Nursing students' attitudes to mental health nursing: psychometric properties of a self-report scale.

Negative attitudes toward people experiencing mental illness and mental health nursing as a career option have been recognized as a major barrier to sustaining an adequate psychiatric nursing workforce. This article presents the findings from a prospective observational study that explored the relationship between undergraduate nursing students' (n = 688) attitudes relevant to the mental health field, preparedness, and career preferences after they had completed a mental health placement. A comparison was also made between the self-reported attitudes, beliefs, and preferences of two groups of students, one with and one without relevant clinical experience.

Psychiatric nursing and mental health funding: the double dilemma.

The impact of mental illness on disease and disability burden is receiving more recognition than has previously been the case. It is now commonly understood that approximately 20% of the Australian population will experience a mental illness at some stage during their lives. Unfortunately this recognition is not reflected in the funding of mental health services, or in strategies to identify and rectify shortfalls in the nursing workforce.

Transition to mental health nursing through specialist graduate nurse programs in mental health: a review of the literature.

Specialist graduate nurse programs (GNPs) in psychiatric/mental health nursing have been widely implemented across public healthcare services throughout Victoria, Australia. Broadly, these programs aim to assist newly graduated nurses during the transition from nursing student to registered nurse. This paper presents a review of the literature relevant to GNPs; specifically focusing on graduate transition.

Critique of Falloon and the Optimal Treatment Project.

The Optimal Treatment Project advocated by Falloon has been demonstrated through the scientific research literature to be efficient and effective treatment strategies for people experiencing severe mental illness. For this reason, there is little critique of this approach. While the potential value of the project is acknowledged, it is important to identify the appropriateness of the model for specific services and to understand comprehensively the resources necessary for successful implementation.

Predicting family caregiver psychosocial functioning in palliative care.

Background: Health professionals are expected to support family caregivers of patients requiring palliative care. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to help clinicians identify caregivers who might be at risk of poor psychosocial functioning.

Purpose: This secondary analysis of baseline data from a larger study sought to determine if it was possible to predict the psychosocial functioning of family caregivers who were supporting a relative with advanced incurable cancer.

Measuring the psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers of palliative care patients: psychometric properties of nine self-report instruments.

Researchers and clinicians have experienced substantial difficulties locating measures that are suitable for use within palliative care settings. This article details the psychometric properties of nine instruments designed to assess the following psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers: competence, mastery, self-efficacy, burden, optimism, preparedness, social support, rewards, and mutuality. Results are based on the responses of 106 primary family caregivers caring for relatives dying of cancer.

A psycho-educational intervention for family caregivers of patients receiving palliative care: a randomized controlled trial.

This study describes an evaluation of a psycho-educational intervention for family caregivers of patients dying of cancer at home. In a randomized controlled trial, participants (n = 106) received standard home-based palliative care services (n = 52) or these services plus the new intervention (n = 54). Data were collected at three time points: upon commencement of home-based palliative care (Time 1), five weeks later (Time 2), and then eight weeks following patient death (Time 3).

Nursing students' attitudes toward mental health nursing and consumers: psychometric properties of a self-report scale.

There is a paucity of measures suitable for assessing the impact of educational and clinical placement strategies on nursing students' career preferences and attitudes toward mental health nursing and consumers of mental health services. Information derived from such scales could be used to improve existing recruitment strategies to this specialty area and identify misperceptions held by individuals joining the health care workforce. This article details the psychometric properties of a self-report scale designed to assess (1) preparedness for the mental health field, (2) attitudes toward mental illness and consumers of mental health services, and (3) attitudes toward mental health nursing, including career preferences.

Inpatient hospice triage of 'after-hours' calls to a community palliative care service.

This article reports on a retrospective study of the provision of 'after-hours' telephone support by a community palliative care service during 1996 and 1997. Calls received outside of normal office hours were triaged through an inpatient hospice unit located in the same building as the community team. During the study period, 629 patient or carer calls were received, predominantly between 5pm and 11 pm.

Home caregivers of the person with advanced cancer: an Australian perspective.

Australian palliative care services are predominantly community based, with an emphasis on enabling the person to live at home for as long as possible. Home care of the person with advanced cancer receiving palliative care in the community depends largely on the availability of a family caregiver. Family caregivers are required to assess, monitor, and deliver complex therapeutic interventions such as pain and symptom control, including the administration and adjustment of complex medication regimens.