The Faculty of Medicine, through the department of Psychiatry, held a grand round on 20th June 2023, topic” The role of Psychosocial management on treatment outcomes among patients with mental illness: A case of Bipolar disorder”. The presentation and discussion were centered on the key features’ possible causes, diagnostic criteria of Bipolar disorder, nursing care and its management.
Dr. Ashaba Scholastic gave introduction and highlights on Bipolar disorder
The Grand round started with an extract from the article by Wagner et al 2001. This showed that health professionals often are like a second pilot operating for a few hours in a small plane (which is the patient) and later let the plane to either crash, land on a wrong airport or land safely. Have medical professionals done all that necessary to help their patients land safely for the next many years? A case on Bipolar disorder was approached by looking at history of a specific patient in addition to mental examination and medical management.
DR. AUMA PAMELLA– SHO talked Psychosocial Challenges of Patients with Bipolar disorder
These are usually done in steps but do medical professionals look further than this to assess the patient’s other relationships and quality of life?
Mr. Mugabi Walter a Mental Nursing Student talked about the role of Nursing care
Dr. Kugonza Tonny a 3rd year resident talked about the Medical Management Bipolar Disorder
This calls for a psycho social management model. Addressing the challenges faced by the patient, their family and the community they live in due to the mental illness is vital.
Aspects like;
- Decreased quality of life of the patient and caretakers
- Expression of emotions
- Total insurance coverage
- Absence of family cohesion
- Stigma and interpersonal relationships among others must be put into consideration for a better prognosis and a better improved quality of life.
We are all our own teachers in the school of life. Involve the patient in their own care for the best outcome, provide them with psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring (CBT) and family focused therapy. Caring for the patient holistically is very important and will lead them to land safely on the right airport.
Compiled by Mucho-Caleb
Year 4, MBChB
MUST
