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Biomedical subjects

R Ashmore

Publications and source records attributed to R Ashmore.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A survey of mental health nurses' experiences of stalking.

Although an increasing amount of literature has appeared in recent years on the subject of stalking, little is known about mental health nurses' (MHNs) experiences of this phenomenon. The aims of the study were to investigate: (1) the incidence of stalking among a sample of MHNs in the UK; (2) who the perpetrators were; (3) the impact of stalking on MHNs; and (4) how MHNs manage their experiences. Employing a survey design, the British version of the Rutgers-Penn clinicians and stalking questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample of 400 MHNs in the UK. Data were analysed by means of descriptive statistics and McNemar test. The findings reveal that: (1) 50% (n = 56) of MHNs who completed the questionnaire had been stalked; (2) on the whole, victims were female (78.6%) and stalkers males (82.1%); (3) stalkers were from a variety of social groups including mental health service users and MHNs; (4) victims were threatened, followed, physically assaulted and received unwanted communication; (5) MHNs reported a variety of stress-related (psychological and behavioural) responses to their experiences; and (6) employed a range of coping strategies. This study serves to raise awareness of a number of issues surrounding an under-reported phenomenon in mental health nursing and points to the need for further research to explore the reliability and consequences of the findings.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

A study on how mental health practitioners address ethical issues in clinical audit.

Although much debate has taken place within the literature on the differences between research and clinical audit, the ethical dimensions of audit have frequently been neglected. Furthermore, no research has of yet explored what ethical issues auditors consider in relation to their projects or how they manage them in practice. Using data collected from audit documentation, semi-structured interviews and a researcher-administered questionnaire, this study sought to advance this position by exploring how 14 clinicians undertook audits in one mental health Trust addressed the ethical dimensions of their project. Analysis of the data revealed that the Trust had no formal mechanisms for reviewing and monitoring audit projects whilst other informal mechanisms were not utilized by all auditors. A number of projects had contact with both clinicians and service users through interviews, focus groups and questionnaires; however, issues such as informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity were not adequately addressed by auditors. The implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations for practice outlined.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2001

Patterns of self-disclosure among mental health nursing students.

Self-disclosure, a process by which we let ourselves be known to others, is an important skill across a diverse range of therapeutic approaches used in mental health nursing. Previous studies of nurses' self-disclosure have been confined to small samples of female, adult nurses. This study aims to extend existing knowledge by providing information on a sample of male and female mental health nursing students.A modified version of Jourard's 25-item self-disclosure questionnaire (JSDQ) was utilized in the study. The findings from this study show that mental health students disclosed more items than adult students sampled in earlier studies (Jourards 1961, Burnard & Morrison 1992). However, students disclosed significantly fewer items to the patient as target-person than to other categories. No differences were observed in disclosure patterns for males and females. A discussion of these findings and their implications is offered.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Student nurses perceptions of their interpersonal skills: a re-examination of Burnard and Morrison's findings.

Heron's six category intervention analysis is a component of many counselling courses and is used extensively by teachers of interpersonal skills within nursing curricula. The popularity of this framework has generated a number of studies which have attempted to offer empirical support for the theory. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate some of these findings. Utilising an earlier research instrument, a set of findings are offered and comparisons made with previous work. Our findings suggest that student nurses perceive themselves to be most skilled in the use of supportive, prescriptive and cathartic interventions and least skilled in the use of informative, catalytic and confronting interventions. A discussion of the new findings and their implications is offered.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMed1992

Coronary atherectomy: report of the first experience in Hawaii.

