Psychiatric Clinical Rotation; Psychiatry is the field of medicine focusing on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental health disorders. Psychiatrists also deal with mental health disorders, including alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder. It takes about eight years of post-undergraduate study to become a broad-certified psychiatrist in the United States. The third year of study for medical students is exciting because they are involved in psychiatric clinical rotation. Clinical rotation, or clerkship as often called, is a program that helps psychiatry students apply the knowledge learned in the classroom during the first two years to real life (Eksteen, Becker, & Lippi, 2017). In other words, psychiatric clinical rotation helps equip students with real-life experiences regarding mental health disorders. I must say that I did not know anything about mental health on my first clinical rotation day. However, in the semester, I learned concepts important in my life as a nurse, including bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, and Major Depressive Disorder. 

There are several things I loved about clinical rotation. One of the things is that every provider I interacted with worked their very best to enlighten me on their practice. This means that I left the place adequately in all fields of psychiatry. The second thing that I loved about the program is that it helped people admitted with mental disorders improve and leave their normal mental status. Thirdly, I realized that the very concepts that I had earlier learned in class are the exact things that I need to practice psychiatry. In other words, I could completely relate lessons learned in class with the psychiatric clinical rotation. Psychiatric Clinical Rotation

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar is a mental disorder that causes extreme mood swings ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. I was shocked to learn that approximately 2.8 percent of all adults living in America were diagnosed with bipolar as of 2017 (Vieta et al., 2018). The prevalence rate of the disorder is slightly higher in male adults than in female adults. Asian-Americans are 20 percent more susceptible to the condition than White Americans (Vieta et al., 2018). Bipolar disorder symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, loss of interest, agitations, restlessness, lack of concentration, and paranoia (Vieta et al., 2018). People with bipolar may also talk very fast, have a decreased need for sleep, and feel overly happy for more extended periods.

Bipolar development is influenced by environmental factors, genetic factors, and or substance abuse. The treatment of bipolar involves a combination of therapies and medication. The therapies used include support group, family therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication such as Anticonvulsant, Antipsychotic, and SSRIs (Vieta et al., 2018). Education on bipolar disorder is essential in my life as a nurse because it guides me in choosing the most appropriate therapy during treatment, thus improving care success. It also helps in the process of offering health education to patients and their families.

Schizophrenia disorder

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects how people think, feel, and behave. Individuals with Schizophrenia interpret reality abnormally. It is shocking to know that Schizophrenia is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Additionally, about 3.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with mental health conditions, most of them between 16 and 25 (McCutcheon, Marques, & Howes, 2020). Schizophrenia is caused by either genetics, environmental factor, or psychosocial factors. The condition symptoms include hallucination, disorganized speech, delusions, loss of interest in activities, inappropriate emotional response, and impaired motor coordination (McCutcheon, Marques, & Howes, 2020). Read more

I also learned that there are five main types of Schizophrenia. They include catatonic, residual, undifferentiated, hebephrenic, and Paranoid Schizophrenia. It is important to note that individuals with Schizophrenia continue to receive treatment even long after symptoms have subsided. Treatment of mental health disorder involves combining therapies and medication (McCutcheon, Marques, & Howes, 2020). Understanding Schizophrenia disorder is essential in my life as a nurse in two ways. One is that it can help in managing the severe symptoms of Schizophrenia. Secondly, it can equip me with the knowledge required to meet the patient’s needs.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Major Depressive Disorder or clinical depression is a mental health disorder characterized by depressed mood and loss of interest in activities. Other symptoms of the disease include excessive crying, fatigue, excess hunger, oversleeping, suicidal thoughts, and irritability (Otte et al., 2016). MDD is among the most common mental disorders affecting about 7 percent of American adults aged 18 and above (Otte et al., 2016). MDD is caused by a combination of genetic factors, environmental factors, and psychological factors. The risk factors of the condition include chronic diseases, substance abuse, and family history.

There are many known types of Major Depressive Disorder. They include perinatal depression, major depression, seasonal depression, and persistent depression (Otte et al., 2016). Treatment of MDD involves antidepressant medications and talk therapy or a mix of the two (Otte et al., 2016). Understanding the concept of Major Depressive Disorder is vital for me as a nurse. This is because it helps me understand patients’ physical needs and how best to meet them. Psychiatric Clinical Rotation; 

In conclusion, psychiatry focuses on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental health disorders. The psychiatric clinical rotation program helped me to apply the knowledge I learned in the classroom during the first two years to real life. Before attending the program, I did not know anything about mental health. In the semester, I learned concepts important in my life as a nurse, including bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, and Major Depressive Disorder. I learned the causes of the types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the diseases.