Evidence and Practice
An evaluation of nurse-led mental health training for benefits staff
Peer-to-peer mentoring for and by at-risk young people
Validity of a two-question tool in detecting antenatal depression in Malawi
Clinical
An evaluation of nurse-led mental health training for benefits staff
Delivery of training by mental health nurses to staff in a benefits district in west Scotland
Peer-to-peer mentoring for and by at-risk young people
Delivery of training by mental health nurses to staff in a benefits district in west Scotland.
Validity of a two-question tool in detecting antenatal depression in Malawi
Establishing the validity of a two-question tool based on the Whooley questions
Mental health service needs and experiences of asylum-seeking children in the UK
A literature review of the needs and experiences of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
Simulated learning environments involving coroner’s court attendance in mental health
SLEs provide students with an opportunity to experience complex practice elements
Restrictive interventions: a service evaluation
Background Restrictive interventions (RIs) are defined as the use of deliberate acts that restrict a person’s movement, liberty or freedom to act independently. RIs such as seclusion and physical intervention are practices commonly used to manage violence and aggression. Aims To investigate the frequency and rationale for use of RIs at an NHS inpatient service. Methods A service evaluation was carried out for six inpatient wards that offer adult and later-life services. Data were collected from patient incident and adverse events reports and from electronic patient records. Results There were 424 incidents of physical intervention and 184 incidents of seclusion reported. The use of physical intervention was more frequent between 10am and 12pm, when personal care was carried out. Physical and non-physical assaults were most commonly reported as the reasons for use of RIs. Conclusion Analysing the frequency and the rationale for the use of RIs has enabled changes to be made to practice and how staff are trained. It is hoped that other services will reflect on their use of RIs to improve practice.
CPD articles
Well-being, physical and mental health: Helping service users cope with schizophrenia
Part 3 of our series explores the causes of schizophrenia and how it can lead to self-neglect
Nursing care plans in mental health
An exploration of best practice in co-creating recovery-orientated care plans
Improving physical health of people with mental illness: holistic nursing assessments
People with a mental illness are more susceptible to physical ill health
Well-being, physical and mental health: part 2. Responding to trauma
Mental and physical health work together to support well-being, and never more importantly than when a patient experiences a sudden and devastating trauma. This article explores the interplay of mental and physical health in the context of acid attack burns to someone’s face. It explains trauma in event terms and how an understanding of types of psychological trauma can be drawn on to advance collaborative nursing practice in a burns unit. While nurses have been educated in separate disciplines, it is argued that working across the traditional divide can be advantageous in trauma situations. This is the second article in a series on ‘well-being, physical and mental health’.
Well-being, physical and mental health: part 1
This article explains how physical health fits into the overall well-being of a person and why people with a mental illness are more likely than the rest of the population to experience poor physical health. It represents the first article in a series on body and mind, well-being and how physical and mental health issues interact as focal points for the work of mental health nurses. Historically, mental health and physical health have been conceived in western healthcare as separate domains and our preparation of registered nurses for practice has often reflected this. However, in this series, case studies are used to show how closely physical and mental health interact and how the two are important to sustain a state of well-being. The series is designed to help registered nurses reflect on their current practice and to help students to anticipate the range of care requirements that may be needed when a service user comes into their care.
Solution-oriented learning: an approach that promotes motivation and resilience
This article explores the use of solution-oriented learning as an approach to coping with formal learning and practice development needs. The article explains each step of the solution-oriented learning process and gives examples related to student and qualified nurses’ experiences. Time out activities offer opportunities to apply theory to practice. The authors propose that wider application of the solution-oriented learning principles can support nurses in building resilience.