Community-Based Care - Personality Disorders

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE

Caring for clients with personality disorders occurs primarily in community-based settings. Acute psychiatric settings such as hospitals are useful for safety concerns for short periods. The nurse uses skills to deal with clients who have personality disorders in clinics, outpatient set-tings, doctors’ offices, and many medical settings. Often, the personality disorder is not the focus of attention; rather, the client may be seeking treatment for a physical condition.

Most people with personality disorders are treated in group or individual therapy settings, community support programs, or self-help groups. Others will not seek treat-ment for their personality disorder but may be treated for a major mental illness. Wherever the nurse encounters cli-ents with personality disorders, including in his or her own life.