Biomedical subjects

B Happell

Publications and source records attributed to B Happell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The role of the nurse practitioner in psychiatric/mental health nursing: exploring consumer satisfaction.

There is a substantial body of literature pertaining to the role of the nurse practitioner. Research directed towards consumer satisfaction suggests that the care provided by nurse practitioners is perceived as at least equal to that provided by a medical practitioner. However, there is a paucity of literature examining the nurse practitioner role in the psychiatric/mental health field. An evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner demonstration model has recently been undertaken in the Crisis, Assessment and Treatment Team in Victoria, Australia. This article presents the findings of a qualitative, exploratory study. Individual interviews were conducted with consumers (n = 7) who had received care and treatment provided by the nurse practitioner candidate. Data analysis revealed two main themes: the quality of the service provided, and the unique role of the nurse. The findings supported the available literature in articulating the specific aspects of the nurse practitioner role that are favourably perceived by consumers of services. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge in the psychiatric/mental health nursing field and specifically emphasizes the importance of the relationship between nurse practitioner and consumer in facilitating the provision of effective care and treatment.

Communication↗

PubMed2005

Coping with uncertainty within the preceptorship experience: the perceptions of nursing students.

A substantial amount of time and resources are channelled into supporting clinical practicum in nursing education programmes. Attention is targeted at the most effective models to achieve this aim. The provision of sound support models regardless of specific clinical setting is recognized as integral to student development and transition periods throughout nurses' careers. Within the mental health setting, this situation is compounded by the negative attitudes nursing students tend to hold towards people experiencing a mental illness. Preceptorship has been widely used both nationally and internationally for clinical practicum. Although this model seems to have been endorsed by virtue of its increasing use, additional examination is necessary to assess efficacy and effectiveness across clinical practicum, including those in mental health settings. In utilizing a grounded theory approach, this study addresses the question: what is the experience of preceptorship for undergraduate nursing students in the mental health setting? The major themes identified include: 'fear of the unknown', 'reconciling difference between general acute health and mental health settings' and 'supporting practice'.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2003

Consumer participation in mental health services: looking from a consumer perspective.

Widespread changes to the structure and delivery of mental health services have effected considerable change in the role of the service user or consumer. The view of consumers of mental health services as passive recipients of care and treatment is gradually undergoing a significant shift, in light of an increasing expectation that consumers be provided with opportunities to become actively involved in all aspects of their care. Consumer participation is now broadly reflected in government policy; however, to date there has been little exploration of the extent to which the policy is being realized in practice. To provide a greater understanding of these experiences and opinions, in-depth interviews were conducted with consumers of mental health services (n = 15). The interview transcripts were analysed through the identification and explication of major themes. The findings reinforce the need to view consumers as heterogeneous and respond to individual needs and interests regarding consumer participation. Despite variations in experience there is a clear need to develop mechanisms to support consumer involvement and to influence the attitudes of health professions to become more valuing of a consumer perspective. Nurses are in an ideal position to lead this process.

Community Participation↗

PubMed2003

The role of a mental health consumer in the education of postgraduate psychiatric nursing students: the students' evaluation.

Recent Australian Government policy reflects the integral nature of active consumer participation to the planning and delivery of mental health services. The effectiveness of consumer participation in improving mental health services has received some attention in the literature. Commonwealth Government funding enabled the development of a partnership between the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice and the Melbourne Consumer Consultants' Group. The successful application enabled the employment of a mental health consumer as an academic staff member of the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice. One important aspect of this role involved the mental health consumer teaching a consumer perspective to postgraduate psychiatric nursing students. The primary aim was to increase the students' awareness of and sensitivity to greater consumer participation within the mental health arena. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the consumer academic role in teaching within the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Nursing (Psychiatric Nursing). An evaluation form was distributed to students (n = 21) on completion of the semester. The findings suggest the experience was considered beneficial to students and was impacting significantly on their current practice. This project supports the value of consumer participation in the education of mental health professionals.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Patient satisfaction with psychiatric services provided by a Melbourne tertiary hospital emergency department.

The mainstreaming of psychiatric services within the general healthcare system has created fundamental changes to the manner in which patients access acute psychiatric services. This change was intended to reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric diagnosis and therefore contribute to improved treatment outcomes for patients. The aim of this paper is to discuss the results of a study designed to ascertain the level of psychiatric patient satisfaction with the services received in the emergency department of a Melbourne metropolitan hospital. The results indicate a high level of satisfaction, particularly with the availability of staff with psychiatric qualifications and experience to provident treatment, support and care. The major areas of dissatisfaction identified by patients included: lengthy waiting times, lack of privacy in the triage area and negative attitudes of general staff. These findings support the argument from the literature for psychiatric consultancy services to be available in the emergency department, and further identifies the need for triage guidelines to be tailored to the needs of mental health patients and for emergency department triage staff to be appropriately educated to adequately triage these patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

The triage of psychiatric patients in the hospital emergency department: a comparison between emergency department nurses and psychiatric nurse consultants.

