Getting that piece of paper : mental health nurses' experience of undertaking doctoral studies in Victoria, Australia

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of mental health nurses undertaking doctoral studies. The study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. A descriptive exploratory approach to inquiry was used for this study. Participants were mental health nurses who had successfully completed a doctoral qualification. Eligibility for inclusion required participants to be residing in Victoria (irrespective of where their doctoral studies were undertaken) and to have conducted their research within the domain of mental health and/or currently employed in the field of mental health nursing. Of the 20 potential participants invited, 16 accepted the invitation. Five emergent themes were explicated from narrative analyses. These themes were being a trail blazer, positioning for professional advancement, achieving a balance between competing priorities, maintaining a commitment to the development of the profession, and a point of affirmation. An understanding of the experience of undertaking doctoral studies can be used to influence the development of strategies to encourage more mental health nurses to consider undertaking a doctoral degree.

The phenomena of auditory hallucination as described by Indonesian people living with schizophrenia

This study was a phenomenological inquiry of the experience of auditory hallucinations as described by 13 Indonesian people diagnosed with schizophrenia. The interviewees included 6 men and 7 women and they were aged between 19 and 56 years. Four themes emerged from this study: feeling more like a robot than a human being; voices of contradiction - a point of confusion; tattered relationships and family disarray; and normalizing the presence of voices as part of everyday life. The findings of this study have the potential to contribute to new understandings of how people live with and manage auditory hallucinations and so enhance client-centered nursing care.

Shortages of rural mental health professionals

This study presents a conceptual model of the supply and demand for mental health professionals. It uses national data to profile differences in the supply of mental health professionals in different types of rural and urban areas. It contrasts the availability of general health and mental health professionals. It examines shortage areas identified in 2000 and their related community characteristics. Because of the absence of data on a national level to describe many types of mental health professionals state licensure data for one state were used to show the volume and distribution of these practitioners. To improve rural mental health service delivery it will be necessary to implement system changes to promote the increased availability, competency, and support of rural health professionals. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

As representações sociais de profissionais de saúde acerca do paciente psiquiátrico: aspectos descritivos e de zona muda

A presença de pacientes crônicos em instituições psiquiátricas tem se constituído como um desafio humano, político e programático para esta área assistencial. Frente a isto, definiu-se como objetivo geral deste estudo analisar a reconstrução sócio-cognitiva do profissional de saúde mental acerca do paciente psiquiátrico crônico, contextualizando com a sua permanência institucional e o processo assistencial. Como objetivos específicos, descrever os conteúdos e a estrutura das representações sociais do paciente psiquiátrico crônico para os profissionais; identificar a existência de conteúdos implícitos nas formações discursivas dos profissionais de saúde referentes ao paciente crônico institucionalizado; e analisar a perspectiva assistencial implementada na atenção a esses indivíduos no contexto institucional a partir das representações sociais do paciente crônico. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, desenvolvida com o aporte teórico-metodológico da Teoria das Representações Sociais em sua abordagem estrutural, em dois hospitais colônias localizados na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Os dados foram coletados através de evocações livres em dois momentos. No primeiro, com 159 profissionais e no segundo utilizou-se a técnica de substituição com 151 profissionais. Os dados gerados foram analisados pelo software EVOC 2003 e organizados pelo quadro de quatro casas. Utilizou-se, ainda, a análise de similitude. Quanto à representação do paciente psiquiátrico, a mesma foi organizada ao redor das dimensões assistencial-institucional (cuidado), imagética (louco) e afetividade positiva (atenção), que se desdobram nos demais quadrantes, com destaque para a primeira e a segunda. A análise de similitude revelou que o léxico cuidado, obteve o maior número de ligações. Quanto à representação do paciente crônico em contexto normativo, a dimensão assistencial-institucional mostrou-se fortemente presente (cuidado, paciência e dependente), seguida da imagética (abandonado) e da de necessidade (carência). No entanto, na análise de similitude, a afetividade positiva (amor) mostra-se central com maior número de ligações de léxicos. Em contextos contra-normativos, a representação revelou-se negativa (louco, não e medo). A análise de similitude demonstrou uma representação estruturada através de uma imagem e de uma afetividade negativas. Conclui-se que os avanços na área de saúde mental, nos últimos 30 anos, não foram capazes de realizar mudanças representacionais sob fenômenos que ancoram em imagens produzidas desde os primórdios da humanidade. Ressalta-se a possível existência de uma zona muda acerca do paciente psiquiátrico crônico.

