Postgraduate Education in Psychiatric Nursing in Israel: Closing the Gap

Abstract

Deinstitutionalization policies are being gradually implemented in Israel. Most recently, an insurance reform has been approved, in which mental health services will be included in the HMO's service package. As most Israeli mental health nurses are currently employed in institutional settings, the Ministry of Health's Nursing Division seeks to estimate their scope of employment in preparation for the anticipated changes. The aim of this study is to describe present-day professional practice characteristics of qualified psychiatric nurses and identify practice areas for which advanced training may be required. The research design is cross-sectional on a national level, including all state psychiatric hospitalization services. A countrywide sample of nurses with post-basic training in state psychiatric hospitals identified areas of practice in which further training may be required: psychotherapy intervention (60% of respondents); consultation for the elderly (60%); care prescriptions (64%); community drug treatment management (69%); and referral to professionals and community resources (56%). Nurses reported gaps in continued care and community rehabilitation activities. These findings have training implications in an era of increased focus on chronic mental illness in the community.

Perceived training needs of nurses working with mentally ill patients

“…As evident in the literature, it is very likely that mental health nurses whose training emphasized psychosocial model of care would be better able to meet these complex needs. Since the psychosocial model emphasizes holistic care, a well-developed multidisciplinary mental health team will be better able to offer multidimensional perspectives and as such should be the basic platform for delivering mental health care (Haron et al, 2014;Mental Health Commission, 2006;Sheer & Wong, 2008). The current mental health training for nurses in Malaysia, is basically traditional, primarily doctor led, bureaucratic, using the biomedical-custodial model.…”

“…Previous studies from different countries have highlighted this problem of inadequate training for nurses working with the mentally ill. This literature shows that there is a severe shortfall in the number of trained mental health nurses in inpatient and community settings (Haron, Gun-Ushishkin, Shor, Tran, & Riba, 2014; National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness [NCISH], 2015;Stuhlmiller, 2005). Agar et al (2012) reported that nurses lack the knowledge and capabilities to effectively assess and manage mental illness in acute settings.…”

Policy and Research in the Israel Ministry of Health's Nursing Division

“…A countrywide sample of nurses with post-basic training in State psychiatric hospitals identified areas of practice for further training: psychotherapy intervention (60% of respondents); consultation for the elderly (60%); care prescriptions (64%); community drug-treatment management (69%), and referral to professionals and community resources (56%). Nurses reported gaps in the continuity of care and community rehabilitation activities [20]. These findings have implications for training in an era of greater focus on chronic mental illness in the community.…”