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No description available.

When asked mental health nurses consistently report relatively high levels of occupational stress, these levels of occupational stress are seen as affecting staff retention and also as creating a barrier to the ongoing improvement programme in mental health care. Previous research suggests that the 'critical factors' in the nurses' ability to cope with occupational stress are the personality variables that are considered to have consistency over the individual's biographical history and which are commonly described as dispositions or traits. Researchers who have examined this area argue that the limits implicit in the dominant approach to studying this area (selfreport questionnaires) are now restricting understanding of these personality variables and there are repeated calls for studies to use more sophisticated methods of data collection and analysis. Using an in-depth method of interviewing this study encouraged nurses in two radically contrasting settings (a therapeutic community and an acute admissions ward) to describe their experiences of stress both within the work environment and from the wider context of their biographical history. The aim of this biographical and comparative approach was twofold: firstly to examine whether the individual's biographical history affected their experiences of occupational stress, and secondly to explore the contrasting occupational environments from the individual's perspective with the aim of exploring whether the individual's experience of the institutional 'culture' affected their experiences of stress. Within the therapeutic community the psychodynamic model (the culturally sanctioned discourse) that underpinned the approach to treatment was almost exclusively drawn on by staff as an explanation for personal and professional 'stressful' experiences. This study indicates that this 'meaningful' explanation of suffering corresponds to the meaning orientated nature of the staff s biographical narratives. This meaningful explanation of suffering appeared acceptable to staff with many of the staff within this setting remaining at the therapeutic community for long periods. Within the acute ward whilst there was still some indication that the biographical narratives were meaning orientated there was less engagement with the culturally sanctioned explanation of mental suffering. The interviewee's narratives suggest that the staff coped with stress through [tacitly] conceiving of this setting as somewhere they would remain for a limited period of time. It is suggested that this tacit assumption is generalisable to other acute wards as a pattern of high staff turnover appears commonplace. These potentially generalisable findings have significant implications for the occupational stress experienced by mental health nurses and potentially wider implications for nursing practice: Firstly, management of stress in acute settings appears to demand a long-term view that both acknowledges the individual's biographical history and accommodates how nurses are socialised to view the professional role. Secondly, the plan to develop expert practitioners in the acute sector demands recognition that mental health nursing draws on the individual's 'meaning' based understanding of what mental illness represents as this meaningful understanding appears to contribute significantly to the individual's commitment to their professional position.

The purpose of this qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study was to explore and describe nurses’ experiences of hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital and to propose recommendations to the hospital management to support nurses who experienced hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients. Purposive sampling was used to identify the twelve nurses who participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews, drawings and field notes. The data were analysed using Tesch’s descriptive method of open coding and the findings revealed that nurses experienced verbal abuse, physical abuse and sexual harassment from mentally ill patients, and had varied negative and positive responses to these forms of hostile behaviour. Main challenges were identified and recommendations were made to the hospital management to support nurses who experience hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients. / Health Studies / MA (Public Health)

The purpose of this qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study was to explore and describe nurses’ experiences of hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital and to propose recommendations to the hospital management to support nurses who experienced hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients. Purposive sampling was used to identify the twelve nurses who participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews, drawings and field notes. The data were analysed using Tesch’s descriptive method of open coding and the findings revealed that nurses experienced verbal abuse, physical abuse and sexual harassment from mentally ill patients, and had varied negative and positive responses to these forms of hostile behaviour. Main challenges were identified and recommendations were made to the hospital management to support nurses who experience hostile behaviour from mentally ill patients. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

The study attempted to identify R425 diplomates' perceptions of their psychiatric competencies. An exploratory descriptive survey investigated specific strengths and weaknesses of the R425 diplomates in the psychiatric clinical units in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, as perceived by the diplomates themselves. The diplomates were reportedly competent in performing numerous, but not all cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills addressed by this survey. The R425 diplomates perceived themselves to be incompetent in designing and implementating rehabilitation programmes/workshops, managing community projects, conducting research and managing crises in psychiatric nursing units. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Health Studies)

The study attempted to identify R425 diplomates' perceptions of their psychiatric competencies. An exploratory descriptive survey investigated specific strengths and weaknesses of the R425 diplomates in the psychiatric clinical units in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, as perceived by the diplomates themselves. The diplomates were reportedly competent in performing numerous, but not all cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills addressed by this survey. The R425 diplomates perceived themselves to be incompetent in designing and implementating rehabilitation programmes/workshops, managing community projects, conducting research and managing crises in psychiatric nursing units. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Health Studies)

A descriptive survey to identify factors influencing relapse of psychiatric outpatients in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape was undertaken. A questionnaire was used to collect data from family caregivers who were relatives of psychiatric patients receiving their monthly medications from two rural clinics. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. A total number of 92 family caregivers participated. Respondents reported side effects of psychotropic drugs, poor family role, poor referral system, lack of home visits, non-compliance and stigmatization as major factors contributing to relapse of psychiatric outpatients. Active involvement of caregivers in follow up care of their relatives is effective in fostering collaboration between the psychiatric hospitals and patients with the common goal of relapse avoidance. It is recommended that adequate provision of resources in conjunction with health education is effective in enhancing collaboration towards prevention of relapse in psychiatric patients. This would promote team work among patients, caregivers and health care providers. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

A descriptive survey to identify factors influencing relapse of psychiatric outpatients in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape was undertaken. A questionnaire was used to collect data from family caregivers who were relatives of psychiatric patients receiving their monthly medications from two rural clinics. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. A total number of 92 family caregivers participated. Respondents reported side effects of psychotropic drugs, poor family role, poor referral system, lack of home visits, non-compliance and stigmatization as major factors contributing to relapse of psychiatric outpatients. Active involvement of caregivers in follow up care of their relatives is effective in fostering collaboration between the psychiatric hospitals and patients with the common goal of relapse avoidance. It is recommended that adequate provision of resources in conjunction with health education is effective in enhancing collaboration towards prevention of relapse in psychiatric patients. This would promote team work among patients, caregivers and health care providers. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)