Catholic Social Teaching in Action-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Disucss about the Mental Health Care. Answer: Individuals with mental disorders have been found across the globe to be deprived of their fundamental rights. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, have often have deviated themselves from the duty of treating this section of the patient population as valued individuals. As a matter of fact, individuals with mental disorders are marginalised in the communities they belong to. Further, they are also subjected to violations of human rights by professionals when they present to the treatment facilities with varying health complications. As nurses, we have the duty and responsibility to address the concerns of this section of the population by maintaining by maintaining principles of Common Good and Human Dignity. Humans have established a vision of human flourishing integrated into the principles of common good. Highlighting the importance of maintaining principles of common good and human dignity for human beings, it is to be highlighted that nurses must acknowledge the concept of dignity being linked with social justice. As a nurse, the approach that is to be taken is to provide all measures of justice to a patient suffering mental health conditions. Professionals are to place mental health patients in a position where social justice is equated with the concepts of equal opportunities and privileges given in the care settings. Treatment given to these patients must be similar to that given to other patient populations. Though equality is an element embedded in the concept of social justice, the actual implication for social justice is much wider. While a group of proponents perceive justice as same as fairness, nurse must move forward and perceive social justice as upholding the protection of equal access to liberties, rights, and opportunities while delivery care to mental health patients . Since these patients are least advantaged members of the community, their dignity is to be maintained by restricting social exclusion (Massaro, 2015). Though principles of common good and human dignity addresses the concerns under discussion to a large extent, some areas still remain unanswered. Since the social models are flawed to a considerable extent, it is the Catholic social teaching principles that come into rescue for enabling human flourishing. The principles act as a coherent framework applying universal principle to certain circumstances and situations for benefit of human beings. The two Catholic social teaching principles that can be applied in the present context are participation and promotion of peace (Waters et al., 2017). In western liberal society, the key goal is directed towards engaging the patients in own healthcare. As nurses, we have the prime opportunity to foster patient participation in care services delivered through an integrated approach. Nurses must take all opportunities to play a key role in involving the mental health patients in the decision making the process for their own benefit. The system of mental healthcare needs to be driven towards reforms made for ensuring treatment based on individual values and beliefs. A wide range of multidimensional aspects is involved in the process of upholding patients participation in care. These include partnership, collaboration and two-way communication. Participation in care planning is to be thought as the most basic human right all humans have. As a nurse, one has the responsibility of encouraging and motivating patients to come into terms with the mental health conditions they are suffering from. As a result of this patients feel valued and often comment that the nurses are care giving and inclusive. Patients would also engage in building up an ongoing relationship with the caregivers. Peace, as put forward by the Catholic Social Teaching is the fruit of charity and assistance and the result of justice. It is not merely the absence of conflict or the condition brought about by a dictatorship. It is, in fact, an appropriate enterprise of justice. For nurses to upheld peace in relation to mental health patients, it is imperative to maintain the right of self-determination of patients and respect the. It is tranquillity and serenity that promotes mutual cooperation between mental health patients and care givers. Human coexistence is a core element that nurses must foster by considering patients as humans and not just an individual requiring care (Stuart, 2014). True peace is to be obtained through sustaining a life-long relationship with the patient and can be only built by a nurse who takes efforts to establish so day after day. Listening to the voice of the patients, since they are oppressed, makes them feel honoured (Massaro, 2015). Honouring the development of patients directs faster recovery of patients mental health status. If nurses defend the patients and advocate for their independence, much can be achieved in the future in the mental healthcare domain. References Massaro, T. (2015).Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Rowman Littlefield. O'brien, M. E. (2017).Spirituality in nursing. Jones Bartlett Learning. Stuart, G. W. (2014).Principles and Practice of Psychiatric Nursing-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. Waters, N. P., Schmale, T., Goetz, A., Eberl, J. T., Wells, J. H. (2017). A call to promote healthcare justice: A summary of integrated outpatient clinics exemplifying principles of Catholic social teaching.The Linacre Quarterly,84(1), 57-73.