The vital role of Nurses in the lives of people with eating disorders

This International Nurses Day, we’re looking at the role nurses play in the treatment and care of people with eating disorders.

Eating disorders are serious, complex illnesses requiring care by a multidisciplinary team in which nurses play a vital role across a range of clinical settings.

Bridget Mulvey is a Clinical Nurse Consultant with InsideOut Institute and a Mental Health Nurse with extensive experience working with people with an eating disorder across a variety of settings. She describes the critical role nurses play in the inpatient phase of treatment and care for people with eating disorders:

“Nurses implement the treatment that has been planned by the team – this is often the most challenging aspect of inpatient care for eating disorder patients," said Bridget.

“Nurses are the observers, supporters, responders, communicators and carers. They are the conduit between different treating teams, patients and families/carers in hospital because they spend long periods of time with the patients during eight, ten or twelve-hour shifts including at nights and over weekends.”

Peta Marks is a Credentialed Mental Health Nurse and Family Therapist and InsideOut Institute’s National Programs Manager. She provides individual and family therapy for young people with anorexia nervosa and their families in primary care. Her goal is to help people with eating disorders to recover and lead meaningful lives.

“I’m inspired by a strong desire to help people achieve their full potential. Eating disorders steal so much from a person - the things they enjoy, their physicality, their relationships, their thinking space, their confidence and their independence,” said Peta.

“The fact that eating disorders occur predominantly in young people and that not everybody recovers means that so much time, energy and focus is lost to the eating disorder – that’s time, energy and focus that could be directed towards a meaningful life.”

A Holistic Approach to Care

An important part of a nurse’s role in the care of people with eating disorders is taking a holistic approach to supporting the emotional wellbeing of everyone involved. This includes family and carers as well as the person.

“Nurses naturally work in a holistic and practical manner. This allows patients, families, and carers at different stages of treatment – whether in crisis or later in their journey – to be seen as a whole person or unit beyond the illness,” said Bridget.

“Nurses provide emotional support along with practical solutions that are relevant to every person’s unique situation.”

“Nurses are the ultimate collaborators. Mental Health Nurses work with the person to identify their needs and assist them to engage with a range of multi-disciplinary practitioners to support the individual and their family,” said Peta.

Potential to play a larger role

Bridget and Peta both believe nurses have the potential to play a much larger role in the treatment and care of people with eating disorders in Australia.

“Nurses have much to offer people with eating disorders in Australia, particularly in the community setting, but at present there is no rebate from Medicare for their services and this is a barrier to a vast resource,” said Bridget.

“I firmly believe in tapping into the experience in the Mental Health nursing workforce to support people with eating disorder patients in the community with holistic and evidence-based care. This would enable early intervention – reducing the need for inpatient treatment and the likelihood of long-term illness. This flows on to improve outcomes and experiences for individuals, their families and carers.”

“As the ‘most trusted professional’ year-on-year, nurses are in the ideal position to engage with people about their relationship with food and their bodies,” said Peta.

“Nurses and mental health nurses working across all clinical settings have a role to play. We know people with disordered eating and eating disorders present to primary care, private practice, in community mental health and inpatient settings as well as Emergency Departments and general medical and mental health services.”

A Meaningful Career

Despite the challenging nature of caring for people with eating disorders, Peta and Bridget believe it is highly rewarding career choice and, ultimately, a great privilege.

“Mental health nursing is a fantastic career. I’m so proud to be a mental health nurse and count my mental health nursing colleagues as among the best of people,” said Peta.

“It’s so rewarding to be able to work at a really connected, one-to-one level with people during their most vulnerable of times, and to walk with them on their journey towards recovery.”

“Nurses are there for the distress and the repair, and while this may be confronting, it is the most unique and privileged position a clinician can have,” said Bridget.