The preparedness of comprehensive nurses to work with the mentally ill is of concern to many mental health professionals. Discussion as to whether current undergraduate nursing programs in Australia prepare a graduate to work as a beginning practitioner in the mental health area has been the centre of debate for most of the 1990s. This, along with the apparent lack of interest and motivation of these nurses to work in the mental health area following graduation, remains a major problem for mental health care providers. With one in five Australians now experiencing the burden of a major mental illness, the preparation of a nurse who is competent to work with the mentally ill would appear to be a priority. The purpose of the present study was to determine third year undergraduate nursing students' perceived level of preparedness to work with mentally ill clients. The results suggested significant differences in students' perceived level of confidence, knowledge and skills prior to and following theoretical and clinical exposure to the mental health area. Pre-testing of students before entering their third year indicated that the philosophy of comprehensive nursing: integration, although aspired to in principle, does not appear to occur in reality.

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Experience of stressful life events during pregnancy increased the odds for the early cessation of prevalent breastfeeding. Interventions that move beyond hospital-based antenatal care to address the causes of maternal stress in pregnancy and socioeconomic disparities between women are required to increase breastfeeding duration.

The findings have implications for both nurses and midwives in their practice in countries where optimum care of this vulnerable population is not routinely available. The research supports midwife-managed models of care to ensure women and their families are appropriately supported in crisis. The findings provide insight also into the diverse grief response among couples and the difficulties experienced in a pregnancy following the loss of a baby.

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This paper reports a two-round Delphi study undertaken to identify the research priorities of midwives at five public maternity hospitals in Western Australia's metropolitan area of Perth. In round one, 117 midwives identified 64 different problems or issues for research. Using thematic content analysis, these problems were grouped together and then collapsed to develop 17 specific research topics within four major categories. In round two, 152 midwives were asked to rank how important each of the topic statements were to women, their families and midwives. Research focusing on 'the postnatal experience' was ranked by midwives as the most important to the care of women and their families. From a midwife's perspective, the highest ranked topic was 'examining the professional issues that impact on midwives' clinical practice' (e.g. midwifery and medical collaboration, potential litigation and horizontal violence in the workplace). The results of the study show that Western Australian midwives, like their national and international colleagues, are concerned about the delivery and organization of maternity services, the invisibility of the postnatal experience and how to operationalize evidence-based care in the clinical area.