Since Andreas Gruentzig first introduced percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 1977, the ability to revascularize occluded coronary vessels with a catheter has enjoyed an explosive and unimaginable growth. As the equipment and operator experience improved, the possibilities appeared boundless. However, balloon angioplasty is hampered by a significant restenosis rate in the dilated vessel (approximately 30%), which is higher in selected locations (up to 60% in the proximal left anterior descending artery), even in the best of hands. This fundamental limitation may in part be due to the actual nature of the technique itself--stretching the vessel and fissuring the plaque causing remodeling without removal. The uneven, exposed vessel surface post-plaque rupture may contribute to activation of the hemostatic system, with acute thrombosis and release of various platelet and endothelial-derived growth factors, leading to long-term tissue proliferation and restenosis. Atherectomy, the mechanical removal of plaque from the vessel wall, appears to be an answer. This process actually debulks the culprit tissue and leaves behind a smoother, presumably less thrombogenic surface. We wish to report our first experience with a specific form of this technique in 4 consecutive patients, with a brief discussion of its promises and limitations.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The nurse's holding power: patterns of use in mental health.

Implementation of the nurse's holding power (Section 5(4) of the Mental Health Act 1983) is an important, yet poorly researched aspect of mental health nursing practice. Data collected from the Mental Health Act records of all patients detained under Section 5(4) in one trust from 1983 to 1997 suggest that detainees generally came from the acute mental health services, were female, were detained by male registered mental nurses and were held for an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes before being placed on another section of the Mental Health Act. The use of Section 5(4) seems to be influenced by the time of day, but not the day of the week, or month of the year. Peaks of Section 5(4) usage corresponded to such factors as the changeover of shifts, the absence of medical staff, visiting time and medicine rounds. The importance of these findings for clinical practice is discussed.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical supervision in mental health nursing courses.

The Department of Health (DoH, 1994) advocated the introduction of clinical supervision into mental health nursing practice and suggested that student nurses be prepared in what to expect from this process. The ENB (1995) supported this recommendation but has offered no guidelines on how it is meant to be implemented. This article reports on an educational initiative in which group supervision was implemented within one cohort of preregistration mental health nursing students. The students reported a number of perceived benefits: a greater understanding of the purpose and benefits of clinical supervision; skill development; the opportunity to reflect on practice; and the reduction of stress.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing therapeutic intervention used by NHS Direct nurse advisers.

The National Service Framework for Mental Health has identified NHS Direct as a "new point of access" to appropriate mental health services. Mental health calls account for approximately 4% of all calls received by NHS Direct but raise the greatest level of anxiety among advisers and take twice as long to deal with as other calls. In order to provide adequate advice, it is essential to ensure nurse advisers can deal with this type of call. As a first step in meeting these needs this short research article reports on the types of interventions deployed by 18 nurse advisers during role-plays with a mental health "client" expressing self-harm.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The pharmaceutical industry and mental health nursing.

Mental health nurses (MHNs) have a long and varied relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, including the attendance of educational seminars and the acceptance of promotional material. This article presents evidence that suggests MHNs may need to review this relationship regardless of their beliefs about the role of pharmacological interventions in the treatment of mental illness. It also explores the influence of advertising within professional journals and calls for greater debate on this issue.

Advertising↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nursing scholarship within the British university system.

This article is a review of how a school of nursing and midwifery might promote scholarship within the university system. It is argued that the emphasis on research in universities has undermined the importance of scholarship within education and practice. The difficulties of recognizing scholarly processes as opposed to products such as publications is outlined in relation to three areas of potential scholarship within nurse education, i.e. research, teaching and practice. Issues are raised about how scholarship might be promoted in these three areas in practical terms. It is argued that systems of recognition and reward should be equitably distributed between these wide areas of potential scholarship. This will mean universities accommodating different models of scholarship and nurses recognizing their responsibility to contribute to scholarly activity.

Faculty, Nursing↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors influencing psychiatric nurses' use of section 5(4).

A review of the literature suggests that little is known about the factors influencing the use of nurses' holding power under Section 5(4) of the 1983 Mental Health Act. This study aimed to redress this gap. Data were collected over one year by analysing the statistical returns of all wards within one mental health unit that used Section 5(4). It was found that it was used in the management of 3.8% of admissions. All but 4% of those detained were converted to an extended section. A number of variables were explored, the results of which suggest that psychiatric nurses' decision to invoke this section of the Act is not simply a case of patients being a danger to themselves or others but rather reflects an interplay of a number of factors. An awareness of such factors may reduce the necessity to implement this emergency nursing intervention.

England↗