The triage of patients in the hospital emergency department (ED) has developed as an efficient method to determine the level of urgency and provide appropriate care and treatment. The triage process has been found to be less effective for patients presenting with mental health related problems. Triage guidelines specifically tailored for mental health needs have been introduced in the attempt to overcome existing problems, however, the effectiveness of these guidelines has not been extensively tested. This paper presents the findings of a study conducted in a large metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia. All presentations to the ED for psychiatric problems (n = 137) were triaged using the mental health guidelines over a 3-month period. The same presentations were triaged by psychiatric nurse consultants employed in the ED and the results compared. The results indicate a high level of difference in the triage ranking by the two groups of nurses, with emergency nurses tending to classify presentations as more urgent than their psychiatric nurse colleagues. These findings suggest that mental health education for emergency nurses is necessary if the guidelines are to be used effectively and improve outcomes for patients presenting with psychiatric problems.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

An overview of the role and functions of a psychiatric consultation liaison nurse: an Australian perspective.

The role of the psychiatric consultation liaison nurse (PCLN) has increased substantially in popularity over the last few years. Despite the growth of this position, a paucity of literature regarding the role, functions and effectiveness of psychiatric consultation liaison nursing continues to exist. The current study was undertaken as part of the Victorian Nurse Practitioner Project. A significant aspect of this study concerned collection of data on the activities of the PCLN. This approach enabled an extensive and detailed profile of the PCLN to be formulated. The findings indicate that the PCLN provided a service to nursing, medicine and allied health in relation to patients experiencing mental health problems in the general hospital setting. Patients referred to the PCLN presented varied clinical features in terms of medical, surgical and mental health disorders. The PCLN performed a range of interventions. The results of this study make a significant contribution to address the current paucity of literature.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Comprehensive nursing education in Victoria: rhetoric or reality?

Significant and widespread changes to the education of the psychiatric nursing workforce in Victoria, Australia are resulting in serious problems in the recruitment of new nursing staff. In reviewing the available literature, it is evident that undergraduate nursing students do not commence their educational program with a strong interest in pursuing a career in psychiatric nursing. In light of this knowledge, the role of education in providing a comprehensive view of the nursing profession becomes paramount. Research investigating the impact of education on the attitudes of students to psychiatric nursing as a career option has produced mixed and often inconclusive results. A longitudinal study was undertaken in Victoria, Australia. Students of the majority of universities in which undergraduate nursing programs were operating participated in this study. The participants were asked to rank nine areas of nursing specialty in order of preference at the commencement and immediately prior to the completion of the nursing program. Despite a significant improvement in the popularity of psychiatric nursing as a career choice, this area was ranked at number 8 at both pre- and post-program test. The analysis of open-ended questions demonstrated a marked change in the overall attitudes towards the mentally ill and psychiatric nursing.

Career Choice↗

PubMed2001

Negative attitudes towards clients with drug and alcohol related problems: finding the elusive solution.

The difficulties experienced by nurses in providing care to clients with drug and alcohol related problems within general hospital settings have been clearly identified in the literature. Despite this, the problem continues with little or no evidence of improvement. This paper reports the results of a research project undertaken in a large private hospital in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The study sought to ascertain whether a difference in attitudes, confidence and perceived knowledge related to the care of clients with drug and alcohol problems would be evident between those nurses who used consultation and liaison services from a specialist drug and alcohol unit and those who did not. A questionnaire was administered to 200 nurses, with a 53% completion rate (n = 106). The results showed very little difference between the groups with the exception of the perceived knowledge category which indicated a statistically significant difference.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed2001

Undergraduate nursing students' views of mental health nursing in the forensic environment.

The literature clearly demonstrates that mental health nursing tends to be viewed negatively by undergraduate nursing students. While positive clinical experiences have been found to encourage more favourable attitudes towards mental health nursing, suitable placements are becoming scarce. An evaluation of clinical placements at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (VIFMH) was undertaken to determine whether appropriate learning opportunities were offered, and identify the impact of the placement on students' attitudes to mental health nursing. The results suggest that VIFMH provides valuable learning experiences to increase students' understanding of mental health nursing and is effective in producing more positive attitudes towards this area of practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2001

The mental health nurse: contributing to improved outcomes for patients in the emergency department.

Fundamental changes to health-care policy in Australia have led to an increase in the extent to which emergency department staff come into contact with patients experiencing mental health problems. This has been problematic for nurses, many of whom perceive themselves as lacking the skills and expertise to provide appropriate care and treatment to this client group. Psychiatric/mental health consultation-liaison nursing within the emergency department is becoming established as a means to overcome some of the problems identified. Despite this growth there is a paucity of literature evaluating the effectiveness of this position. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the mental-health consultation-liaison nurse role in an inner city teaching hospital in Sydney Australia. The survey involved a three stage approach to data collection. The data collected at the commencement of the position included focus groups to ascertain the needs of emergency department nurses and a questionnaire designed to measure the skills, confidence and perceived knowledge of emergency department nursing and medical staff. An evaluation of the satisfaction of nurses and doctors was conducted towards the end of the three month pilot programme. The results confirmed the need for positions of this type and suggested a high level of satisfaction with the service provided.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Who will look after my grandmother? Attitudes of student nurses toward the care of older adults.

