Psychiatry and Nursing Summary - Book Report/Review Example

Addressing non-adherence to antipsychotic medication: a harm-reduction approach One of the greatest challenges that psychiatrists face is treatment non adherence. This article focuses on a case study of a patient called Michael who uses divergent approaches of addressing non adherence with a specific inpatient. This paper categorizes them into adherence improvement and non adherence harm reduction. Non adherence harm reduction is a novel approach that aims to accept the patient’s ability to choose and learn from this experience while increasing their success when withdrawing from the medicine that was prescribed.

Based on the Michael’s clinical context, he has been a psychiatric patient who has been admitted and diagnosed for psychosis and Schizophrenia. While in hospital he was adhered to a high dose of antipsychotic medicine (oloanzapine 10mg). However, he does not feel the importance of taking his medication once he is discharged. The presenting problem that is at hand is his non adherence to prescribed antipsychotic medication after he has been discharged. From recent research studies it is crystal clear that at least half of people given antipsychotic drugs seem not to adhere to treatment as prescribed.

Therefore, non adherence is becoming a serious problem. Non- adherence to antipsychotic medication has been correlated admissions to hospital and poor outcome and psychotic relapses. Apart from assessing a person level of knowledge about medication, a person attitude towards antipsychotics may have most significance in terms of non adherence. The types of interventions can be divided into two. The first one is the adherence improvement; there is Advance Therapy that deals with cognitive behavior therapy which is effective in targeting non adherence.

Antipsychotic long acting injections may improve adherence by preventing relapsing. Supervised community treatment may work but researchers argue that imposing such restriction cause distress therefore, hampering recovery. The second type of intervention is non adherence harm reduction. This include patient’s choice, this means regaining control over one’s life. In Michael’s situation, he admitted that he is confused but not mentally ill. If the patient can treat this disease like any other it will help a great deal.

The patient can decide on which drugs he feels is comfortable for him. Harm reduction approach, in respect to non adherence to antipsychotic medication, is of much significance. It is pragmatic, it prioritizes the goals to be achieved, focuses on the risks and harms, has humanistic value and seeks to minimize the range of intervention options available. Out of these strategies, Michael can use the non adherence harm reduction one that includes risk assessment and nay possible relapses. It will change his attitude towards drugs while objectively evaluating his psychiatric symptoms at various stages of the discontinuation process.

This will reduce harm and empower him to make proper choices. ReferencesM. A. ALDRIDGE DipHE ( 2011) Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Addressing non-adherence to antipsychotic medication: a harm-reduction approach pg. (85-96)