Partnership in Coping: an Australian system of mental health nursing

Issues in Mental Health Nursing

Palmer

2010

It is now acknowledged that a substantial proportion of the Australian population will experience a mental health condition at some time during their lives. Only a small proportion will access care and treatment for these conditions, and those who do are more likely to access general medical practitioners than specialist mental health providers. The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) was introduced by the Commonwealth Government to enhance access to mental health care by engaging mental health nurses in collaboration with general practitioners and private psychiatrists. The aim of the current study was to explore the experiences and opinions of clients utilising these services. A qualitative exploratory approach involving in-depth semi-structured interviews was utilised to enhance understanding of the client perspective. Interviews were conducted with 14 clients. Data were analysed using NVivo to assist with the identification of major themes. The findings revealed the major themes to be: initial reactions; a comfortable setting; flexibility; holistic care; and affordable care. These findings suggest that clients perceive the MHNIP as a valuable intervention that met the mental health needs of clients to a greater extent than had previously been possible.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program: The Benefits from a Client Perspective

Issues in Mental Health Nursing

Palmer

2010

“…This relationship was particularly coveted if it could support both their physical and mental health needs. The discipline of nursing greatly values ideals of holism, trust, and consumer-centered approaches (understanding consumer’s perspectives and life situations; Shanley, Jubb, & Latter, 2003). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Consumer Experiences and Strategies When Seeking Physical Health Care

Ewart

Bocking

Global Qualitative Nursing Research

et al. 2016

People with mental illness have higher rates of physical health problems and consequently live significantly shorter lives. This issue is not yet viewed as a national health priority and research about mental health consumer views on accessing physical health care is lacking. The aim of this study is to explore the experience of mental health consumers in utilizing health services for physical health needs. Qualitative exploratory design was utilized. Semistructured focus groups were held with 31 consumer participants. Thematic analysis revealed that three main themes emerged: scarcity of physical health care, with problems accessing diagnosis, advice or treatment for physical health problems; disempowerment due to scarcity of physical health care; and tenuous empowerment describing survival resistance strategies utilized. Mental health consumers were concerned about physical health and the nonresponsive health system. A specialist physical health nurse consultant within mental health services should potentially redress this gap in health care provision.

“…Nurses observe, first hand, the relationship between consumers and the health care system (Shanley & Jubb-Shanley, 2012;Shanley, Jubb, & Latter, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to Physical Health Care for People with Serious Mental Illness: A Nursing Perspective and a Human Rights Perspective-Common Ground?

Nankivell

Platania‐Phung

Issues in Mental Health Nursing

et al. 2013

Relative to the general population, people with serious mental illness (SMI) experience elevated risks of physical disease and illness and live shorter lives. A human rights perspective argues that people with serious mental illness have a right to equal access to physical health care. Nurses in mental health services can contribute to improving the availability and accessibility of physical health care. This study, involving focus group interviews with nurses in a large regional and rural mental health care district of Queensland, Australia, revealed significant problems in access to physical health care for service users. The current article reports on our exploratory analysis of nurses' views and perceptions to identify (1) orientation of nurses to human rights, and (2) access of consumers with SMI to general practitioner services. It was rare for nurses to raise the topic of human rights, and when raised, it was not as a strategy for improving access to physical health care services that they felt consumers with SMI greatly needed. Two main themes were identified as causes of poor access: clinical barriers to physical care and attitudinal barriers to physical care. In light of these results, the authors explore a human rights perspective on access and how this provides an inclusive lobbying umbrella under which nurses and other groups can pursue access to physical health services that are adequate, accessible, and non-discriminatory. The article then discusses the implications for these findings for the value of human rights as a perspective and means of increasing physical health of people with SMI.