TY - JOUR
KW - Attitude of Health Personnel
KW - Avoidance Learning
KW - Clinical Competence
KW - Cooperative Behavior
KW - Empathy
KW - Fear
KW - Hospitals, General
KW - Hospitals, Rural
KW - Humans
KW - Mental Disorders/nursing/psychology
KW - Negativism
KW - Nurse's Role/psychology
KW - Nurse-Patient Relations
KW - Nursing Methodology Research
KW - Nursing Staff, Hospital/education/organization & administration/psychology
KW - Occupational Health
KW - Prejudice
KW - Psychiatric Nursing/education/organization & administration
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Security Measures
KW - Self Efficacy
KW - Social Support
KW - Time Management
KW - Victoria
AU - F. Reed
AU - L. Fitzgerald
A1 - 
AB - Mainstreaming of mental health care and the prevalence of mental illness have increased the requirement for care by nurses in the general hospital setting. In rural Australia, mental health services are limited and nurses have less access to support and education. Little is known about how these factors influence attitudes and the care of people with mental illness in rural hospitals. A qualitative descriptive study was used to investigate nurses' attitudes to caring for people with mental illness, the issues that impact on their ability to provide care, and the effect of education, experience, and support. In 2003, 10 nurses from two wards in a rural hospital were interviewed. Participants from one ward had education and support from mental health nurses. Attitudes were found to be inextricably linked to issues that influence nurses' ability to provide care. Dislike was apparent from nurses who suggested it was not their role. Others identified fear, causing avoidance. Conversely, those receiving support and education described increased comfort, with some nurses expressing enthusiasm for mental health care, seeing it as integral to nursing. The priority of physical care, time constraints, environmental unsuitability, rurality, and the lack of skill, knowledge, and mental health services reduced safety and effective care. A limited ability to help was reported, despite support for Mental Health Strategy goals. Positive experience promoted through education and support was required for nurses to improve care and attitudes. Notably, collaboration with mental health nurses was identified as helping nurses overcome fear and increase competence in caring for people with mental illness.
BT - International journal of mental health nursing
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 4
CY - Australia
DO - 10.1111/j.1440-0979.2005.00389.x
IS - 4
JF - International journal of mental health nursing
N2 - Mainstreaming of mental health care and the prevalence of mental illness have increased the requirement for care by nurses in the general hospital setting. In rural Australia, mental health services are limited and nurses have less access to support and education. Little is known about how these factors influence attitudes and the care of people with mental illness in rural hospitals. A qualitative descriptive study was used to investigate nurses' attitudes to caring for people with mental illness, the issues that impact on their ability to provide care, and the effect of education, experience, and support. In 2003, 10 nurses from two wards in a rural hospital were interviewed. Participants from one ward had education and support from mental health nurses. Attitudes were found to be inextricably linked to issues that influence nurses' ability to provide care. Dislike was apparent from nurses who suggested it was not their role. Others identified fear, causing avoidance. Conversely, those receiving support and education described increased comfort, with some nurses expressing enthusiasm for mental health care, seeing it as integral to nursing. The priority of physical care, time constraints, environmental unsuitability, rurality, and the lack of skill, knowledge, and mental health services reduced safety and effective care. A limited ability to help was reported, despite support for Mental Health Strategy goals. Positive experience promoted through education and support was required for nurses to improve care and attitudes. Notably, collaboration with mental health nurses was identified as helping nurses overcome fear and increase competence in caring for people with mental illness.
PP - Australia
PY - 2005
SN - 1445-8330; 1445-8330
SP - 249
EP - 257
EP - 
T1 - The mixed attitudes of nurse's to caring for people with mental illness in a rural general hospital
T2 - International journal of mental health nursing
TI - The mixed attitudes of nurse's to caring for people with mental illness in a rural general hospital
U1 - Education & Workforce
U2 - 16296992
U3 - 10.1111/j.1440-0979.2005.00389.x
VL - 14
VO - 1445-8330; 1445-8330
Y1 - 2005
ER -