Medical Management

Currently, there is no method for preventing schizophrenia and there is no cure. Minimizing the impact of disease depends mainly on early diagnosis and, appropriate pharmacological and psycho-social treatments. Hospitalization may be required to stabilize ill persons during an acute episode. A person with schizophrenia should leave the hospital or outpatient facility with a treatment plan that will minimize symptoms and maximize quality of life. Comprehensive Treatment Programs

Antipsychotic medication Education & support, for both ill individuals and families Social skills training Rehabilitation to improve activities of daily living Vocational and recreational support Cognitive therapy Medication is one of the cornerstones of treatment. Once the acute stage

of a psychotic episode has passed, most people with schizophrenia will need to take medicine indefinitely. This is because vulnerability to psychosis doesnt go away, even though some or all of the symptoms do. Another important part of treatment is psychosocial programs and initiatives. Combined with medication, they can help ill individuals effectively manage their disorder. Talking with your treatment team will ensure you are aware of all available programs and medications.

Nursing Management
Strengthening Differentiation

Provide patient with honest and consistent feedback in a non threatening manner.

Avoid challenging the content of patients behavior Focus interactions on patients behavior. Administer drugs as prescribed while monitoring and documenting

patients response to drug regimen.

Use simple and clear language when speaking with the patient. Explain all procedures, test and activities to patient before starting them

Promoting Socialization

Encourage patient to talk about feelings in the context of a trusting, supportive relationship. Allow patient to reveal delusions to you without engaging in power struggle over the content or the entire reality of the delusions. Use supportive, emphatic approach to focus on patients feelings about troubling events or conflicts. Provide opportunities for socialization and encourage participation in group activities.

Be aware of personal space and use touch judiciously. Help patient to identify behaviors that alienate significant others and family

members.

Ensuring Safety

Monitor patient for behaviors that indicate increased anxiety and agitation. Collaborate patient to identify anxious behaviors as well as causes. Establish consistent limits on patients behavior and clearly communicate

these limits to patients, family member, and health care providers.

Secure all potential weapons and articles from patients room and the unit environment that could be used to inflict injury. Determine the need for external control, including seclusion or restraints. Communicate the decision to patient and put plan into action. Frequently monitor the patient within guidelines of facilitys policy on restrictive devices and assess the patients level of agitation. When patients level of agitation begins to decrease and self control regained, establish a behavioral agreement that identifies specific behaviors that indicate self control against are escalation agitation.

Source: http://nursingcrib.com