Interconnected and Collaborative Healthcare Teams Help Patient's Well Being

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Caring for people without prejudice or bias takes a certain type of person. The second you’re admitted to the hospital, you trust these strangers to make you whole again. You're entrusting them with your life. 

A quote pertaining to the African proverb, “It takes a village" is a good example of a certain type of care.  From nurses to doctors to support staff, previously healthcare workers were tasked with caring for your physical well-being. Many healthcare facilities are now moving to a holistic approach to treating patients. Below, we’ll discuss how collaboration among healthcare professionals can provide mental health support to patients and their families.

The Link Between Physical and Mental Health

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For decades, experts have been saying that our mental and physical health are connected. Countless studies back their hypothesis and the World Economic Forum (WEF) reiterated the sentiment earlier this year while observing Mental Health Awareness Month.

Dr. Ruma Bhargava of WEF says our minds and bodies are deeply interconnected.  Our bodies react when feeling stressed, depressed or anxious. The same applies to people who have physical health conditions. In most cases, mental health issues manifest themselves.

Emotional Health and Well-Being

First-time hospital patients often don't know what to expect. Coupled with the anxiety of undergoing a procedure, it can be a very daunting experience. Healthcare providers can ensure the process is as comfortable as possible. But first, they must understand how hospital care impacts a patient’s emotional state. 

Until recently, studies on the effects of hospitalization on a patient’s mental well-being have been scarce. The Applied Nursing Research Journal examined past findings to close the research gap. The review found that factors that evoked emotional reactions were admission, length of stay and readmission. The authors concluded that understanding the findings could help support patients during their hospital stays.

Many hospital workers are not specifically trained in mental health counseling. However, it’s important to address mental well-being as part of overall healthcare. Let's examine how various hospital roles can aid in offering emotional support to patients:

Mental Health Counselors

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A clinical mental health counselor fills a specific role and evaluates a client’s emotional and physical health. In a hospital setting, the job encompasses different focus areas and counseling interventions. 

Mental health counselors (MHCs) center their attention on a patient’s medical condition, their understanding of it and its implications on their overall health. The role wasn’t as clearly defined until an initiative, co-sponsored by the American Counseling Association, sought to bring the profession into sharper focus. 

Named 20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling, the project has been running since 2020 and reaped the benefits by actively training counselors to build therapeutic relationships that support and empower persons, groups, and families. 

The framework for the initiative is that counseling in hospital settings is coordinated with other professional services, requiring MHCs to work as part of a team in patient care.

Career Toolbox: Licensed Mental Health Counselors

To qualify as a licensed mental health counselor, one must have the following educational requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in any field

• 2.75 GPA 

• Two letters of recommendation

Many mental health professionals pivot into qualifying as licensed professional counselors because it’s the next rung on their career ladder. Others choose the pathway as it is a meaningful way to give back to the community.

Universities and colleges in the U.S. offer a Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC). Students who prefer to study at their own pace choose online CMHC programs. The courses are 100% online and you are given the choice to enroll full-time or part-time. A reputable online program includes field practicum and internship in the syllabus, meaning students can put class theory into real-world practice. 

After obtaining your graduate degree, you can enter the career counseling field or go into crisis counseling. If you prefer to increase your study scope, there's the option of moving on to your master's degree for further career development. Also, ensure the institution is teaching a CACREP-aligned curriculum which prepares students for licensure in most U.S. states.

American International College advises that the program must be recognized in the state you wish to practice and that graduates are responsible for ensuring they meet all state licensing requirements.

Nurse Roles

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Nursing is probably the most underappreciated role in the healthcare industry, and yet they do more than what’s expected of them. They are the first line of emotional support for patients and their families.

Acting as cheerleaders, grief counselors and comforters, nurses have a unique set of skills that sets them apart from their peers. They put their patients’ needs first by empathizing with them without judgment.

The American Stroke Association says 16 to 86% of recovering stroke patients experience depression, anxiety or stress. Nurses play a key role in helping these patients with emotional challenges. The association notes that there remains a stigma around psychosocial health which is why nurses and other healthcare professionals must create a safe and therapeutic environment. 

It also made recommendations in its peer-reviewed study. Critical nursing interventions like regular mental health screenings, education and symptom management were vital to reducing the negative effects on a patient’s mental well-being following a stroke.

Burnout Tied to Low-Quality Care

There is a less glamorous side to nursing. Burnout is the No.1 reason for nurses leaving the profession or pivoting to another field in the healthcare sector. A stressful environment can force anyone to quit.

