Mental Health: Clinical Skills - Essay Example

"Mental Health: Clinical Skills" is a perfect example of a paper on the disorder.
In mental health, new graduates struggle in formulating ways in which they could diagnose a mentally unstable patient. Kitchie (2008) asserts this clinical skill requires for new practitioners to be trained and tutored in both theory and practical. However, during clinical education in the field, a new practitioner is provided with factors that determine the mental stability of a person. The clinical education is not enough to handle the major task they are presented within their organization. In the organization setting, the practitioner is to relate with numerous patients at a different level of mental instability. For this reason, physical training in an organization setting is mandatory.         

As a tutor, I would provide exposure to a new graduate with ways of diagnosing a patient before citing whether they suffer from a mental disease. In mental health care, determination of the condition of patients is important considering that persons are restrained in mental facilities. On numerous occasions, doctors have failed fully to test the mental stability of a person that leads to their retention in mental health facilities. In an argument by Kitchie (2008), there is a great difference between sanity and insanity. However, improper or biased diagnosis makes it difficult for practitioners to understand the level at which one suffers from mental instability. Moreover, there are numerous levels of mental instability. The practitioner should be able to understand these levels and provide an appropriate diagnosis. This is after the consideration that the doctor’s results would determine the fate of the patient. Exposing a patient with mild mental instability to a mental institution may be fatal for the people since they may be fully suffering from mental instability. In an argument by Kitchie (2008) the mandate of any doctor should be to enable the recovery of a mentally unstable person. The author further points out that, it would be fatal for the patient if they are diagnosed wrongly which may hinder their recovery (Kitchie, 2008).

To new students in the field, exposure to basic diagnosis options is advised. A student should be equipped with tests that may show the mental state of a person without referring to other practitioners. This minimizes errors and bias. Additionally, a student’s exposure to numerous diagnosis processes makes them experienced in the practice. However, Beckman & Lee (2009) cite that new graduates should operate under supervision to enable appropriateness of their diagnosis as well as learn new and effective diagnosis skills. As a tutor in the filed, I would provide a new graduate with the opportunity to know the way in which they could relate to the patient. Kitchie (2008) asserts that a mental health patient reacts to a personal relation effectively enough to diagnose their mental condition. For this reason, clinical skills on how to relate to mental health patient are required. In addition, the skills should enable the student to understand their aim when interacting with the patient. This mandate eliminates the issue of too much concern on the patient’s life thus minimizing the effectiveness of the diagnosis.

In regards to clinical teaching, Beckman & Lee (2009) recommend a collaborative approach. They assert that clinical teaching requires more than the classroom participation of the tutor. The tutor should be able to involve the students in processes of effective clinical teaching. In addition, the educator should provide practical opportunities to enhance their ability to function as practitioners. Beckman & Lee (2009) propose a collaborative approach to clinical teaching which comprises of 4 elements;

• Establish a relationship with the learner
• Diagnose the learner
• Use teaching frameworks to engage with the learner.
• Develop teaching scripts and a personal philosophy

The element to establish a relationship with a learner requires tutors to use a more interactive approach in the learning process. An educator should act more as a partner than a tutor. It enables the learner to develop an interaction with the tutor to increase the comfort of their learning experience. Beckman & Lee (2009) assert that a leaner who relate personally with a tutor learn faster and better since they are exposed to a more interactive learning environment. Moreover, a tutor is able to monitor the learning prowess of the learner.  It enables the tutor to develop a more appropriate mechanism to enable the learner to understand the information and content provided. An effective relationship also boots the communication between the learner and the teacher. This is mandatory in a learning experience.     

Diagnosing the learner requires a tutor to understand the level at which the learner understand the content provided. This would enhance the depth at which they could expose the learner to more information and content. In addition, a learner should be provided with information at a level at which they feel comfortable. Moreover, a tutor should understand the strengths and weaknesses of the leaner in regards to their learning experience. From this determination, a tutor is able to maximize on their strengths as well develop a mechanism to minimize the effects of their weaknesses.

As much as collaborative teaching requires a more interactive approach, a tutor is required to develop effective teaching frameworks to engage with the learner. In an argument by Beckman & Lee (2009) teaching frameworks should be based on results and prior teaching experiences. The author further cites that the teaching frameworks should be however considerate to the abilities of the learners to relate to the learning experience. Moreover, collaborative learning requires tutors to engage the learner in the creation of effective teaching frameworks.

Developing teaching scripts enables a tutor to retain relevance throughout the learning experience. Teaching scripts contain content as required by the curriculum. Learners are also considered in teaching scripts as learning activities are contained in the scripts. A personal philosophy refers to the ability of the educator to relate to the teaching scripts to their own abilities (Beckman & Lee, 2009). In addition, the creation of teaching scripts in regards to a personal philosophy enables a tutor to maximize on their strengths in the field.