is not only severely neglected globally but also inadequately resourced and haunted by stigma in most societies. The ICN encourages health professions to be proactive in combating the stigma surrounding the mental health field; the ICN further encourages nurses to advocate for the development of mental health services for their patients and the entire health care workforce. As mentioned before, nurses play a vital role in ensuring their patients receive adequate and proper care. However, as the ICN highlights, mental health problems are common in the health care setting but are not exclusive to patients. Therefore, nurses are urged to also advocate for the mental well-being of their colleagues and themselves. Maybe it is possible through this process that the stigma surrounding mental health disorders can begin to be eradicated. This is a crucial undertaking, as the stigma associated with mental illness has negative effects on the overall health of patients, and also serves as a barrier for individuals seeking the treatment and help they need (International Council of Nurses,
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), nearly a quarter of American adults experience a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. The ANA also states that individuals who struggle with a mental disorder have poorer health outcomes and multiple co-morbidities. These two factors along with inadequate healthcare access for those individuals makes …show more content…
The ICN believes that mental health is not only severely neglected globally but also inadequately resourced and haunted by stigma in most societies. The ICN encourages health professions to be proactive in combating the stigma surrounding the mental health field; the ICN further encourages nurses to advocate for the development of mental health services for their patients and the entire health care workforce. As mentioned before, nurses play a vital role in ensuring their patients receive adequate and proper care. However, as the ICN highlights, mental health problems are common in the health care setting but are not exclusive to patients. Therefore, nurses are urged to also advocate for the mental well-being of their colleagues and themselves. Maybe it is possible through this process that the stigma surrounding mental health disorders can begin to be eradicated. This is a crucial undertaking, as the stigma associated with mental illness has negative effects on the overall health of patients, and also serves as a barrier for individuals seeking the treatment and help they need (International Council of Nurses,