Psychiatric consultation to a rehabilitation program for amputees

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Amputee rehabilitation programs can face challenges with patient compliance and behavioral issues.
• Destructive behavior and resistance were observed in young amputee patients at a Navy medical center.
• Initial psychiatric consultation attempts were unsuccessful in addressing these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel psychiatric consultation model for amputee rehabilitation.
• To improve patient engagement and reduce negative behaviors within the rehabilitation program.
• To enhance the self-esteem and overall well-being of young amputees.

Main Methods:

• A psychiatrist acted as a training consultant for orthopedic staff in group therapy techniques.
• Two orthopedic nurses were trained and supervised to conduct weekly group therapy sessions.
• Amputee patients participated in these supervised group therapy sessions.

Main Results:

• Group therapy sessions provided a platform for patients to express feelings of alienation, powerlessness, and boredom.
• The intervention effectively halted destructive behaviors among the patient group.
• Patient self-esteem showed a significant increase following the group therapy intervention.

Conclusions:

• Training orthopedic nurses in group therapy is a viable model for psychiatric consultation in rehabilitation settings.
• This approach successfully addressed behavioral issues and improved psychological outcomes for amputee patients.
• Supervised group therapy can be an effective tool for enhancing self-esteem and compliance in amputee rehabilitation.