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Biomedical subjects

B Happell

Publications and source records attributed to B Happell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Psychiatric nursing education: can it make a difference?

A review of the literature clearly indicates that psychiatric nursing is not a popular career choice for undergraduate nursing students. While it appears from the literature that exposure to the theory and practice of psychiatric nursing can influence the attitudes of student nurses towards the mentally ill, no clear picture emerges from the research. Furthermore, the design of previous research does not address the relationship between improved attitudes towards the mentally ill and an increase in the popularity of psychiatric nursing. This paper discusses the results of a quasi-experimental study, which compared the attitudes of student nurses towards psychiatric nursing as a career option prior to and following completion of the psychiatric nursing component of the course. The post-test results suggest a strong and statistically significant increase in the popularity of psychiatric nursing. The possible impact of problem based learning in influencing these results is discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1999

The image of critical care nursing: does it tell the whole story?

The nursing profession is presently at a crucial stage of its development in terms of the popular image it projects. There has been a tendency for nurses to emphasise their technical skills at the expense of the more psychosocial aspects of their role. Due to the highly technical nature of the working environment, critical care nurses are in particular danger of being viewed primarily in that technical light. This paper focuses on the image of critical care nursing held by undergraduate student nurses. The first stage of a longitudinal research project suggests critical care nursing to be a highly popular future career choice for students at the commencement of their course. Data analysis revealed that attraction to this area centred on the perceived emergency, life-saving and highly technical nature of the environment. There was very little emphasis on the more psychosocial aspects of the critical care nurse's role. The implications of this situation for the image of critical care nursing require serious consideration and intervention.

Career Choice↗
PubMed1999

When I grow up I want to be a...? Where undergraduate student nurses want to work after graduation.

It is assumed that the majority of students undertaking undergraduate nursing education want to become nurses. Little research, however, has examined the specific areas in which students intend to pursue their careers after graduation. This paper reviews the results of the author's research, which clearly indicates that students have firm preconceived ideas as to the areas in which they wish to practise in the future. Midwifery, paediatrics, operating theatre and critical/intensive care are highly favoured, while working with the elderly, psychiatric nursing and community health nursing are significantly less popular. The implications of this situation for the nursing profession are considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Who wants to be a psychiatric nurse? Novice student nurses' interest in psychiatric nursing.

Available research findings suggest that nursing students do not regard psychiatric nursing as a desirable future career option. This paper addresses the results of a research project conducted by the author. This research addresses the relative popularity of psychiatric nursing in comparison to other nursing specialties, within Victoria, Australia. The research was conducted by use of a questionnaire in which commencing undergraduate nursing students were asked to rank nine areas of nursing specialty in order of preference and provide some explanation for their choices. The results indicate that psychiatric nursing emerges as the second least popular career choice for student nurses at this stage of their education.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Problem-based learning: providing hope for psychiatric nursing?

Problem-based learning has been recognised as an educational method designed to facilitate student motivation and interest in clinically-based situations in order to increase their problem-solving capabilities. This paper describes the author's experience with the development and implementation of problem-based learning for the study of psychiatric nursing. The results of student evaluation suggest that this approach has been successful in fostering the interest of students in the skills and knowledge of this field of practice. More specifically, a stronger interest in pursuing psychiatric nursing as a career has emerged. This is particularly important in view of the negative image which the majority of undergraduate nursing students appear to hold towards psychiatric nursing as a career option.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1998

Psychiatric nursing education: doing the impossible?

Historically, psychiatric nursing has struggled to attract sufficient numbers of graduates of comprehensive nursing programs. Limited available research suggests that psychiatric-nursing education can produce more positive attitudes towards psychiatric-nursing practice and the care of the mentally ill. This article describes the results of a research project undertaken in Victoria, Australia, to extend existing knowledge by determining the impact of education in augmenting interest in psychiatric nursing as a future career option. The results of this quasi-experimental study suggest education can significantly increase the popularity of psychiatric nursing as a profession.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Student nurses' attitudes toward a career in community health.

