Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in Australia Assignment Sample

• Subject Name : Nursing

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Practice Guidelines for The Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder with clinical symptoms like weight gaining, mental illness, and fear of gaining weight. Treatment type varies for anorexia nervosa given to different patients based on their response (Wufong et al.,2019). However, a combination of treatment including therapies and pharmaceutical approaches proved beneficial to treat the disease in Australia (Hay et al.,2011). The most common type of therapy focuses on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to balance the thinking and behavioral patterns regarding food habits by giving dietary advice. This mode of treatment can be provided by psychologist however, other medical workers including nurses can also include this approach in their treatment. The results show that body mass index was greatly improved using cognitive behavior therapy. Along with (CBT), family therapy is also proved beneficial compared to individual therapy, resulted in weight loss and normal continuation of menses among female adolescents (Hay et al.,2011). It means the treatment was more effective among adolescents suffering from food disorder and the therapy involves the whole family as support during the therapy. The therapy will provide information to the patient as well as their family to provide the best nutritional care. One of the essential therapy is called Maudsley Family Therapy (MFT) which aims to generate plans for weight restoration and eating behaviors (Wufong et al.,2019). However, the medication has also shown effective results to treat the clinical symptoms of anorexia nervosa and include anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs as an eating disorder is generally associated with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The antipsychotic drug Chlorpromazine and Thioridazine is given 50 mg daily has shown effective results in terms of mental stability along with weight maintenance and balanced food intake. Contrary, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are the safer anti-depressant drug of choice for the heart and can be used to treat depression and stress among adolescents in Australia (AG, n d).

Nursing Roles and Interventions for Anorexia Nervosa

Nurses have been identified to provide a point of care to people with food disorders and it will establish a path for effective care usually in those who are unaware of the disorder and include young students and other adolescents. Only proficient nursing will identify the early clinical symptoms of the disorder including reduced weight which is useful to initiate an early treatment plan. Only the nurses well versed with the symptoms of the food disorders will help the doctors to design an effective care plan for patient wellbeing and safety (Zugai et al.,2019). Furthermore developing a strong therapeutic relationship with the patient through effective communication will help the nurses to know the inner thoughts of those who are resistant to discuss weight, food, and allergy (Zugai et al.,2019). This kind of intervention will help the nurse to develop empathic understanding to assist patients to make autonomous decisions regarding their advanced care plan and recovery. The empathic, caring relationship with the patients will support nurses to keep the patient adhered to the medication throughout the therapeutic process (Meghan et al.,2020). Nurses also provide individualized support to persons affected with eating disorders and supports to better understand their preferences, enhancing their self-worth, and focus to create a balanced life for better health and wellbeing. The nurses will also educate the patients to know the ways to normalize their diet and encourage them to participate in social activities for improving their physical and mental health as well (Meghan et al.,2020). Nurses will motivate the patients to effectively manage their everyday eating habits by including electrolytes in the diet which has also shown beneficial results to improve patient health and self-worth.

References for Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in Australia

(n d). Treatments. Retrieved from https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-a-anorex-toc~mental-pubs-a-anorex-1~mental-pubs-a-anorex-1-tre

Hay, P., Kohn, M., &Paxon, S, J. (2011). Article Australian and New Zealand clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 38(9), 659-670.

Meghan, R.., Stephanie, T., Chisholm, A., & John, R. E. (2020). The lived experience of working with people with eating disorders: A meta‐ethnography, International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(3), 422-441.

Wufong, E., Rhodes, P., &Conti, J.(2019). We don't know what else we can do": Parent experiences when adolescent distress persists after the Maudsley and family-based therapies for anorexia nervosa. Journal of Eating Disorders 7(1), 1-12.

Zugai, J.S., Parbury, J., &Roche, M. (2029). Dynamics of nurses’ authority in the inpatient care of adolescent consumers with anorexia nervosa: A qualitative study of nursing perspectives. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 28(4), 940-949.

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