Voices from the Field: Regional Nurses Speak About Motivations, Careers and How to Entice Others to Pursue Mental Health Nursing

Author(s):  
Joy Penman ◽  
Lee Martinez ◽  
Debra Papoulis ◽  
Kathryn Cronin

AbstractThe aims of this study are three-fold: determine the factors that motivate nurses to pursue mental health nursing; identify the strategies that might attract nursing students and practising nurses to pursue mental health nursing as a professional career; and identify the difficulties of nurses in achieving their preferred clinical specialty.A descriptive qualitative study design with semi-structured interviews was used. Fifteen mental health nurses from rural and regional South Australia were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was undertaken.Of the fifteen participants, thirteen were females and two were males; their average age was 50 years. The factors that motivated the participants to pursue mental health nursing were categorized as intrinsic and extrinsic. There were many strategies that might attract nursing students and nurses to the field, but the most popular suggestion was the provision of high quality meaningful clinical placements. Other strategies were to convey the personal satisfaction derived from being a mental health nurse, promote mental health nursing aggressively, and provide employment incentives. The study also highlighted the importance of addressing stigma, and greater education and support for nurses to pursue a mental health career.

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 18-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Callaghan ◽  
Linda Cooper ◽  
Richard Gray

In order to provide sound, person-centred care, mental health nursing students need a thorough understanding of theory alongside the ability to translate this knowledge into practice. It can be difficult to apply ideas from the classroom and books when learning how to work with mental health service users for the first time. That is why the theoretical aspects of this book are presented alongside realistic accounts of nursing practice. Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing is a case-based and service user centred textbook for mental health nursing students. Designed to support students throughout their pre-registration studies, the text covers the essential knowledge required to provide high quality nursing care. Contributions from real service users and cases of fictional clients are explored in detail to provide excellent transferable skills for practice. Dedicated chapters explore fundamental nursing skills and mental health law before providing a case-based exploration of the areas and subjects that will be encountered by students in university and placement. Practice-based chapters introduce students to the needs of a diverse range of fictional clients and explain how the skills of communication, assessment, care planning and monitoring can be applied. Each chapter provides a sample care plan explaining why and how clinical decisions are made, so that students can develop their own skills and practice. The text opens with clear advice to help students succeed in their studies and concludes with a wealth of practical and thoughtful advice on becoming a professional and getting that first job. Online Resource Centre * Twenty one video clips of fictional service users demonstrate the application of theory and prepare students for real nursing practice * Quizzes, scenarios and a range of activities help students to apply their learning * Interactive glossary explains terminology and jargon * Sample CV's and self awareness exercises aid professional development


2021 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 104866
Author(s):  
Silvia García-Mayor ◽  
Casta Quemada-González ◽  
Álvaro León-Campos ◽  
Shakira Kaknani-Uttumchandani ◽  
Laura Gutiérrez-Rodríguez ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 111-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Hanrahan ◽  
Gail W. Stuart ◽  
Pat Brown ◽  
Mary Johnson ◽  
Claire Burke Draucker ◽  
...  

Managing the supply of psychiatric-mental health nursing labor, determining the financial incentives associated with the provision of services by these providers, and ensuring optimal patient and cost outcomes are critical elements of cost control and patient safety in the current health care market. Knowledge of the psychiatric-mental health nursing workforce is needed to plan and evaluate cost-effective programs to accomplish the aforementioned elements. However, the psychiatric-mental health nursing workforce data are woefully inadequate. This paper will review the extent to which national data sources contain workforce information on psychiatric-mental health nurses.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 2572
Author(s):  
Raionara Cristina de Araújo Santos ◽  
Rafaella Leite Fernandes ◽  
Tarciana Sampaio Costa ◽  
Francisco Arnoldo Nunes de Miranda