Expérience de familles cohabitant avec un proche atteint de trouble mental persistant faisant partie d'un programme de services individualisés (PSI) en Catalogne

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Transkulturell omvårdnad-erfarenheter hos specialistutbildadesjuksköterskor inom psykiatrisk vård. : En kvalitativ intervjustudie

Syftet: Syftet med studien var att belysa specialistutbildade sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av transkulturell omvårdnad inom psykiatrisk vård. Metod: Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod med enskilda semistrukturerade intervjuer. Specialistutbildade sjuksköterskor som arbetat inom psykiatrisk vård minst ett år fick berätta om sina erfarenheter av transkulturell omvårdnad.  Resultat: I resultatet framkom det att specialistutbildade sjuksköterskor inompsykiatrisk vård upplever språket som ett hinder för omvårdnaden eftersom språket är så centralt inom psykiatrisk vård då samtal utgör en stor del under vårdtiden. Det visar också att religiösa och kulturella seder kan ha betydelse i möten med patienter från olika kulturer. Möjligheter att förstå varandra mellan personal, patienter och anhöriga som är delaktiga i vården lyfts fram. Anhöriga kan bidra med information och även stötta patienterna vilket är värdefullt för omvårdnaden. Tolk används ofta för att lösa kommunikationsproblem men de används inte i så stor utsträckning man skulle önska på grund av kostnader. Slutsats: De specialistutbildade sjuksköterskorna har i stor utsträckning, kunnat ta hänsyn till patientens önskemål och erbjudit patienten det bästa möjliga alternativ till god omvårdnad. Studien visar att det finns specialistutbildade sjuksköterskor inom psykiatrisk vård som anser sig behöva mer kunskap inom transkulturell omvårdnad.

The phenomenon of resilience in crisis care mental health clinicians

The purpose of this study, undertaken in 2003, was to explore the phenomenon of resilience as experienced by Australian crisis care mental health clinicians working in a highly demanding, complex, specialized and stressful environment. For the purpose of this research, the term 'resilience' was defined as the ability of an individual to bounce back from adversity and persevere through difficult times. The six participants for this study were drawn from Melbourne metropolitan mental health organizations – the disciplines of nursing, allied health and medicine. A number of themes were explicated from the participants' interview transcripts – Participants identified the experience of resilience through five exhaustive descriptions, which included: 'The team is a protective veneer to the stress of the work'; Sense of self; Faith and hope; Having insight; and Looking after yourself. These exhaustive descriptions were integrated into a fundamental structure of resilience for clinicians in this role. The study's findings have the potential to inform organizations in mental health to promote resilience in clinicians, with the potential to reduce the risk of burnout and hence staff attrition, and promote staff retention and occupational mental health.

Transference in the nurse-patient relationship

The therapeutic relationship has been considered foundational to psychiatric nursing practice since at least the mid-20th century. However, this does not, in itself, guarantee either its continuity or relevance to current practice. Concepts such as the therapeutic relationship require sustained attention, both in theory and in practice, to illustrate ongoing relevance to the discipline. This paper addresses the therapeutic relationship in psychiatric nursing via aspects of psychoanalytic theory, particularly the notion of transference, as theorized by both Freud and Lacan. Two case fragments provide practice material, through which transference in the nurse–patient relationship is explored. The nurse, in the context of his/her relationship with the patient, a sick stranger, offers both a listening and the potential development of transference. This transference can be experienced, in part, as a form of attachment to the nurse, one that is not regarded pejoratively as dependency. There is the potential, within the nurse–patient relationship, for a psychical holding to develop, one from within which both the patient can speak and transference might arise. It is argued that listening to the patient has the potential to assist the patient and, with the development of transference, can provide the context for important work.

The lived experience of registered nurses caring for adolescent females diagnosed with anorexia nervosa on adolescent wards in public hospitals in Victoria

Explores in depth the experiences of registered nurses caring for female patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa on adolescent wards in public hospitals in Victoria. The philosophy of Husserl and the procedural steps of analysis developed by Paul Colaizzi were the basis for investigating and extracting the essence of the lived experiences of participants.

