Growing Practice Specialists in Mental Health: Addressing Stigma and Recruitment with a Nursing Residency Program

Undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes toward mental health nursing

“…Many factors (e.g., students' demographics, influence of theoretical and clinical education, anxiety and stigma associated with mental illness, and perceptions of mental health professions) have been examined to predict an existence of barriers in choosing mental health nursing as a career (Happell et al, 2014;Hoekstra et al, 2010;McCann et al, 2010). Consistent with existing literature (Nadler-Moodie and Loucks, 2011;Ng et al, 2010), our findings demonstrated that students' interest in choosing mental health nursing as a future career had been influenced by an interest in an externship program and individual exposure to mental health nursing and non-nursing roles. Age, gender, ethnicity, and educational preparation in theory or practice have not influenced the students' career choice.…”

“…Despite an increased number of young nursing graduates ages 23 to 26 by 62% between 2000 and 2009, recruiting new graduates to work in mental health care programs remains a challenge because of attitudes related to mental health and mental illness (Auerbach et al, 2011). Anxiety about mental illnesses, stigma associated with mental health nursing, and negative perceptions of psychiatric patients and mental health care create barriers to attracting new nursing graduates to choose mental health nursing for their career (Happell et al, 2014;Hoekstra et al, 2010;Linden and Kavanagh, 2012;Nadler-Moodie and Loucks, 2011;Ng et al, 2010;Stevens et al, 2013). Mental health nursing has been identified by nursing students as one of the least preferred potential careers (Happell and Gaskin, 2013;Stevens et al, 2013).…”

“…In existing literature from US and Canada, a mental health residency program is an additional training program (typically a 12-week program) developed for new graduate nurses to develop mental health competencies, promote interest in this specialty, and address the stigma associated with working in mental health sectors (Nadler-Moodie and Loucks, 2011;Ng et al, 2010). At the time of the study conducted, we were planning and designing an additional mental health training program for new graduates in the study area, which included an 8-week summer externship.…”

Does clinical placement in a community alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation centre influence students’ career intention?

“…The exodus of retiring nurses is likely to be even more serious in mental health nursing, including within the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) rehabilitation setting, as nurses working in these settings are generally older (Ng et al . ; Stevens et al . ).…”

“…In developed countries, this cycle of nursing shortage is predicted to reach a crisis level in the next decade, due to an ageing population, compounded by the predicted mass exodus of nurses retiring from the workforce (Buchan et al 2015, International Council of Nurses, 2013. The exodus of retiring nurses is likely to be even more serious in mental health nursing, including within the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) rehabilitation setting, as nurses working in these settings are generally older (Ng et al 2010;Stevens et al 2013). This is further exacerbated by the challenges of recruiting new nursing graduates into mental health nursing, due to its lack of appeal to undergraduate nursing students as a viable career pathway (Edward et al 2015).…”