Risk Management Assessment

Note

In working in line with the NMC code of conduct and for confidentiality reasons, throughout this assignment I will be using a pseudo name May for the service user I was involved in completing the risk assessment. (NMC)

Risk Management Assessment

According to the world health organization, there a certain degree of inherent safety when delivering care in healthcare practice due to the complex and wide range of care needs (WHO, 2011). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) differentiates between a hazard and a risk. According to the HSE, the hazard has the capacity to lead to harm, on the other hand, the risk is the possibility that the hazard being discussed will cause harm (Health and Safety Executive, 2019). Moreover, as per the HSE, the risk assessment does not only involve creating huge amounts of paperwork but also involves identifying and taking sensible and proportionate measures to regulate the involved risks. However, one must consider that the provision of support and care should be controlled to meet the requirements of the people in question and should encourage them to do what they can for themselves. Also, care assessments should enable individuals to live fulfilled lives safely, other than a mechanism for restricting their reasonable freedoms (Health and Safety Executive, 2019). Studies indicate that, by identifying the potential hazards and being aware of the probable risks, an individual can take the appropriate action to effectively manage the hazard (Hopkin, 2018 and Reason, 2016). The hazard has the potential to cause illness, harm or even death. It is, therefore, necessary to initiate appropriate actions to prevent or minimize the occurrence of the perceived risk. It should show that the precautions are reasonable and the remaining risk is low (Health and Safety Executive, 2019). The objective of this paper is to determine to assess potential risk and hazard to May (pseudo name), who has a Bipolar Affective Disorder and reveal the significance of record keeping.

Studies indicate that risk management, especially in healthcare, is very critical compared to any other industry. In many sectors, an organization interpreted and develops risk management plans to prevent and mitigate financial losses. The same is applicable to healthcare, though in regards to patient safety other than financial safety issues. Risk management in health care can mean the difference between life and death which makes it very critical (Gilden et al., 2010). As per the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), prolonged urinary catheter use was associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections (Kazi et al., 2015). This is an example of a risk assessment report which indicates the significance of risk assessment in the health care industry. As per the report, based on this information, a risk management plan was implemented requiring physicians to regularly evaluate the catheter. The end result was a decrease in patient risk. However, other studies indicate that, with the knowledge that each organization faces unique challenges, there is no one approach to tackle all risk management solutions (Glendon et al., 2016).

Walton (2011), in a report by WHO, suggest that medical professional and students are usually concerned about the risk to patients. As per the evidence-based practice and person-centred care, it is the role of medical organizations to be concerned about managing clinical risks. Risk assessment and management allow for the identification of potential errors. However, it is also notable that, the health care itself is a potential risk and it is impossible to eradicate all harm, though there are several activities that can be introduced to minimize opportunities for errors. Also, the study suggests that the health-care professionals in compliance with the NMC code of conduct should actively weigh up the possible risks as well as the significance of every clinical situation and take action (Walton (2011).

Studies reveal that identifying risk as per the NICE guidelines on risk assessment and also on suicide and other guidelines requires an individual to look at all aspects of the work/condition, integrate non-routine activities, integrate individual who is close to the individual under risk, estimate foreseeable unusual conditions, review all of the phases of the lifecycle, etc. to know if the risk can course harm, an individual should enquire individual information, legislated requirements as well as applicable standards, sectors codes of practice, the health and safety material about the hazard and apply the expertise of an occupational health and safety strategies.

According to the (National Health Service (2019), bipolar disorder refers to a mental health condition which impacts individual moods. In this condition, the moods swing from one extreme to another. The high and low phases of bipolar disorder usually interfere with most life activities due to its adverse extremes. However, National Health Service (2019), suggests various methods for treating this disorder and making a difference in individual life. However, these treatment strategies are all aimed at controlling and managing the effects of an episode and assist an individual with bipolar disorder to live a life as normally as possible. As per the website, some of the treatment includes medicine to prevent episodes of mania as well as depression, medical treatment of the side effects of the main symptoms of depression once they occur. Additionally, the site suggests that learning to recognize the signs and triggers of an episode of depression can be very helpful. Other treatment options include psychological treatment, lifestyle advice among other strategies.