ABSTRACTObjective: to report early experiencesin teaching resulting from practical classes in the discipline Adult Health I, under the perspective of Mental Health. Method: this is an experience report of three students from the Graduate Program in Nursing of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) on the participation in the practical classes in mental health, held on June 2009, in the 2nd male infirmary of Hospital Psiquiatrico Dr. João Machado (HJM), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, with undergraduate students at the 5th semester of the Nursing course. Results: the practical course activities of each subgroup were carried out during four days, where the individuals identified some aspects of the psychiatry history and the psychiatric reform and became responsible for the nursing care of a patient. Conclusion: the wealth of experiences gained from the practice in mental health at this hospital is highlighted, both on the part of the undergraduate students and the graduate students. Descriptors: nursing; mental health; nursing students; teaching.RESUMO Objetivo: relatar experiências iniciais na docência decorrentes das aulas práticas na disciplina de Saúde do Adulto I, na perspectiva da Saúde Mental. Método: trata-se de um relato da experiência de três alunas do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) acerca da participação nas aulas práticas em saúde mental, realizadas em junho de 2009, na 2ª enfermaria da ala masculina do Hospital Psiquiátrico Dr. João Machado (HJM), Natal/RN, com os acadêmicos do 5º período do curso de Enfermagem. Resultados: as práticas disciplinares de cada subgrupo ocorreram durante quatro dias, onde os indivíduos identificaram alguns aspectos da história da psiquiatria e da reforma psiquiátrica e tornaram-se responsáveis pelos cuidados de enfermagem de um paciente. Conclusão: salienta-se a riqueza de experiências advindas das práticas em saúde mental neste hospital, tanto por parte dos alunos de graduação como para as mestrandas. Descritores: enfermagem; saúde mental; estudantes de enfermagem; ensino.RESUMENObjetivo: relatar experiencias iniciales en la docencia derivadas de las clases prácticas en la disciplina de Salud del Adulto I, en la perspectiva de la Salud Mental. Método: esto es un relato de experiencia de tres alumnas del Programa de Posgrado en Enfermería de la Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) acerca de las clases prácticas en salud mental, realizadas en junio de 2009, en la 2ª enfermería masculina del Hospital Psiquiátrico Dr. João Machado (HJM), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, con académicos del 5º periodo del curso de Enfermería. Resultados: las prácticas en la clase de cada subgrupo ocurrieron durante cuatro días, donde los individuos identificaron algunos aspectos de la historia de la psiquiatría y de la reforma psiquiátrica y se tornaron responsables por la atención de enfermería de un paciente. Conclusión: se destaca la riqueza de experiencias advenidas de las prácticas en salud mental en este hospital, tanto por parte de los estudiantes de graduación como de las estudiantes de postgrado. Descriptores: enfermería; salud mental; estudiantes de enfermería; enseñanza.


Author(s):  
Marjorie Lloyd

In this chapter we return to the story of Anthony and his brother David, who we originally met in Chapter 4, and Joyce, who first appears in Chapter 5. Previously we considered the role of the mental health nurse in working with people experiencing acute mental health crisis. This chapter seeks to consider how as mental health nurses we might go on to work with these people to support their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. The chapter opens by outlining some key principles of recovery and proceeds to demonstrate how these ideas might be implemented in working with both Anthony and Joyce. “The way I was feeling my sadness was mine. When I was in hospital staff rarely took time to find out what this was like for me. Not taking the time often fuelled what I was thinking: ‘I’m not worth finding out about.’ Nigel Short (2007: 23)” This service user describes how it feels to live with mental illness continuously throughout their lives, not just while they are in hospital. Professional staff may contribute to this feeling if care planning becomes too focused upon symptoms and treatment rather than person-centred care and recovery. In this context, recovery should not be seen as a new concept; rather it can be traced back at least 200 years to one of the earliest asylums, the Tuke Retreat in Yorkshire. “For it was a critical appraisal of psychiatric practice that inspired the Tuke at York to establish a clinical philosophy and therapeutic practice based on kindness, compassion, respect and hope of recovery. Roberts and Wolfson (2004: 37).” Later, during the 1960s, The Vermont Project (an American psychiatric facility) also published research on successful rehabilitative practice that was based upon ‘faith, hope and love’ (Eldred et al. 1962: 45). However, much of the current focus upon recovery practices is based on longitudinal studies in America, services in Ohio, service users were asked to identify what was important to them. This resulted in the Emerging Best Practices document that is recommended guidance in the UK today (NIMHE 2004).


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