Perceptions of crisis care in populations who self-referred to a telephone-based mental health triage service.

Although psychiatric crises are very common in people with mental illness, little is known about consumer perceptions of mental health crisis care. Given the current emphasis on recovery-oriented approaches, shared decision-making, and partnering with consumers in planning and delivering care, this knowledge gap is significant. Since the late 1990s, access to Australian mental health services has been facilitated by 24/7 telephone-based mental health triage systems, which provide initial psychiatric assessment, referral, support, and advice.

Investigating the validity and usability of an interactive computer programme for assessing competence in telephone-based mental health triage.

Telephone-based mental health triage services are frontline health-care providers that operate 24/7 to facilitate access to psychiatric assessment and intervention for people requiring assistance with a mental health problem. The mental health triage clinical role is complex, and the populations triage serves are typically high risk; yet to date, no evidence-based methods have been available to assess clinician competence to practice telephone-based mental health triage. The present study reports the findings of a study that investigated the validity and usability of the Mental Health Triage Competency Assessment Tool, an evidence-based, interactive computer programme designed to assist clinicians in developing and assessing competence to practice telephone-based mental health triage.

Mental health consumers' perceptions of quality of life and mental health care.

Research spanning the past decade consistently reports that people with severe mental illnesses experience lower quality of life than the general population, however, little is known about what "quality of life" means to consumers, or how quality of life can be promoted in mental health care. This study measured the Quality of Life of mental health consumers receiving care from a Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program, and examined consumer perceptions of quality of life. The study used an exploratory design incorporating the WHOQOL-brèf survey and four additional qualitative questions for data collection.

Feasibility and need for violence risk screening at triage: an exploration of clinical processes and public perceptions in one Australian emergency department.

Background: Research on patient aggression in hospital emergency departments supports the development of a systematic process for identifying individuals at risk of becoming violent. The feasibility and community acceptance of this approach is unknown. In this study, we determine the feasibility and explore the need for a violence risk screening process in one Australian emergency department.

Telephone survey of service-user experiences of a telephone-based mental health triage service.

The participation of service users in all aspects of mental health service delivery including policy development, service planning and evaluation is increasingly an expectation of contemporary mental health care. Although there are a growing number of publications reporting service-user perspectives in the evaluation of mental health services, little attention has been paid to the views of service users about mental health triage services. The purpose of the study reported here was to examine service-users' (consumers and informal carers) experiences of a telephone-based mental health triage service.

Identifying the core competencies of mental health telephone triage.

Aims And Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to identify the core competencies of mental health telephone triage, including key role tasks, skills, knowledge and responsibilities, in which clinicians are required to be competent to perform safe and effective triage.

Background: Recent global trends indicate an increased reliance on telephone-based health services to facilitate access to health care across large populations. The trend towards telephone-based health services has also extended to mental health settings, evidenced by the growing number of mental health telephone triage services providing 24-hour access to specialist mental health assessment and treatment.

Correlational analysis.

A common question of interest in nursing research is the relationships between variables. Correlational analysis is a statistical technique employed to investigate the magnitude and significance of such relationships. This paper presents commonly used techniques to examine bivariate relationships of interval/ratio, ordinal and nominal variables.

Australian mental health nurses' attitudes to role expansion.

Purpose: This study examined the attitudes of Australian community mental health nurses toward role expansion.

Design And Methods: This study used an exploratory descriptive design. An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 154 community mental health nurses in metropolitan and rural areas to explore their attitudes to expanded practice.

Nurse practitioners and medical practice: opposing forces or complementary contributions?

Purpose: The medical profession in Australia has expressed concern about the expansion of nursing practice into areas that are traditionally the domain of medicine. Particular apprehension is raised in relation to the prescription of medications. This paper will consider and critique the argument that the standard of care provided by a nurse practitioner would be of lesser quality than that provided by a medical practitioner.

Informal role expansion in Australian mental health nursing.

Purpose: This study aims to determine the extent to which community mental health nurses are currently practicing beyond the traditional scope of nursing practice.

Design And Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to community mental health nurses in Victoria, Australia.

Findings: The majority of participants reported routine involvement in practices that would normally be considered beyond the scope of nursing practice, such as prescribing, ordering diagnostic tests, and referral to specialists.

Preceptorship in psychiatric nursing: an impact evaluation from an Australian perspective.

The importance of preceptorship in ensuring positive clinical experiences for undergraduates has been widely acknowledged in the literature. This is particularly the case for mental health nursing due to the negative attitudes nursing students tend to hold towards this area of practice. The Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice (CPNRP), introduced a subject: Preceptorship in Psychiatric Nursing, to facilitate the ability of clinicians to undertake the preceptorship role confidently and competently.

Facilitating the professional development role of clinicians: evaluating the impact of the clinician-trainer program.