May is a 45-year-old divorced female and in the past has been a victim of traumatic domestic violence. May is currently unemployed and living alone in a residential housing association which facilitates women and men aged 35 and over. She has a history of self-harm, drugs and alcohol misuse and attempted suicide. However, the reason for the current risk assessment is due to May being at a high risk of attempting suicide. Moreover, her mood can be quite low and this affects her ability to take medication. Additionally, she sometimes feels her life is not worth living and believes the medication has stopped working when she has depression, and this could make her stops taking the medication. This could result in increased health symptoms and amplitude in her condition. Besides, May has 2 children aged 23 and 27, which she describes as her strength factor. However, with low self-esteem in life and losing the meaning of life, may also consider committing homicide when she thinks that they are too suffering from a similar condition.

Based on the condition of May, the intervention some of the interventions which will be included includes medication, physiotherapy, pseudo education, and support. The treatments for people with bipolar conditions are generally is based on a case-by-case basis, medication side effects, and usually depend on symptoms among other factors. For May, medication would be implemented to assist her in managing the symptoms.

Medications. Currently, there are no lab tests for identifying bipolar disorder, however, medical professionals conduct a medical history and physical test to ascertain the condition. This can involve screening for thyroid disorders which is critical in mood swings and depression. However, studies have indicated that there are fewer studies on the safety and effectiveness of bipolar medications in adults. Some of the current medication she should be administered includes Lithium*† and valproate (Parker, 2010).

Additionally, psychotherapy should be considered. In this case, it should include both short term and long-term therapy to assist her to keep symptoms from returning. It can assist her to manage their routines life activities and developing coping skills (Schöttle et al., 2011). Also, it will assist her to resolve social problems and strengthen family bonds as well as communication. Furthermore, it can assist to address any future substance abuse problems which are common among individual suffering from this condition.

Psych education and social support are also very critical to her condition. In this case, it includes learning the symptoms of the bipolar condition and how effectively to manage them (Reinares et al., 2010). Also, this strategy would help her learn to appreciate her situation and appropriate cultural behaviour. On the other hand, social support is very critical in assisting her to appreciate the role of interacting with people and appreciating the importance of life. In this case, a counsellor should be involved as well as support from family and friends.

Moreover, for her continuous support, I would provide her with Bipolar UK contact details and open meeting groups that happen in her area. May will be able to turn up and leave the support groups whenever she feels like. It might give May some hope and inspiration knowing that others are going through the same thing as her and they might even share their ways of coping (Eidelman et al., 2012).

For evaluation of the strategy, some questions will be answered;

What are the possible causes for my symptoms?

What treatments are available?

Which do you recommend for me?

What side effects are possible with that treatment?

What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?

Should I see a psychiatrist or other mental health professional?

In conclusion, clinical imperative for improved early identification and early intervention bipolar condition can be very critical in improving individual health. Therefore, proper medication and management are very cortical, though should be implemented with a clear structure and strategies Drawing from the success of such an approach, identification of an early prodrome of illness will allow preventative measures to be taken.

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References

Eidelman, P., Gershon, A., Kaplan, K., McGlinchey, E. and Harvey, A.G., 2012. Social support and social strain in inter‐episode bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorders, 14(6), pp.628-640.

Gilden, R.C., Huffling, K. and Sattler, B., 2010. Pesticides and health risks. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 39(1), pp.103-110.

Glendon, A.I., Clarke, S. and McKenna, E., 2016. Human safety and risk management. CRC Press.

Hopkin, P., 2018. Fundamentals of risk management: understanding, evaluating and implementing effective risk management. Kogan Page Publishers.

Kazi, M.M., Harshe, A., Sale, H., Mane, D., Minal, Y. and Chabukswar, S., 2015. Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) and antibiotic sensitivity pattern from confirmed cases of CAUTI in a tertiary care hospital: A prospective study. Clinical Microbiology: Open Access.

Parker, G.B., 2010. Comorbidities in bipolar disorder: models and management. Medical journal of Australia, 193, pp.18-S20.

Reason, J., 2016. Managing the risks of organizational accidents. Routledge.

Reinares, M., Colom, F., Rosa, A.R., Bonnín, C.M., Franco, C., Solé, B., Kapczinski, F. and Vieta, E., 2010. The impact of staging bipolar disorder on treatment outcome of family psychoeducation. Journal of affective disorders, 123(1-3), pp.81-86.

Schöttle, D., Huber, C.G., Bock, T. and Meyer, T.D., 2011. Psychotherapy for bipolar disorder: a review of the most recent studies. Current opinion in psychiatry, 24(6), pp.549-555.

Walton, M., 2011. BB, Topic 6: Understanding and managing clinical risk. Multi-professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide.