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Biomedical subjects

P Burnard

Publications and source records attributed to P Burnard.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Sisyphus happy: the experience of depression.

Depression has been well documented, in the academic sense. This paper offers one person's experience of periods of depression. It describes symptoms and personal ideas about this commonly experienced condition. It raises questions about the legitimacy of psychiatric and psychological theorizing, and draws from various existential positions to support the text. The author suggests that depression is not, particularly a 'learning experience' and, far less, a form of personal growth.

Attitude↗
PubMed2006

Views of mental illness and mental health care in Thailand: a report of an ethnographic study.

This paper reports some of the findings of an ethnographic study carried out in Thailand over a 2-year period. Interviews were conducted with three clinical nurses, three student nurses, 14 nurse educators, one psychiatrist, one Buddhist monk and two lay people (n = 24) about their views of mental health and mental health care in Thailand. Data (comprising field notes and interview transcripts) were analysed with the aid of Atlas.ti. Data were also collected through observation and conversation. This paper reports only the findings from the interviews. Findings emerged under the following headings: Causes of mental illness; Status of the mentally ill; Karma; Merit making; Kwan; Treatment and care; Reasons for becoming a mental health nurse. A range of causes, including the effects of ghosts and spirits, were identified under the first heading. The stigma of mental illness was noted under the second. Karma and merit making are Buddhist concepts and were discussed by many respondents as was the animist concept of kwan. Treatment and care seemed to include both 'modern' and 'traditional' approaches. These findings are discussed and some tentative 'rules' that appear to exist within the culture are mooted. The study is descriptive in nature and the findings cannot be generalized; however, it is hoped that they go some way to illuminate aspects of Thai culture as they relate to the mental health and mental health nursing fields.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Factors influencing the effectiveness of clinical supervision.

Clinical supervision is widely accepted as an essential prerequisite for high quality nursing care. This paper reports findings from a study that aims to identify the factors that may influence the effectiveness of clinical supervision for community mental health nurses (CMHNs) in Wales, UK. Two hundred and sixty (32%) CMHNs from an estimated total population of 817 completed the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCCS) and a demographic questionnaire. The MCCS is a 36-item questionnaire measuring the quality and effectiveness of the supervision received. Three-quarters of CMHNs reported having participated in six or more sessions of supervision in their current posts. Clinical supervision was more positively evaluated where sessions lasted for over one hour, and took place on at least a once-monthly basis. Perceived quality of supervision was also higher for those nurses who had chosen their supervisors, and where sessions took place away from the workplace. These findings have important implications for the organization and delivery of mental health nursing services.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

A systematic review of stress and stress management interventions for mental health nurses.

BACKGROUND: Health care professionals in the United Kingdom (UK) appear to have higher absence and sickness rates than staff in other sectors, and stress may be a reason for nurses leaving their jobs. These problems need to be addressed, particularly in the mental health field, if current service provision is to be maintained. AIM: The aim was to identify stressors, moderators and stress outcomes (i.e. measures included those related to stress, burnout and job satisfaction) for mental health nurses, as these have clear implications for stress management strategies. METHOD: A systematic review of research published in English between 1966 and 2000 and undertaken in the UK that specifically identified participants as mental health nurses was carried out to determine the effectiveness of stress management interventions for those working in mental health nursing. Studies from non-UK countries were examined as potential models of good practice. The study was limited to primary research papers that specifically involved mental health nurses, where the health outcomes measured were stressors, moderators and stress outcomes and where sufficient data was provided. RESULTS: The initial search identified 176 papers, of these 70 met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies have been reported since the completion of the review and have been included in this article. Sixty-nine focused on the stressors, moderators and stress outcomes and eight papers identified stress management techniques. Relaxation techniques, training in behavioural techniques, stress management workshops and training in therapeutic skills were effective stress management techniques for mental health nurses. Methodological flaws however, were detracted from the rigour of many of the studies. CONCLUSIONS: The review demonstrated that a great deal is known about the sources of stress at work, about how to measure it and about the impact on a range of outcome indicators. What was found to be lacking was a translation of these results into practice, into research that assessed the impact of interventions that attempt to moderate, minimize or eliminate some of these stressors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2003

Ordinary chat and therapeutic conversation: phatic communication and mental health nursing.

This paper offers a definition of 'phatic communication' and identifies examples of it. The paper also illustrates how a knowledge of such communication is useful for mental health nurses in conversation with their clients and colleagues. The importance of turn taking in conversations is also discussed in a cultural context. Various examples of phatic communication are offered.

Communication↗
PubMed2001

Specialist practice for UK community mental health nurses: the 1998--99 survey of course leaders.

Surveys of the leaders of the UK's post-qualifying education courses for community mental health nurses have taken place, on an annual basis, for over 10 years. In this paper, findings from the survey undertaken in the 1998--99 academic year are reported. These findings include: that most course leaders do not personally engage in clinical practice; that interprofessional education takes place at a minority of course centres, and that course philosophies and aims are characterised by an emphasis on both outcomes (in terms of, for example, skills acquisition, knowledge development and the ability to engage in reflective practice), and process (adult learning).

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2001

A stepwise multivariate analysis of factors that contribute to stress for mental health nurses working in the community.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to examine the variety, frequency and severity of stressors experienced by community mental health nurses (CMHNs) in Wales. BACKGROUND: Numerous studies undertaken throughout the United Kingdom (UK) have indicated that those health professionals working as part of community teams are experiencing increasing levels of stress and burnout. Sample sizes have tended to be small and participants have been drawn mainly from sites in England. METHODS: A questionnaire booklet, which included a number of validated measures, was distributed to 614 CMHNs. These included Maslach Human Services Survey, Community Psychiatric Nursing (CPN) Stress Questionnaire, PsychNurse Coping Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12. The study was the largest of its kind conducted in the UK. RESULTS: Data were collected from 301 CMHNs, representing a response rate of 49%. Community mental health nurses identified the most stressful issues as trying to maintain a good quality service in the midst of long waiting lists and poor resources and having too many interruptions while trying to work in the office. The best demographic predictors of high stress scores were having an unsupportive line manager, working with a specific client group and not having job security. These factors accounted for 20% of the variance in the total stress score. When the results from the psychometric instruments were included, 46% of the variance in the total stress score was accounted for. The predictive variables were emotional exhaustion, working with a specific client group, job security and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that there is a need to create more supportive environments both in terms of job security and management support, especially for those working in the fields of severe mental illness and rehabilitation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Self-esteem and student nurses: an account of a descriptive study.

In this paper the authors describe a study of nursing students' self-reported self-esteem levels using a validated instrument: the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory 2 (CFSEI-2). The research question was: How do student nurses rate their own self-esteem levels? The paper offers a short review of some of the literature, followed by a description of the sample (a convenience sample of 101 undergraduate nursing students), data collection and analysis methods and the findings. The self-esteem components of CFSEI-2 are general, personal and social and these terms are defined in the text of this paper. The findings indicated that the mean scores for this sample of nursing students fell within normal levels for all three components of self-esteem. Younger students were found to have higher scores for the social subscale, which indicates that they had a higher perception of the quality of their relationships with their peers. The findings of this study indicate that these undergraduate student nurses' perceptions of their self-esteem were comparable to the normal ranges of self-esteem as assessed by the instrument.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Reviewing the review process: towards good practice in the peer review of manuscripts submitted to nursing journals.

Publishing in peer reviewed journals is an essential activity for nurses working in higher education. This paper offers some reflections on the processes involve in the reviewing of articles submitted for publication, and explores some ways in which this system may be improved. All journals operate some kind of review process. This can range from, at one end, the editor making decisions about the suitability for publication of a submitted paper to, at the other end, papers being blind-reviewed by two (or sometimes more) external referees. This paper notes that there appears to be little or no consistency amongst the various nursing journals with respect to reviewing processes. Suggestions put forward in this article for consideration include: the standardisation of peer review systems across journals; the construction of guidelines for referees which caution against ad hominem attacks on authors; and the introduction of 'open' reviewing.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

What is a PhD?