Changes in the practice of health care delivery to include a greater focus on community-based care is becoming an issue of increasing importance throughout the Western World. In Australia, factors such as a reduction in the average patient stay within acute care hospitals and the allocation of additional funds to community resources presents evidence of this change in focus. Nurses, who form the largest professional group involved with health care delivery, must by necessity become an important part of such change. A significantly larger number of nurses will be required to work in the community in the future. Despite this trend, there is a paucity of research examining the attitudes of student nurses towards a possible career in the area of community health. In order to address this deficit, a longitudinal study examining the career preferences of undergraduate nursing students is being conducted. The study sample comprises undergraduate nursing students from 9 universities in the State of Victoria. The results of stage 1 of this research are presented in this paper. The findings indicate that at the commencement of their educational program, undergraduate student nurses do not have a strong understanding of or interest in the area of community health nursing. A preference for employment within a hospital environment, particularly in the highly technical areas, and in the care of mothers and babies, is evident. The implication of these findings for the future of community health nursing is briefly discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The implications of legislative change on the future of psychiatric nursing in Victoria.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to explore the potential implications of the Nurses Act introduced in 1993 upon psychiatric nursing in Victoria. Essentially this Act abolished the existing separate undergraduate education for psychiatric nursing. The focus of this paper is to explore the potential implications of this legislative change to the psychiatric nursing profession, particularly in light of relevant research findings. METHOD: In order to ascertain the impact of legislative change, a survey of psychiatric nursing content was conducted in Schools of Nursing throughout Victoria. RESULTS: A 100% response rate was achieved. The responses indicated that little alteration had been made to existing-general nursing courses to incorporate the change in legislation. The compulsory psychiatric nursing content varies from nil to 17.4% of the total curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: The theory and practice of psychiatric nursing constitute only a small proportion of undergraduate curricula. In view of the comparative unpopularity of psychiatric nursing as a career option for undergraduate students, the implications of this situation for the future psychiatric nursing workforce are serious.

Career Choice↗
PubMed1997

Psychiatric nursing in Victoria, Australia: a profession in crisis.

The introduction of the Nurses Act in 1993 resulted in the cessation of separate undergraduate education as preparation for psychiatric nursing practice in Victoria, Australia. The focus of this paper is to present the nature and implications of the current legislation in light of the relative size of the psychiatric component within Victorian courses and the relevant literature and research findings regarding the position of psychiatric nursing within comprehensive courses. The potential crisis faced by the psychiatric nursing profession in securing a viable workforce for the future will be highlighted.

Australia↗
PubMed1997

Taking neuroleptic medications: a review.

Failure to take neuroleptic medications as prescribed often results in relapse and readmission to a psychiatric facility. It is the responsibility of the psychiatric/mental health nurse to ensure that clients have sufficient knowledge and support to enable them to make informed decisions regarding their medication regimen. In addition, the nurse has an important role as client advocate with regard to this treatment option. However, the issues surrounding noncompliance represent a major challenge to psychiatric/mental health nurses. This paper explores these complex issues surrounding the taking of prescribed neuroleptic medication, in particular, the impact of personal factors, knowledge of neuroleptic medications, therapy factors and the helper relationship upon the medication taking behaviour of psychiatric clients is presented in relation to the literature and recent research findings. Finally, the implications of these factors towards the role of the mental health nurse is discussed.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1996

Focus group interviews as a tool for psychiatric nursing research.

This paper explores the potential of focus group interviews in psychiatric nursing research. The main advantage of focus groups lies in allowing a larger number of participants to be included in the research, promoting greater discussion and idea generation than would be possible in individual interviews. However, as a research method the focus group is relatively unknown in psychiatric nursing and is therefore underutilized. The purpose of this article is to outline the potential advantages and disadvantages of focus groups as a research method. The process of focus group interviews is illustrated by the author's own experience with this method.

Focus Groups↗
PubMed1996

Tertiary psychiatric nursing graduates: something different or more of the same?

