The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

Jennifer Cooke; Richard Bowskill; Jane Clatworthy; Patrick LeSeve; Tim Rank; Rhian Parham; Rob Horne

2012 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221211230543

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare beliefs about medication prescribed for bipolar disorder across professional groups within Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) – psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, support workers, social workers, and occupational therapists – who each receive different training. Design/methodology/approach – Participants ( n =138) completed an adapted version of the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire. ANOVAs with Tukey's post hoc tests were used to compare beliefs across professional groups. Findings – Beliefs about medication differed across professional groups, with psychiatrists believing most strongly that medication is necessary in the treatment of bipolar disorder ( p <0.05) and reporting the lowest concern about its adverse effects ( p <0.05). Psychiatrists and social workers were significantly more likely to believe that patients take less than instructed than occupational therapists, nurses and support workers ( p <0.05). Practical implications – The differences in perceptions of medication across professional groups may reflect differences in training, with the role of medication traditionally being “downplayed” on some training courses. This has implications for patient adherence, as patients' beliefs about medication are likely to be influenced by those of their key workers. This is particularly relevant in terms of “New Ways of Working” where patients are likely to see psychiatrists less often. Originality/value – This original research provides evidence to support the provision of training about medications and adherence in bipolar disorder for CMHT workers, who may not have had exposure to such training as part of their primary qualification.

Claude Besenius; Eleanor Bradley; Peter Nolan

2012 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221211230552

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to ascertain the attitudes and experiences of psychiatrists, nurse prescribers, and service users with regard to the prescription of antipsychotic medication, the route of administration, and the extent of service users' involvement. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 26 psychiatrists and 12 nurses agreed to be interviewed in phase one of this study, concerning general aspects of prescribing. In phase two, 11 of the psychiatrists and five nurses from the first cohort took part in follow‐up interviews that focused specifically on their most recent prescribing experiences. In phase 3 of the study, 18 service users (14 male and 4 female) were recruited, during which their experiences of having medication prescribed was explored. Findings – This interview‐based survey found that though there was some agreement between the attitudes and perceptions of prescribers and service users, there were also some important differences including differences with respect to the purposes of prescribed medication, when to prescribe, and under what conditions depot medication produces optimal results. It is not always clear to service users as to why certain medicines were prescribed nor is the information provided always understood. A considerable amount of prescribing practice is based on assumptions. Originality/value – Even though medication (both oral and depot) has been shown to be useful in certain situations, nevertheless, the type of medication, dose and mode of administration continues to be idiosyncratic and inconsistent. This paper seeks to contribute to the debate by identifying in which pharmacological interventions for people with severe mental health problems could be improved.

Judy Gillespie; Rhea Redivo

2012 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221211230561

Purpose – This paper seeks to present findings from a study soliciting the perspectives of child and youth mental health clinicians practising in rural/remote settings in British Columbia, Canada. Satisfaction is assessed in four areas: lifestyle, practice, preparation for practice, and fit of organizational standards. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey using a variety of closed and open‐ended questions was administered to clinicians practising in four distinct settings: small rural, large rural, small remote, and large remote. Closed questions were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 while open ended questions were analyzed using manual open and axial coding. Findings – Findings indicate moderate to high levels of satisfaction in all areas. Satisfaction with rural lifestyle and professional practice was strongest for clinicians recruited from within the community. However, clinicians from small remote communities indicated much lower levels of satisfaction in all four areas. Originality/value – The study underscores the importance of understanding the diversity of rural practice settings in mental health workforce development. In particular it highlights the need for greater attention to evidence based approaches to support mental health practitioners in small remote settings.

Peter Gilbert; Theodore Stickley

2012 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221211230570

Purpose – This article aims to focus on the role of lived‐experience in mental health education and practice as perceived by undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach – A small qualitative survey was conducted among Social Work and Mental Health Nursing students who were asked about their own experiences of mental ill health and its possible impact on their practice. Findings – The article is contextualised in the concept of “Wounded Healers” as a number of students had previously (and were currently) experiencing mental distress. Originality/value – There is a strong sense that students believe that their personal experiences inform their practice, and that this may assist them in empathising constructively with service users, within the boundaries of a professional relationship.

Norman Young; Nicola Evans; Elizabeth Bowring‐Lossock

2012 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221211230589

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to offer a framework that captures the clinical activity of mental health nursing academics. Design/methodology/approach – Through an exploration of relevant literature and an examination of the practices of a team of mental health nursing academics, the key clinical activities that academics were engaged in were identified. Findings – The Practice Engagement Framework offers a structure to identify the range and breadth of clinical engagement for nursing academics. Originality/value – This framework might be useful for other mental health academics from other professional groups such as social work and occupational therapy.