A review of the literature illustrates the unpopularity of nursing in the elderly population related to other areas of nursing practice. The aim of this article is to present the findings of a research project conducted in Victoria, Australia, investigating the career preferences of undergraduate nursing students. The results indicate caring for older adults is considered the least popular area of practice for Year 1 nursing students. The reason given by students for their choices demonstrates a negative view of this type of work, largely based on inaccuracies and misconceptions. The implications of these findings for the future care of elderly individuals are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The role of the psychiatric consultation-liaison nurse in the improved care of patients experiencing mental health problems receiving care within a general hospital environment.

The Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Nurse (PCLN) has an imporrtant role in supporting nurses and other health care professionals in caring for patients experiencing mental health problems in a non-psychiatric environment. The limited available research findings suggest the PCLN role to be effective in terms of staff satisfaction, and some suggestion of cost savings is apparent. This paper refers to a survey of the attitudes of health professionals (n-113) too the services provided by the PCLN in a large metropolitan hospital in Melbournre, Australia. The results indicate a high level of satisfaction with the services of the PCLN. Enhancement of the participants' professional role, the professional role of nursing and improving health outcomes was amongst the perceived benefits of the PCLN role.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2000

Student interest in perioperative nursing practice as a career.

Perioperative nursing is in crisis because of the difficulty recruiting sufficient numbers of graduate nurses and the threat of nonnursing employees performing traditional nursing duties. The relative unpopularity of perioperative nursing as a career choice for graduate nurses is commonly attributed to little exposure to the specialty's theory and practice in undergraduate nursing education programs. This article discusses results of a longitudinal study's first phase to ascertain career preferences of undergraduate nursing students. Findings suggest that when students begin nursing programs, they consider perioperative nursing a favorable career option. Few studies regarding student nurses' attitudes toward perioperative nursing exist, making these results significant.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

The psychiatric consultation-liaison nurse: towards articulating a model for practice.

Psychiatric consultation-liaison nursing (PCLN) has experienced considerable growth in the past decade in Australia. In spite of this growth, a model for PCLN practice has not been adequately developed and articulated. The aim of this paper is to begin the process of articulating a model for PCLN practice in order to redress the paucity of literature in this area. The paper includes a brief history of PCLN; articulation of the components of the PCLN role, namely consultation, liaison and culture brokering; the impact of PCLN on quality improvement; and the importance of research articulation for the development of the PCLN role.

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice↗

PubMed2000

'Psychiatric nursing was great, but I want to be a "real" nurse': is psychiatric nursing a realistic choice for nursing students?

The present paper reports the results of a quasi-experimental study that examined the relationship between exposure to the theory and practice of psychiatric nursing and the desirability of psychiatric nursing as a future career choice. A time series design was utilized to enable a comparison between pre- and post-test scores. A significant increase in the popularity of psychiatric nursing was evident in the experimental group in the post-test phase, while no significant change was detected in the control group. Despite this increase, a large number of students from the experimental group indicated their reluctance to undertake a career in psychiatric nursing without first consolidating their skills in the medical-surgical area. This situation reflects an image of nursing that is contrary to the caring philosophy it purports to embrace, but which appears to favour certain areas of nursing practice at the expense of others.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Can educational methods influence the popularity of psychiatric nursing?

The ongoing difficulty of attracting sufficient numbers of undergraduate nursing students to a career in psychiatric nursing has been acknowledged. Limited available research suggests that education can produce a more positive view of psychiatric nursing. Despite these findings, research into the impact of educational methods upon the popularity of psychiatric nursing has not been undertaken. This paper reports the findings of a quasi-experimental research project, which examined the relationship between the study of, and the popularity of, psychiatric nursing. The results propose that through undertaking the psychiatric nursing program, psychiatric nursing as a future career option became more popular. The greater significance of the results of this study than had been found in previous studies suggests that problem-based learning is an educational method capable of influencing the development of more positive attitudes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Can education make a difference to undergraduate nursing students' attitudes to psychiatric nursing?

The introduction of undergraduate nursing education throughout Australia has had serious implications for the position of psychiatric nursing in attracting graduates into this field. There is some evidence from the results of limited research that a more positive view of psychiatric nursing can emerge as the result of education. However, such a relationship has not been found to be strong. This paper reports the findings of a quasi-experimental research study, which compared student nurses' attitudes towards psychiatric nursing as a career option both before and after completing the psychiatric nursing component of the course. The post-test results demonstrate a strong and statistically significant increase in the popularity of psychiatric nursing. Analysis of the open-ended responses suggests that exposure to the theory and practice of psychiatric nursing has dispelled many myths regarding this area of practice. The possible impact of problem-based learning on these results is discussed.

Adult↗