The Medicine with Respect Project: A stakeholder focus group evaluation

Using a structured model to promote mental health

Purpose

A Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being Working Model (subsequently “the model”) was developed in response to recognition through teaching undergraduate nursing students that interventions aimed at enhancing mental health and well-being are often hidden or cloaked in traditional professional specific working interventions. The model was developed with the purpose of making the elements of mental health and well-being promotion visible and structuring them into a framework to aid working practice and personal development. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness from the participant perspective of using the model to enhance clients’ mental health and well-being in community settings (Keeling and McQuarrie, 2014).

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 14 participants were interviewed within two focus groups. Five questions were posed to the participants structured around their experiences of using the model when working with clients in the community. The responses were recorded and transcribed and then categorised using a thematic analysis approach.

Findings

Three key themes were derived from the analysis in equal measure: “Reconciling a Non-traditional approach”, “Promoting a holistic approach” and “Developing creativity and sense of empowerment to promote mental health and well-being”. The findings suggest that using the model enabled participants to engage with clients in meaningful ways that in turn developed their self-confidence in helping clients develop creative strategies to promote their own mental health and well-being.

Originality/value

This paper shows that using a structured model to promote well-being and mental health has benefits in enhancing creativity, therapeutic relationships and knowledge base. Further research is needed in terms of the utility of the model from the client’s perspective.

Mental health and learning disability nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness of the objective structured clinical examination to assess their competence in medicine administration

The aim of this study was to evaluate mental health and learning disability nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in assessing their administration of medicine competence. Learning disability (n = 24) and mental health (n = 46) students from a single cohort were invited to evaluate their experience of the OSCE. A 10-item survey questionnaire was used, comprising open- and closed-response questions. Twelve (50%) learning disability and 32 (69.6%) mental health nursing students participated. The OSCE was rated highly compared to other theoretical assessments; it was also reported as clinically real and as a motivational learning strategy. However, it did not rate as well as clinical practice. Content analysis of written responses identified four themes: (i) benefits of the OSCE; (ii) suggestions to improve the OSCE; (iii) concern about the lack of clinical reality of the OSCE; and (iv) OSCE-induced stress. The themes, although repeating some of the positive statistical findings, showed that participants were critical of the university setting as a place to conduct clinical assessment, highlighted OSCE-related stress, and questioned the validity of the OSCE as a real-world assessment. The OSCE has an important role in the development of student nurses' administration of medicine skills. However, it might hinder their performance as a result of the stress of being assessed in a simulated environment.

Medicines management: an interview study of nurses at a secure psychiatric hospital

AIMS

To explore mental health nurses' knowledge, attitudes and clinical judgement concerning medicines management in an inpatient setting with a view to enhancing training.

BACKGROUND

Medicines management is a key role of mental health nurses, but little research has been conducted into their training needs.

DESIGN

An exploratory mixed-methods design was used involving individual interviews with participants to investigate their responses to hypothetical medicine administration scenarios.

METHODS

Interviews were held with a convenience sample of 50 Registered Nurses working in a specialist mental health hospital between November 2012-February 2013. Participants were presented with clinical vignettes describing eight scenarios they might encounter as part of their medicines management role and asked about how they would respond. Responses were assessed by two independent raters against ten quality standards underpinning the vignettes.

RESULTS

The median number of responses that were judged to demonstrate adequate awareness of associated quality standards was 4 (range 1-7), indicating that many participants did not appear to be aware of, or compliant with, current UK medicines management guidance and local policy. Many would not report a 'near miss' or medicines administration error. There was a lack of awareness of guidance on verbal prescribing, consent to treatment rules and the administration of off-label/unlicensed drugs. Past year attendance on a medicines management course, time since registration and self-reported knowledge of national standards for medicines administration did not discriminate between total score on the 10 quality standards.

CONCLUSION

The medicines management training needs of participants appeared not to be fully met by the existing learning sources. The use of vignettes to assess nurses' training needs requires evaluation in other settings.