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Academic Dissertations as Topic↗
PubMed2000

Qualitative and quantitative approaches in mental health nursing: moving the debate forward.

In recent years, two distinct, and apparently opposing, positions have arisen in debates concerned with mental health nursing research, education and practice. Each of the two has its champions and 'gurus', and its detractors. Writers associated with the quantitative camp have argued in favour of: experimental research where the aims are the investigation of the outcomes of nursing care; multidisciplinary rather than unidisciplinary research; a physiological explanation for mental illness; clinical practice which is evidence based, and skills based education. Qualitative camp writers, on the other hand, have argued for: qualitative research to explore the experiences of illness, and of nursing; the preservation of nursing-only research; the relative irrelevance of physical explanations of mental illness, and holistic nursing practice in which clinical techniques are less important than interpersonal relationships. In this paper, we first review and criticize some key ideas associated with these two positions. In our subsequent analysis, we argue that, rather than differing at some fundamental level, the differences found between the two camps may be more a matter of emphasis. The possibilities of reconciliation and synthesis are, finally, presented and discussed.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2000

Stress and burnout in community mental health nursing: a review of the literature.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that many community mental health nurses (CMHNs) experience considerable stress and burnout. This review aimed to bring together the research evidence in this area for CMHNs working within the UK. Seventeen papers were identified in the literature, seven of which looked at stress and burnout for all members of community mental health teams (CMHTs) and the remaining 10 papers focused on CMHNs. The evidence indicates that those health professionals working as part of community teams are experiencing increasing levels of stress and burnout as a result of increasing workloads, increasing administration and lack of resources. For CMHNs specific stressors were identified. These included increases in workload and administration, time management, inappropriate referrals, safety issues, role conflict, role ambiguity, lack of supervision, not having enough time for personal study and NHS reforms, general working conditions and lack of funding and resources. Areas for future research are described and the current study of Welsh CMHNs is announced. This review has been completed against a background of further significant changes in the health service. In the mental health field, specific new initiatives will have a significant impact on the practice of community mental health nursing. A new National Framework for Mental Health, along with a review of the Mental Health Act (1983), will undoubtedly help to shape the future practice of mental health nursing.

Burnout, Professional↗
PubMed2000

Burnout in community mental health nurses: findings from the all-Wales stress study.

Stress and its outcomes are significant problems for mental health workers. Questionnaires were sent to 614 community mental health nurses (CMHNs) in Wales. Three hundred and one responded (49%). Of these, 283 completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Maslach et al. 1996). Half of those who responded indicated that they were emotionally overextended and exhausted by their work. One quarter of respondents were found to possess negative attitudes towards their clients, and approximately one in seven experienced little or no sense of satisfaction with their work. Working in an urban environment and lacking a supportive line manager were indicators for higher emotional exhaustion. CMHNs were significantly more likely to have negative attitudes towards their clients if they: were male; worked with an elderly care caseload; lacked job security; and had an unsupportive line manager. However, CMHNs who had worked longer within the field of community mental health were more likely to have positive attitudes towards their clients. Those CMHNs who had not completed a specialist postqualifying education course and those who did not hold a supervisory or management position were found to have a lowered sense of personal satisfaction in their work. Those CMHNs who reported that they drank alcohol were more satisfied with their sense of personal accomplishments achieved in their work.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Self-esteem in community mental health nurses: findings from the all-Wales stress study.

The authors conducted an all-Wales survey of community mental health nurses (CMHNs) to determine their levels of stress, coping and burnout. A total of 301 CMHNs were surveyed in 10 NHS Trusts in Wales. A range of measures were used. These included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Community Psychiatric Nursing (CPN) Stress Questionnaire, and PsychNurse Methods of Coping Questionnaire. The findings from the Rosenberg SES are reported here. Community mental health nurses in Wales scored as having average self-esteem. When the data were divided into high and low self-esteem, a large group of CMHNs (40%) were found to have low self-esteem. Factors that are associated with low and high self-esteem were identified. Alcohol consumption and being on lower nursing grades (D, E, F) were associated with low self-esteem, whilst amount of experience working as a CMHN was associated with high self-esteem.

Adaptation, Psychological↗