Nursing education was transferred to the tertiary sector as the result of perceived inadequacies of the hospital-based system. The degree to which tertiary-based psychiatric nursing education has, in Victoria, redressed these deficiencies is considered. This paper focuses upon research conducted with registered psychiatric nurses to ascertain their perception of the difference between tertiary and hospital-based psychiatric nursing graduates. The graduates were interviewed during their third year of study and again at the end of their first post-graduate year. The data collected from these interviews were supported by interviews with educators from the tertiary and hospital-based courses. The interview data as a whole emphasized characteristic differences between hospital and tertiary graduates and underlined the potential advantages of the tertiary course.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1996

Neuroleptic medication: the literature and implications for mental health nursing.

The past twenty years have been a period of consolidation in the pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia followed more recently by a period where a number of new, atypical neuroleptics have enhanced the treatment options available to people with schizophrenia. In this article the contemporary research into neuroleptic medications, the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia, is reviewed and critiqued. In particular, the article addresses important issues such as drug efficacy and action, the therapeutic effects of neuroleptics, side effects, including the recent research related to these side effects and, finally, the implications for mental health nurses. The issues raised here have sufficient relevance for mental health nurses for items to be considered in all undergraduate nursing and postgraduate mental health nursing courses.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hospital-based psychiatric experience before community-based practice for nurses: imperative or dispensable?

This article describes an Australian research project that explored the relevance of hospital-based experience in preparing psychiatric nurses for community-based practice. A qualitative design was selected to obtain in-depth information in an area in which no formal research has been undertaken. In-depth interviews were conducted with 6 psychiatric nurses currently engaged in community-based practice. The interviews were audiotaped, and the transcribed data were analyzed for major themes. The results indicated that the participants did not believe their hospital experience had prepared them to function effectively in the community. In some respects hospital experience was perceived as having hindered their transition into the community environment. This exploratory study indicates the need for further research and the exploration of alternative methods to prepare psychiatric nurses for community-based practice.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychiatric nursing: has it been forgotten in contemporary nursing education?

Contemporary nursing education in Victoria, Australia aims to produce graduates with the capacity for employment in all areas of nursing at beginning practitioner level. Despite this aim, psychiatric nursing occupies a relatively small proportion of undergraduate curricula. Research findings suggest that psychiatric nursing does not emerge as a popular career choice within comprehensive education. To prevent a crisis in nursing education, greater attention must be devoted to the theory and practice of psychiatric nursing, so that it can occupy a position of equal importance to other areas of nursing practice.

Career Choice↗
PubMedDate not supplied

"We may be different, but we are still nurses": an exploratory study of drug and alcohol nurses in Australia.

The problems experienced by generalist nurses in providing care to patients who abuse alcohol and other drugs have been acknowledged in the literature. Despite the demonstrated success of educational programs in improving attitudes and enhancing the confidence of nurses in dealing with this clientele, the problem remains. Although large numbers of nurses specialize in the care of patients with drug- and alcohol-related problems, their specific skills have not been well researched. This article reports on a qualitative research project undertaken with 6 nurses currently practicing in a drug and alcohol unit in metropolitan Victoria, Australia. The findings suggest that these nurses are very skilled in their area of practice, and they can potentially provide information and support to nurses from other areas. This liaison role can help minimize the negative experiences frequently encountered by nonspecialist nurses caring for patients with drug- and alcohol-related problems.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The skills required for conducting a community psychiatric nursing assessment: a qualitative study.

The shift in focus from primarily institutionally based care, to community-based care, has highlighted the need for community psychiatric nurses with appropriate skills to care for clients experiencing mental illness within the community. This paper describes the results of a qualitative research project undertaken to examine the skills required by psychiatric nurses in conducting an assessment within the community. In depth interviews were conducted with a sample of six currently practising community psychiatric nurses, with differing levels of experience. The findings identified the main skills as: interpersonal skills; psychiatric nursing knowledge base; the ability to work with a variety of treatment modalities; and, literacy skills. The specific significance of these skills for the educational preparation of community psychiatric nurses is discussed.

Community Health Nursing↗