Getting psychosocial interventions into mental health nursing practice: a survey of skill use and perceived benefits to service users.

Aim: To investigate the use of psychosocial interventions by mental health nurses following training and perceived benefits to service users.

Background: Psychosocial interventions are recommended to support the recovery of persons with enduring mental illness. Despite two decades of postgraduate training in psychosocial interventions internationally, implementation challenges still remain.

Nursing students' views of clinical competence assessment.

This paper reports on some outcomes of a research study evaluating a new assessment framework of clinical competence used in undergraduate nursing programmes in the Mid West Region of Ireland. First, this paper presents both the strengths and weaknesses of the present model, as articulated by student nurses. Second, it generates a broader critical debate around the concept of competency assessment.

Preceptors' views of assessing nursing students using a competency based approach.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical competence assessment in BSc nursing registration education programmes. This research was undertaken in two phases and incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In the first phase, two focus groups were conducted with preceptors working in general, mental health and intellectual disability nursing (n=16).

Competency assessment methods - tool and processes: a survey of nurse preceptors in Ireland.

Determining student nurses' clinical competence is underpinned by significant challenges including a lack of reliable assessments methods and multiple factors that impact on the assessment function of preceptors. The purpose of this study was to explore preceptors' views and experiences of a competency assessment tool and process used to assess BSc student nurses' clinical competence. Data were collected using a mixed method descriptive approach that included focus groups (n=16) and a survey of preceptors (n=837) in general, mental health and intellectual disability nursing in Ireland.

Training primary care nurses in late-life depression: knowledge, attitude and practice changes.

Aim.  This paper reports on the uptake of a two-day late-life depression training programme with primary care nurses and its impact on knowledge, attitudes and the use of a brief screening protocol following training. Background.