Psychiatric Nurses' Attitudes Toward Consumer and Carer Participation in Care: Part 1—Exploring the Issues

Abstract

Consumer and carer participation in mental health delivery is now enshrined in Australian Government policy. However, strategies assisting in implementing this vision have not been explored. Nurses are crucial to the mental health workforce, both in numbers and by virtue of the therapeutic relationship. The willingness of nurses to encourage consumer and carer participation is therefore essential for implementation of this policy. This article presents part 1 of the findings of a qualitative study exploring nurses' opinions regarding consumer and carer participation. Data were analyzed using a content-analysis approach, assisted by the software package NVivo. The themes explicated were as follows: Consumer and carer participation-a help or a hindrance? Encouragement-an important role for nurses; and communication-a gift of nursing. These findings highlight the unique and important role nurses can play in encouraging participation and explore some of the issues involved if that role is to become a reality.

Challenges in achieving patient participation: A review of how patient participation is addressed in empirical studies

“…Goodwin and Happell, 2007;Helgesen et al, 2010;Latimer et al, 2013;Latvala et al, 2000;Penney and Wellard, 2007;Wellard, 2003). They also identified a tendency for professionals to dominate the situation (Kendall, 1993;Mitcheson and Cowley, 2003;Sahlsten, 2005;Sahlsten et al, 2005;Tutton, 2003Tutton, , 2005, along with a tendency to overlook the patient's own perception of the situation (Eldh, 2008;Eldh et al, 2006;Helgesen et al, 2010;Henderson, 1997Henderson, , 2002Latimer et al, 2013;Schoot et al, 2005).…”

“…(The literature search had no lower limit; the upper limit was January 2014.) The issue was the health professional's gatekeeper role in the relationship (Frank et al, 2009a,b;Goodwin and Happell, 2007;Haidet, 2006;Schoot et al, 2005;Tutton, 2003Tutton, , 2005. This was decisive for the degree of patient influence in the relationship.…”

“…The study showed how the quality of the patient-nurse relationship, with recognition of the patient's knowledge and context had consequences for the patient's possibility to participate. Goodwin and Happell (2007) A content analysis of psychiatric nurses' attitudes towards consumer and career participation in care.…”

Working with Families Affected by Mental Distress: Stakeholders' Perceptions of Mental Health Nurses Educational Needs

“…According to Goodwin and Happell (2007), the participation of the family in mental health care delivery is dependent on the commitment of mental health professionals to make this a reality. They suggest that mental health nurses are in a pivotal role to foster an environment for involvement and to encourage and promote participation (Goodwin & Happell, 2007).…”

“…They suggest that mental health nurses are in a pivotal role to foster an environment for involvement and to encourage and promote participation (Goodwin & Happell, 2007). However, there is a paucity of literature that describes effective and harmonious relationships between families and mental health nurses.…”