Purpose
There can be several reasons why accessing health care services end up becoming a difficult or impossible task for many individuals in a community. This can become even more intimidating for persons suffering from mental illness or severe mental illness, which in turn causes a lack of necessary medical treatment for individuals.
There are obstacles on two sides of finding access to health care, being on the side of healthcare and on the side of the patients and clients themselves who are looking for the healthcare. This merits attention in Mental Health Nursing because bridging the gap between persons with mental health illnesses and the care that they require, is an important part of Mental Health Nursing in itself.
Literature …show more content…
al., 2013). A study by Kaufman et. al., (2012) found that all groups interview in their study, reported significant barriers in many areas. Some primary barriers included funding (hospital funding and insufficient insurance coverage) and direct expenses. Overbooked clinics with extended waiting periods were a problem, as well as clinics being unable to schedule new patients. A study of the homeless population by Wise and Phillips (2013) found that individuals were made to struggle through a “maze” of paperwork and physical barriers. Participant who made it through the paperwork, were usually given prescriptions to fill that they were not able to afford …show more content…
al., 2013). The stigma attached to mental illness can sometimes make treatment uncomfortable both for the client and the caregiver, as the behavior and presentation of the mental illness will sometimes not “fit in” with the practice or facility (Mesidor et. al., 2011). One role of the nurse is to educate and ease the stigma in order to make all clients and patients feel equally comfortable in accessing mental health care. Kaufman et. al., (2012) found that the stigma felt by the patients associated with their mental illness resulted in social isolation and deficient resources for them to equally access. For example, in the area of publically funded housing where the design seemed to make it difficult for persons with severe mental health to maintain housing. The study of the homeless population by Wise and Phillips (2013) provided numerous accounts by homeless persons’ where they were made to feel unwelcome or scrutinized for being homeless. Resource limitations have also been linked to heavy workloads with provider shortages or lack of provider continuity, and lack of physical space or spaces difficult to navigate (Kaufman et. al.,
There can be several reasons why accessing health care services end up becoming a difficult or impossible task for many individuals in a community. This can become even more intimidating for persons suffering from mental illness or severe mental illness, which in turn causes a lack of necessary medical treatment for individuals.
There are obstacles on two sides of finding access to health care, being on the side of healthcare and on the side of the patients and clients themselves who are looking for the healthcare. This merits attention in Mental Health Nursing because bridging the gap between persons with mental health illnesses and the care that they require, is an important part of Mental Health Nursing in itself.
Literature …show more content…
al., 2013). A study by Kaufman et. al., (2012) found that all groups interview in their study, reported significant barriers in many areas. Some primary barriers included funding (hospital funding and insufficient insurance coverage) and direct expenses. Overbooked clinics with extended waiting periods were a problem, as well as clinics being unable to schedule new patients. A study of the homeless population by Wise and Phillips (2013) found that individuals were made to struggle through a “maze” of paperwork and physical barriers. Participant who made it through the paperwork, were usually given prescriptions to fill that they were not able to afford …show more content…
al., 2013). The stigma attached to mental illness can sometimes make treatment uncomfortable both for the client and the caregiver, as the behavior and presentation of the mental illness will sometimes not “fit in” with the practice or facility (Mesidor et. al., 2011). One role of the nurse is to educate and ease the stigma in order to make all clients and patients feel equally comfortable in accessing mental health care. Kaufman et. al., (2012) found that the stigma felt by the patients associated with their mental illness resulted in social isolation and deficient resources for them to equally access. For example, in the area of publically funded housing where the design seemed to make it difficult for persons with severe mental health to maintain housing. The study of the homeless population by Wise and Phillips (2013) provided numerous accounts by homeless persons’ where they were made to feel unwelcome or scrutinized for being homeless. Resource limitations have also been linked to heavy workloads with provider shortages or lack of provider continuity, and lack of physical space or spaces difficult to navigate (Kaufman et. al.,