Community Mental Health Nursing (RCMN)
FACILITATING A COUNSELLING SESSION FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AT HOME
This is the process by which the RCPN encourages a client with mental illness to make an informed decision to improve their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
Purpose
- Relieve stress from client and family
- Improve client and family's wellbeing
- Prevent complications/relapse
- Improve client's coping mechanism
- Provide social and legal support where necessary
Indications
- Facilitating a counselling session for a person living with mental illness at home.
- Helping the client make an informed decision to improve physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
- Relieving stress and preventing complications or relapse.
Equipment
- Pen and paper
- Table and chair
- Topic for the session
Preparation
- Read the map of the community and identify the home of the client.
- Arrange the place in an appropriate manner and ensure good lighting and ventilation.
Procedure steps
- Read map of the community and identify home of the client
- Announce presence, enter on response, greet and introduce self
- Explain the purpose of your visit
- Ensure privacy and confidentiality
- Involve family/caregiver with client consent
- Ensure a conducive setting with less noise and distraction to facilitate session
- Arrange the place in an appropriate manner and ensure good lighting and ventilation
- Welcome client/family with a smile
- Allow client to sit first while observing his/her gestures, mannerism and posture
- Reassure client and or family of the effectiveness of counselling
- Initiate the conversation with a brief introduction on the topic for the session
- Encourage client to express problems, fears and conflicts
- Identify client's thoughts and feelings as he/she expresses self
- Identify with client his/her perceived difficulties and possible contributing factors to the problem
- Speak in a calm, soft voice during discussions without being judgemental
- Allow client to come out with coping strategies
- Avoid advising client but rather inform him or her about the copping strategies available
- Allow client to come out with coping strategies
- Support client to implement the strategies if possible
- Inform the client that the identified strategies will be reviewed periodically to assess the progress
- Communicate areas of progress and where client needs improvement
- Inform the client and or family about the date and time of the next session
- Leave your contact with client/caregiver and encourage them to call in case of emergency
- Document the care and findings in the report book
- Express appreciation and depart
Precautions
- Ensure privacy and confidentiality and involve the family or caregiver with the client's consent.
- Ensure a conducive setting with less noise and distraction to facilitate the session.
- Speak in a calm, soft voice during discussions without being judgemental.
- Avoid advising the client but rather inform him or her about the coping strategies available.
Aftercare
- Inform the client and or family about the date and time of the next session.
- Leave contact details with the client or caregiver for emergencies.
Nursing considerations
- Allow the client to sit first while observing gestures, mannerism and posture.
- Identify the client's thoughts and feelings as he or she expresses himself or herself.
- Inform the client that the identified strategies will be reviewed periodically to assess progress.
Patient education
- Encourage the client to express problems, fears and conflicts and allow the client to come out with coping strategies.
- Support the client to implement the strategies if possible.
Documentation
- Document the care and findings in the report book.
References and further reading
Educational resource only. Follow current Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance, local institutional protocols, scope of practice, and clinical supervision.
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