The professionalisation of nursing has been accompanied by recognition of the need for ongoing professional development. Continuing education is considered as an important method in maintaining professional development. Despite this recognition there is a paucity of literature addressing either the problems experienced in accessing and utilising continuing education or innovative programs designed to overcome these problems.

Promoting consumer participation through the implementation of a consumer academic position.

Consumer participation in mental health care is increasingly becoming an expectation. A review of the literature suggests that the negative attitudes of mental health professionals towards people diagnosed with mental illness constitutes a significant barrier to the realization of this goal. The education of health professionals has been identified as a major strategy for reducing the negatively of such attitudes, and to promoting a more participatory relationship between consumer and provider.

Expanded practice roles for community mental health nurses in Australia: confidence, critical factors for preparedness, and perceived barriers.

As the momentum for nurse practitioner roles rapidly increases in Australia, little scholarly attention has been directed towards barriers to role expansion, the confidence necessary to undertake expanded practice roles (other than prescription of medication), or the educational preparation required for expanded roles. This paper reports on community mental health nurses' views regarding confidence to undertake expanded roles, their opinions regarding the necessary preparation for such roles, and barriers to role expansion. An questionnaire was administered to 296 community mental health nurses employed in metropolitan and rural settings in Victoria, Australia.

Physical activity, health-related quality of life, and psychosocial functioning of adults with cerebral palsy.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationships between physical activity, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and psychosocial functioning (mood states, physical self-efficacy, social support) in adults with cerebral palsy (N = 51). The data was heavily skewed, with many participants reporting that they performed minimal physical activity and experienced low levels of physical function, minimal role limitations, high social functioning, low levels of negative mood states, and high social support. With the exception of the correlations between physical activity and physical functioning (rho = .

Interventions for reducing the use of seclusion in psychiatric facilities: review of the literature.

Background: The authors of a recent systematic review concluded that the use of non-pharmacological containment methods, excluding restraint and seclusion, was not supported by evidence. Their focus on randomised, controlled trials, however, does not reflect the research that has been, or could be, conducted.

Aims: To find empirically supported interventions that allow reduction in the use of seclusion in psychiatric facilities.

Expanded practice roles for community mental health nurses: what do consumers and carers have to say?

Community-based mental health as the primary focus of treatment has influenced more autonomous roles for mental health nurses. A limited literature suggests that this has resulted in the expansion of community mental health nursing into territory usually the exclusive domain of the medical profession. Consumers and carers are the two groups most affected by changes to service delivery; however, their views regarding the changing role of community mental health nurses have not been sought.

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.

Expanded practice roles for community mental health nurses: a qualitative exploration of psychiatrists' views.

Objective: The aim of this paper was to explore the perspectives of psychiatrists regarding the potential impact of expanded nursing practice roles on mental health care delivery.

Method: In-depth interviews and a focus group were conducted with psychiatrists from metropolitan and rural Victoria, Australia, using a qualitative exploratory design.

Results: Four main themes emerged: nurses' preparation to undertake expanded practice; power and autonomy of nurses; final responsibility rests with psychiatrists; and, the future of expanded nursing practice.

We can't find the solution until we know the problem: understanding the mental health nursing labour force.

Objective: Difficulties recruiting and retaining adequate numbers of mental health nurses have been extensively documented in the Australian literature. The continued increase in the average age of practicing mental health nurses has intensified concerns that a workforce crisis is rapidly approaching. Despite the urgency of this situation, there has been no comprehensive, co-ordinated collection of labour force data.

Focus groups in nursing research: an appropriate method or the latest fad?

The use of focus groups as a method of nursing research has increased substantially over the past 20 years. In this paper, Brenda Happell describes a review of literature published from 1985 to 2004. Multiple uses are described for the focus-group approach, it may, for example, as a method in its own right and as a precursor to other methodological approaches.

The clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner roles: room for both or take your pick?

Objective: The aim of this paper is to contribute to pertinent discussions regarding advanced practice nursing roles. In particular discussion will focus on the potential implications for the developing nurse ractitioner (NP) role on the existing clinical nurse specialist (CNS) roles.

Setting: The literature presented originates primarily from the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom and Australia.

Recognising and reconciling differences: mental health nurses and nursing students' perceptions of the preceptorship relationship.

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to examine the preceptorship relationship between students' and mental health nurses' in the mental health setting.

Design: This study used a qualitative research design: grounded theory. This type of research method was deemed appropriate due to the limited knowledge of preceptorship in mental health.

Appreciating the importance of history: a brief historical overview of mental health, mental health nursing and education in Australia.

History is consistently acknowledged as crucial to the identity of a profession. In the case of mental health nursing this is perhaps more so, as published accounts of the history of nursing rarely pays attention to the specialty of mental health. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the history of mental health nursing in Australia.