Problem Background
Mentally ill patients should be treated fairly; they ought to be respected and have self-respect, their privacy protected, receive appropriate services according to their culture and age, and be aware of available treatment alternatives and options. Various policies have been enacted to protect vulnerable groups from mental illness (McGinty et al., 2018). For instance, a patient should not be forced to take medication without their consent or taken into custody when they have not agreed unless they are threatening to harm themselves or other people (McGinty et al., 2018). In this regard, the paper discusses personal experiences with policies implemented to protect vulnerable populations with mental illness, how the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008 enhances mental health services, and the ethics relating to vulnerable populations as a healthcare professional.
Experiences Related to Policies Protecting Vulnerable Populations
People who are vulnerable to mental illness experience a feeling of anxiety and fear because of the risk that they have of different types of harm. At a personal level, I have experienced difficulties creating a strong, positive relationship with mentally ill patients to help them attain maximum productivity. Even though policies have been enforced to protect vulnerable populations, I have been experiencing challenges while caring for mentally ill patients.
For instance, there is fear of violence from the patients, difficulties in controlling emotions, exposure to poor working conditions, career regrets, and finding a solution to minimize violence. In this regard, the hospital should encourage and provide nurses with training sessions to educate them on proper intervention techniques regarding medication and seclusion (Magnusson et al., 2020). There is a greater need to develop support programs and intervention studies aiming to improve the working environment to resolve the burden of mental and physical challenges experienced by psychiatric nurses.
Contributions of the Mental Health Parity Act
The Mental Health Parity Act in the United States requires annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits to be no lower than those for surgical or medical. The act of 2008 ensures that people with mental health illnesses receive benefits comparable to their general medical health coverage (Chapman et al., 2018). Thus, it improves mental health service provision by ensuring financial protection for people needing intensive treatment.
In addition, the act improves mental health services by ensuring effective leadership and governance of mental health. It also facilitates comprehensive, integrated mental health and social care services in community-based settings (Chapman et al., 2018). Finally, the act aids in implementing promotion and prevention strategies and strengthening information systems (Chapman et al., 2018). All these interventions help improve the delivery of healthcare services to mentally ill patients.
Ethical Contribution
Ethics plays a significant role in protecting people with mental illness and the interests of researchers. Ethical guidelines aid in maintaining accountability and transparency during research (Gordon, 2020). Risks to patients participating in research ought to be minimized; that is, protection must be provided from possible risks. Ethical values relate to vulnerable populations in that the culture of a society affects a person’s beliefs, norms, values, and how a person views certain behaviors (Gordon, 2020). In the case of mental health, values and beliefs can determine whether or not one will seek help, the type of assistance, and the kind of support one will have.
References
Chapman, S. A., Phoenix, B. J., Hahn, T. E., & Strod, D. C. (2018). Utilization and economic contribution of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in public behavioral health services. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54(6), S243-S249. Web.
Gordon, B. G. (2020). Vulnerability in research: Basic ethical concepts and general approach to review. Ochsner Journal, 20(1), 34-38. Web.
Magnusson, E., Axelsson, A. K., & Lindroth, M. (2020). ‘We try’–how nurses work with patient participation in forensic psychiatric care. Scandinavian journal of caring sciences, 34(3), 690-697. Web.
McGinty, E., Pescosolido, B., Kennedy-Hendricks, A., & Barry, C. L. (2018). Communication strategies to counter stigma and improve mental illness and substance use disorder policy. Psychiatric Services, 69(2), 136-146. Web.