Mental health nursing and physical health care: A cross‐sectional study of nurses' attitudes, practice, and perceived training needs for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness

Abstract

Citation: Robson, D., Haddad, M., Gray, R. & Gournay, K. (2013). Mental health nursing and physical health care: a cross-sectional study of nurses' attitudes, practice, and perceived training needs for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness. International Journal Of Mental Health Nursing, 22(5), pp. 409-417. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2012.00883.x This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK *These authors contributed equally to this study. Permanent AbstractMental health nurses have a key role in improving the physical health of people with a serious mental illness, however there have been few studies of their attitudes or the extent of their involvement in this work. The aim of this study was to examine mental health nurses' attitudes to physical healthcare and explore associations with their practice and training.A postal questionnaire survey including the Physical Health Attitude Scale for mental health nurses (PHASe) was used within a UK mental health trust. The 52% (n=585) of staff who responded reported varying levels of physical health practice; this most frequently involved providing dietary and exercise advice and less frequently included advice re cancer screening and smoking cessation. Having received post-registration physical healthcare training and working in in-patient settings was associated with greater reported involvement. More positive attitudes were also evident for nurses who had attended post-registration physical health training or had an additional adult/general nursing qualification.Overall, the attitudes of mental health nurses towards physical health care appear positive and the willingness of nurses to take on these roles needs to be recognised. However there are areas where nurses in our sample were more ambivalent such as cancer screening and smoking cessation.

Smoking Cessation Care for People with a Mental Illness: Family Carer Expectations of Health and Community Services

“…Similarly, previous studies of support by clinical staff for the provision of smoking cessation care in inpatient and community mental health services (Robson, Haddad, Gray, & Gournay, 2013;Wye et al, 2010b), GPs (Holmberg et al, 2014), and NGOs (Bryant et al, 2012). A lesser proportion of participants expected smoking cessation care to be provided by NGOs, a finding that may reflect such services not having a direct focus on the provision of health-related care (Housego & O'Brien, 2012).…”

Difficulties Faced by Psychiatric Patients While Trying to Quit Smoking

“…11 De modo semelhante, pesquisa conduzida no Reino Unido com 585 enfermeiros especialistas em saúde mental mostrou que embora a maioria acredite que a pessoa com transtorno mental grave deva ser incentivada a parar de fumar, metade não acredita que ajudá-la seja sua função. 12 A falta de apoio fica explícita ao constatar que alguns participantes deste estudo começaram a fumar durante a internação atual, sendo que um deles tomou essa decisão após ter sido orientado por um paciente fumante.…”

Physical Health Inequities in People with Severe Mental Illness: Identifying Initiatives for Practice Change

“…MHNs' confidence in meeting the physical health needs of clients with SMI is variable and dependent on the nature of the health problem. Confidence is greater in the areas of monitoring blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and respiratory function, and providing nutritional education, whilst addressing sexual health issues, screening for cancer, and promoting smoking cessation are areas that MHNs are less confident (Howard & Gamble, 2011;Robson, Haddad, Gray, & Gournay, 2012). Similarly nurses working in generalist areas of health acknowledge that it is their role to provide physical health screenings to people with SMI, however they also believe that they are not adequately prepared and identify lack of knowledge, skills, and professional support as barriers to providing comprehensive care to this population (Blythe & White, 2012;C.…”