Medical Xpress recently ran an article on nurse burnout being linked to lower quality of care. Citing a study published in JAMA Network Open, the outlet said the literature review evaluated the association between nurse burnout and patient safety, patient satisfaction, and quality of care.

The review of 85 studies found that nurse burnout was linked to a worse safety culture, lower safety grades and missed care. Burnout was also associated with lower patient satisfaction.

Physicians and Other Doctors

Like nurses, doctors work long hours. No two days are alike. In a hospital setting, problems are further compounded by unruly and noncompliant patients. Frontiers in Psychiatry says that how doctors interact with patients shapes the magnitude of placebo effects. For instance, if your physician tells you that treatment will improve your condition, it likely will. As a patient, you trust your doctor to know what’s best for you and to prescribe the best course of action. 

Although the theory has no scientific merit, it acknowledges that patient-doctor interaction enhances placebo effects and shapes a patient’s physical health outcomes. Researchers found that building rapport and encouraging positive engagement reduced a patient’s symptoms compared to standard interactions. 

Mental Health Crisis Among Doctors

Doctors are often referred to as the real heroes who don’t wear capes. There’s enormous pressure placed on these custodians of healthcare. However, doctors still have to perform their duties despite facing challenges.

The unfortunate part is that many physicians suffer in silence with their mental health struggles. Psychiatrist Elissa Ely volunteers at an anonymous helpline for physicians experiencing mental impasses. Many have panic attacks, abuse medications and alcohol and are estranged from their families.

Despite their distress, Ely tells Vox that they are resistant to seeking mental healthcare. And she understands their refusal to see a therapist or take medication. There’s a real fear of losing their licenses and credibility among their peers. 

For doctors, their entire lives are built on the identity of being caregivers and healers. The expectations are overwhelming and it’s starting to show.  The CDC recently published a report stating that healthcare worker burnout was at “crisis levels.” Doctors in particular are experiencing some of the worst work-related mental health concerns.

Chaplain Services

Hospitals can be desperately lonely places. It’s where life begins and ends. The thought of not walking out of the hospital terrifies many people. And, their fears are warranted.

Hospital chaplain Robert Klitzman knows that fear all too well. He sees it on the faces of the weak and tired. Due to the shift in the religious landscape, many hospitals are doing away with chaplains. Others believe that a spiritual mentor can offer more than comfort. Klizman falls into the second category. After dedicating his life to being a hospital chaplain, he decided to study how people with serious diseases grapple with their faith. After interviewing scores of people around the U.S., he found that prior beliefs no longer aided people. However, they struggled to convey their spiritual and existential views.  Klizman says the proportion of Americans who are “religiously unaffiliated” has risen sharply in the past few decades. As a result, chaplains have had to realign their training with interfaith and nondenominational views. Now, their profession extends beyond the boundaries of any particular faith. 

Referred to as post-religious, chaplains are taking a more human-centric approach and receiving training in mental health counseling. Essentially, Klizman explains that a chaplain’s role is to give patients meaning, purpose and hope.

A Question of Faith

Patients close to death often ponder the everlasting question of faith and where they belong in the world. The Conversation notes that chaplains were increasingly called upon as spiritual care providers as the pandemic unfolded. Some were declared as essential workers and worked tirelessly on the frontline.

Not allowed to step further, chaplains stood at the threshold of Covid-19 patient doors, offering words of encouragement. Their roles shifted from focusing primarily on patients to mediators between dying patients and distanced family members.

Recent research shows that chaplain visits increase patient satisfaction and are associated with improved outcomes.

Providing Interconnected Comprehensive Care

From Mental Health Counselors to Physicians and Nurses, everyone has a specific role in ensuring patients get the correct treatment that nurtures both the body and mind. Collaboration among departments is the first step in a patient-centric approach to hospital care. A team-oriented game plan is key to addressing physical and mental health issues that may arise during a patient’s hospital stay. Every staff member must contribute to a patient’s emotional and psychological support. It’s been proven time and time again that mental health is an integral part of overall well-being. 

For all the reasons mentioned above, it’s time hospitals heed the call for mental health care to be woven into the tapestry of every hospital stay. Showing empathy, kindness and understanding makes a world of difference to patients far away from loved ones. Sometimes, all it takes is a reassuring smile or a gentle pat on the shoulder to let them know they’re going to be fine.

Don’t discredit their fears. Instead, be the friend that they need during a very fearful time in their lives. It will be as fulfilling for you as it is for them and a positive sign of human growth.