scholarly journals Staff attitudes to smoking and the smoking ban

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 84-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kudlur Thyarappa Praveen ◽  
Swamy Nirvana Chandrappa Kudlur ◽  
Rudresh Paramishiyaiah Hanabe ◽  
Adeyemi Tiwalade Egbewunmi

Aims and MethodOur aim was to explore attitudes of in-patient mental health staff to smoking and the smoking ban. A questionnaire was distributed to staff (n=450) working at National Health Service psychiatric units in three different locations.ResultsWe obtained 308 responses, at a response rate of 68.4%. Staff were generally less permissive towards smoking in mental health units when compared with previous studies. However, most (78.9%) feared that service users' states would deteriorate if they were not allowed to smoke.Clinical ImplicationsWe found small but noticeable change in staff attitudes following initial reforms in smoking policy. However, there is a need for further significant change in staff attitudes to facilitate implementation of a total smoking ban from July 2008.

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Ignatius Ukpong ◽  
Olugbenga Owoeye ◽  
Owoidoho Udofia ◽  
Festus Abasiubong ◽  
Sunday Ukpong

Aims and methodA survey was conducted to investigate physical assaults against mental health staff of a Nigerian psychiatric hospital in a 12-month period and also during their working career in the hospital retrospectively using a questionnaire method.ResultsIn total, 101 out of 120 questionnaires were completed (response rate 84.2%). Within the period of their employment in the hospital 49.5% of staff had been physically assaulted at least once, and over the previous 12 months 33.7% had been physically assaulted. Nursing staff (82.3%) were more frequently assaulted than doctors, most often during routine assessment of patients (44.3%). In total, 88% of staff sustained injuries requiring medical attention. Vulnerability to assaults was not associated with attending a course on prevention and management of psychiatric patient violence.Clinical implicationsAssaults by patients against mental health staff, especially nurses, are quite widespread in Nigeria. There is a need to formulate policies on prevention and management of violence in people with mental disorders in Nigerian psychiatric hospitals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Boland ◽  
Michele Abendstern ◽  
Mark Wilberforce ◽  
Rosa Pitts ◽  
Jane Hughes ◽  
...  

Summary The article addresses the continued lack of clarity about the role of the mental health social worker within community mental health teams for working age adults and particularly the limited evidence regarding this from the perspective of service users. It compares findings from the literature, found to originate from a predominantly professional viewpoint, with secondary analysis of a national survey of service users to assess their views. Findings Three particular aspects of mental health social workers’ role identified in the literature were, to some extent, also located within the national survey and can be summarised as: approaches to practice, nature of involvement, and scope of support. The presence of these features was largely not substantiated by the survey results, with few differences evident between service users’ experiences of mental health social workers compared with other mental health staff. When nurses and social workers were compared, results were either the same for both professions or favoured nurses. The findings point both to the difficulty of articulating the social work contribution and to the limitations of the secondary data. Application The findings are a useful benchmark, highlighting the limited evidence base and the need for further research to improve both the understanding of the mental health social work role and how it is experienced by service users. The profession is keen to emphasise its specific contribution. Research evidence is required to underscore this and to ensure that the role is not subsumed within generic practice.


2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris J. Hawley ◽  
Tim M. Gale ◽  
Thanusha Sivakumaran ◽  
Brian Littlechild

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire McDonald ◽  
Fiona Seaman-Thornton ◽  
Che Ling Michelle Mok ◽  
Hanne Jakobsen ◽  
Simon Riches