Estudo representacional da participação familiar nas atividades dos centros de atenção psicossocial no município de Natal-RN

Comprehending social representations of users relatives of Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) from Natal-RN, about their participation in the activities of these services, was the purpose of this study. The research instrument used was a semi-structured interview, led to 28 relatives of users of East and West CAPS II, East and North CAPS-ad, involved in the Relative Therapeutic Group, in Relative Meeting, in the Assembly of Users, Technicians and Relatives, according to the therapeutic schedule of each health services, between August to November 2007. Data obtained in family and users identification were characterized with the aid of charts and boards in absolute and/or percentage values. The discursive material from the guide from interviews was submitted to the informational resource ALCESTE (Analyse Lexicale par Contexte d'un Ensemble of Segments of Texte), and analyzed on the basis of the Theory of Social Representations and Central Nucleus Theory. Most of the relatives were women, married, aged over 50 years, who participated for more than two years in CAPS activities, and a coexistence of more than 11 years with the user. From the classification system of ALCESTE were selected categories, identified by: Category 1, Treatment Improvements and Expectations; Category 2, Living User Before and After; Category 3, Activities Relevance, Contradictions and Suggestions; Category 4, Guidelines -- Psychopharmacology and Medicalization; Category 5, Family Participation and Activities; and Category 6, Therapeutic Conditions Thanks, Tips and Vulnerability. The social representation of the family exists in the desire for change, identifying that we need to promote change by the continuity of therapeutic activities and overcome the detected inconsistencies, targeted by strengthening and by the stability of improvements in living and health conditions of users, experienced in CAPS treatment. The central nucleus had corresponded to positive changes in health and living conditions of users, and the peripheral elements were constituted by family conducts before and during treatment, and the expectations of changes in activities, especially in workshops. Despite this family participation be considered important, it still does not meet conditions to promote the inclusion of family, under an emancipating point of view, capable of causing in subject the hope for autonomy, initiative, individual and collective growths, a closer and active involvement in therapeutic activities, in workshops and discussions

A palavra cantada nos espaços intersubjetivos de um centro de atenção psisossocial do município do Natal/RN

The psychiatric care and mental health are undergoing constant change over the History. The Brazilian Psychiatric Reform, which brings up the deinstitutionalization as a structuring in the restorative care process. The Reform has as one of the mainly substitutive services the Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS), which work from the Singular Therapeutic Project (PTS) in order to restore the autonomy and restore the dignity of users. The therapeutic workshop is some of the resources used and work several kinds of activities as: writing, handcraft, music, poetry, and so forth. This study set up to apprehend the social representations of helping of the music workshop carried out in the CAPS II east of Natal/RN, from the reports given by the participants of the workshop, using the focal group as technique. This is a descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach. A total of 16 users participated in four musical therapeutic workshops from April to May 2010. The study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of UFRN. The discursive material from the workshop was submitted to the informational resource of Analyse Lexicale par Contexte d um Ensemble de Segments de Texte, ALCESTE, and analyzed based on the Theory of Representations and the Central Core Theory. The majority of subjects were men (62.5%), single (62.5%), aged 40-49 years (37.6%) and elementary school level (56.2 %). The reports were transcribed and submitted to the classification system of ALCESTE, which elected the following categories: Category 1 - Experience in the Word Family Sung, Category 2 - Musical Experiences and Approaches, and Category 3 - Feelings and emotions evoked by music. The representation of these individuals is anchored in the experience they have with the CAPS, lived and socialized by common sense, through this particular social group workshop objectified in music therapy as a therapeutic modality enjoyable. The central core revealed the intrinsic relationship between users and the music, establishing a relationship of openness to use the same while its therapeutic use in workshops of substitute services for mental health. Peripherals elements issues are related to listen, share and experience music in the family. Intermediary Elements relate to the feelings and emotions evoked by music, given her close relationship with it. It was found in the study that music can be construed as an artifact of good therapeutic responsiveness to users, configuring it as an invigorating and enjoyable therapy, confirming the need for continuity of this activity, as well as its expansion into the service