This title is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. In today's mental health services, there is a pressing need for practitioners to place greater emphasis on working with users of services and to use skills that have a sound theoretical basis. This book focuses on evidence-based practice but reflects that, in mental health, the best evidence is the personal experience of the user. Many publications explore theoretical aspects of service delivery or provide an in-depth analysis of specific clinical interventions. However, how practitioners comprehensively amalgamate theory with their practice is often missing. This book fills that gap and seeks to guide, plan and suggest down-to-earth treatment ideas for individuals on a day-to-day basis.
Although it is widely agreed that the experiences of service users have much to offer mental health professionals, the majority of books for this group focus on either conditions or different types of service provision (acute, community). This book is different. It takes as its starting point the lived experience of recovery which is the process whereby individuals can be helped to understand and come to terms with their illness. The role and actions of mental health professionals is explored as part of the process of recovery. The major part of the book will focus on ways in which direct care staff can assist people with mental health problems, reflecting the accounts of the nature and type of assistance which have been valuable, and the ways in which such help can best be offered. It addresses two key components of recovery accessand inclusion to life opportunities and acceptance. Each chapter of the book looks at an aspect of recovery and clearly shows how practitioners must accept the individuals needs and work with them towards this goal
Forensic Nursing and Mental Disorder in Clinical Practice is an ideal companion for qualified mental health nurses and for students on clinical placements. It is designed to be practical and relevant to the everyday realities when nursing patients with mental disorders.
Over the past two decades there has been a remarkable explosion in the understanding of the biological basis of the brain and the impact of that on behaviour. Furthermore, developments in pharmacological therapeutic approaches continue at a tremendous rate. Yet, although there are many mental health nursing textbooks available, veryfew address this significant aspect of mental health in any depth. Clearly, in order to deliver informed holistic care, it is vital that practitioners appreciate the biological aspects of mental health problems and the associated implications for clients, families and the practitioner.This book aims to provide a broad overview of the neurobiological factors which may contribute to, and arise from, the development of mental health problems, and seeks to clearly identify issues relevant to mental health nursing practice. Key issues addressed include: The important role of homeostasis in maintaining physical and emotional well-being The important link between immunology and nutrition and mental healthThe co-ordinated role of neuro-function and endocrine function in influencing behaviourAdaptive and maladaptive responses of the body to stress and stressorsAgeing process as a continuum of life and its relation to mental healthRestorative function of sleep
This book brings together a collection of the author's papers which, when taken as a whole, address many of the mostpressing issues in psychiatric nursing today. The papers are linked and present the 'backbone' of the author's philosophy of nursing. Each of the chapters deals either with the search to define the theoretical and practical basis of psychiatric nursing, or addresses more general issues in nursing which have some specific bearing on the practice of psychiatric nursing. Each chapter is followed by an invited commentary from respected psychiatric nurses, who were given the brief to draw out some of the main points of the chapter and put them in focus for today's nurses.
Nurses and others in the front-line(paramedics, ambulance staff, hospital and GP receptionists, social workers etc) are reporting an increasing incidence of violence and aggression from patients/clients. Some of these outbursts have resulted in permanent injury, even death, to the health care worker. The book is structured so that the notion of violence becomes more explicit with each succeeding chapter, until finally the violent outburst arrives. It offers practical prevention and management strategies, based on sound research, and provides a comprehensive view of the problem which will be of value to people working in a variety of clinical situations.
The shift in the care of people with serious mental illness to community-based care has been the subject of intense policy, educational and research activity, yet the provision of effective services remains problematic. This book brings together experts from a range of disciplines to provide a comprehensive and contemporary account of community services.Section I: Contemporary Issues in Community Health Care Services provides an informed and critical overview of the effect of policy framework, organizational structures, economic issues and the principles of 'good' practice in the provision of community services for people with serious mental health problems.Section II: Specific Intervention strategies summarises much of the work to date on working effectively with people who have serious mental health problems. It combines research evidence and practical illustrations of approaches and interventions with informed comment on their efficacy and implementation in routine clinical practice.Chapters include key points, case studies, questions for reflection and discussion and suggested further reading. Relevant research and evidence is cited throughout and the need for further research in this area are emphasised.All students and practitioners involved in planning, providing and evaluating services for people who have serious mental health problems will find this book an invaluable source of information for developing and delivering effective services.