Purpose Negative attitudes towards “personality disorder” are common among mental health professionals. This study aims to design a psychoeducational training targeting attitudes to “personality disorder” for staff working in a London psychiatric hospital. Its impact on staff attitudes was evaluated. Design/methodology/approach Mental health clinicians were recruited from five acute psychiatric wards. Feasibility of implementing the training was measured. A free-association exercise explored baseline attitudes to “personality disorder” and visual analogue scales assessed staff attitudes pre- and post-training. Content analysis of staff feedback was carried out. Findings Psychoeducational training was found to be feasible, well-attended and highly valued by ward staff (N = 47). Baseline results revealed negative perceptions of “personality disorder”. Post-training, significant improvements in understanding, levels of compassion and attitudes to working with service users with a diagnosis of a “personality disorder” were observed. Staff feedback highlighted desire for further training and support. Research limitations/implications The sample size was relatively small and there was no control group, so findings should be interpreted with caution. Practical implications The findings highlight the need for support for staff working with service users with diagnoses of “personality disorder” on acute psychiatric wards. Providing regular training with interactive components may promote training as a resource for staff well-being. Planning to ensure service users’ and carers’ views are incorporated into the design of future training will be important. Originality/value This study is innovative in that it investigates the impact of a brief psychoeducational training on “personality disorder” designed for mental health staff on acute psychiatric wards.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narges Beyraghi ◽  
Azadeh Mazaheri Meybodi ◽  
Reyhaneh Sadat Jafarian Bahri

Although the move to smoke-free mental health inpatient settings is an internationally common and popular trend, these policies are neither implemented nor supported by any national program in Iran. This study investigates the attitude of mental health staff and psychiatric patients toward smoking cessation in 2 psychiatric inpatient units (psychosomatic and adult general psychiatry) in the Taleghani general hospital in Tehran. One hundred and twenty participants of this cross-sectional study consist of 30 mental health staff and 90 psychiatric patients. An eight-item questionnaire was used for collecting information. Both staff and patients expressed a positive attitude towards smoking cessation. Patients favoured the implementation of these policies and expressed a more positive attitude towards the feasibility. Sixty-three percent of patients and 57% of staff were opposed to smoking in the units. Seventy percent of patients reported the smoke-free ban as a feasible policy compared to 45% of staff who did the same. The implementation of the smoke-free policy has more support in both staff and patients than the continuation of smoking in psychiatric units. There is a need for an ongoing education and training for mental health care providers, in order to have a successful implementation of smoke-free policy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-411
Author(s):  
A Ratier-Cruz ◽  
J G Smith ◽  
M Firn ◽  
M Rinaldi

ABSTRACT Background Mental health trusts in England were expected to become completely smoke-free and embed smoking cessation practices by 2018. Such policies are fraught with concerns and have received mixed support from mental health staff. Understanding staff attitudes to these practices prior to enforcement of the policy could help design an effective implementation strategy. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with clinical and non-clinical staff in a Mental Health Trust to understand smoking cessation practices and attitudes to the implementation of a completely smoke-free policy. Results There were 631 responses. Most participants disagreed with the policy on wards (59.6%) and throughout all mental health settings (57.4%). Clinicians expressed significantly lower organizational policy support (P = 0.001) than non-clinicians (P = 0.001). Psychiatrists were more supportive of the organizational items than nurses and allied health professionals. Clinicians’ attitudes towards smoking cessation practices were less positive for those who were current smokers (P < 0.001), but more positive for clinicians who had received or were interested in attending smoking cessation training (P < 0.001). Conclusions Partial and completely smoke-free policies remain unsupported by staff in mental health settings. Smoking cessation training appears to reinforce rather than alter attitudes towards smoking cessation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 204-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Stubbs ◽  
Camilla Haw ◽  
Liz Garner

Aims and MethodThe aim of this survey was to examine staff views on smoking at work in a large psychiatric hospital. A postal questionnaire was sent to all clinical staff (n=1471) asking about their smoking habits and attitudes to smoking at work.ResultsThe response rate was 40.7%. Overall, 22.0% of respondents were smokers, with unqualified nursing staff having the highest rate (31.0%). The majority of staff did not favour a total ban on smoking by staff, patients or visitors. Smoking habit and profession influenced responses. Smokers and nurses were more permissive in their attitude towards smoking on wards than non-smokers and psychiatrists.Clinical ImplicationsImplementation of the government's recommendations on tobacco control in psychiatric units is likely to require considerable preparatory work with staff to ensure full compliance.


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