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Health Staff (health + staff)
Kinds of Health Staff Selected AbstractsFC03.1 Experience from joint occupational health/dermatology clinicsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2004Yat Wing Wong Background:, A monthly consultant led occupational health/dermatology clinic was started in 1999 providing rapid access to staff with suspected occupational skin disease including natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy and teaching for the occupational health staff. Objectives:, To evaluate the characteristics and outcome of staff attending this clinic and to assess patient satisfaction. Methods:, A retrospective case note survey was performed from staff attending the clinic from 1999 to 2002. A questionnaire was sent to them >3 months following consultation. Results:, A total of 116 patients were identified (12 male, 104 female), and 85 (73%) were nurses. 77 (66%) patients were referred with hand eczema (HE). Of the 45 patients referred with adverse reactions or exacerbation of hand dermatitis following the use of latex gloves, only 4 had positive prick tests and were considered to have NRL allergy. Patients with significant HE or occupational exacerbation of HE were referred for patch testing (n = 36). Of the remainder, most could be discharged after a single visit. 49/95 (52%) questionnaires were returned, 34/45 (76%) patients found the consultation useful. As a separate study, the data recorded within the patch test clinic looking at health care workers (HCW) referred both from this clinic and from other sources was analysed. This showed relevant positive patch tests in 16/49 (33%) patients. In 55/99 (56%), an occupational cause was likely. Conclusion:, Occupational skin disease in HCW is common, attendance at the clinic was beneficial and a single visit was sufficient in most cases. [source] Collaboration, facilities and communities in day care services for older peopleHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 1 2001Sarah Burch BA Abstract Collaborative working in care for older people is often seen as a desirable goal. However, there can be problems with this approach. This paper reports on a single blind randomized controlled trial which was carried out to compare outcomes of rehabilitation in two settings: a day hospital and social services day centres augmented by visiting therapists. The subjects were 105 older patients. Principal outcome measures were the Barthel Index, Philadelphia Geriatric Centre Morale Scale and the Caregiver Strain Index. Two aspects of the trial are examined here. Firstly, we investigated whether trial patients were more disabled than regular day centre attendees. Levels of health and well being amongst trial patients were compared with those of a random sample of 20 regular attendees from both of the participating day centres and an additional voluntary sector day centre. Secondly, key staff from the different settings were interviewed to assess how well the day centre model had worked in practice. Trial patients were significantly more disabled than regular day centre attendees according to the Barthel Index (P < 0.001), but this difference was no longer significant after three months of treatment. The day centre model had several problems, principally discharge policy, acceptability, facilities and attitudes of staff and regular attendees. Positive aspects of the day centre model, as well as successful rehabilitation, included shared skills, knowledge and resources. This paper suggests that collaborative working in day centres requires multipurpose facilities. If health staff maintain a permanent presence, benefits can include improved joint working, easier access to health care and the use of rehabilitative therapy as a preventative strategy. Day care settings can be analyzed as representing different types of communities. Allowing older users a greater degree of choice in facilities may increase the acceptability of care. [source] Sexual health knowledge and risk behaviour in young people with first episode psychosisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2005Heather Shield ABSTRACT:, The sexual health of clients has been poorly addressed by mental health service providers and sexually transmissible infection (STI) incidence rates are increasing among young people. A self-report questionnaire was used to gather information in order to describe and to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of sexual health knowledge, risk behaviour and STI screening history among young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis, who present to community-based early psychosis programmes in south-eastern Sydney. STI knowledge was fair and sexual risk practice knowledge was poor regarding anal and oral sex. Women reported significantly more sexual partners than men. When those young people who had had unsafe sex attended for STI screens only, 5% received a complete screen. The survey result indicates a need for sexual health screening education to be conducted for clients. Against a background of escalating rates of HIV, STIs and high risk-taking behaviours among young people, it is essential that mental health staff are provided with the skills and education to address sexual health and harm minimization issues. [source] Healthcare for Older Persons, A Country Profile: NigeriaJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 7 2002Bola O. Akanji PhD The Nigerian population is undergoing demographic transition, with an increasing population of older people. Nuclear and extended family members traditionally care for older persons at home. We have observed changes in home living conditions due to reduced family size, and urban migration for economic reasons are likely to affect the care of older people. The inadequately funded healthcare system has placed little emphasis on the care of older people because there are more-pressing health problems and funding for older people is limited. This paper advocates improved attention to the health needs of older people through improved budgetary allocation, revision of the training curriculum of all cadres of health staff to include geriatrics, and utilization of primary healthcare facilities. [source] Access to Secondary Healthcare for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Review of the LiteratureJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 6 2009Clare Backer Background, There is growing evidence that people with intellectual disabilities have greater healthcare needs than the general population and that these needs are often unmet. Recently, increasing attention has been drawn to poor care received by people with intellectual disabilities when admitted to hospital. Method, A literature search was conducted to identify studies on experiences of secondary healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities. Studies were published between January 1990 and March 2008. Results, Thirteen studies were identified. Important influences on the experience of hospital care were: individual factors; the carer's role; the attitudes, knowledge and communicative style of health staff; and the physical environment. A range of recommendations and initiatives have been developed to improve hospital care. Conclusion, More research is needed, given that so few studies are published in this area. Initiatives to improve access to secondary healthcare need to be evaluated to inform the development of services. [source] Economic crisis and challenges for the Greek healthcare system: the emergent role of nursing managementJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2010VENETIA NOTARA MSc notara v., koupidis s.a., vaga e. & grammatikopoulos i.a. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management18, 501,504 Economic crisis and challenges for the Greek healthcare system: the emergent role of nursing management Background, Despite several reform efforts, the Greek health care system still faces problems related to misdistribution of trained health staff and finance between geographical areas. Aim, The objectives of the present study were to describe the current situation of the delivery of the healthcare service in Greece, to explore the basic implications of the economic crisis from a nursing management perspective and to examine future practices opening a debate in policy developments. Key issue, The principal finding of this study was the serious shortage of trained nurses, the imbalances in nursing personnel, an excess of doctors and the complete absence of a Primary Healthcare System in civil areas provided by general doctors. Conclusion, It is important that health care policy makers become aware and seriously consider rearranging the Health Care System to become more effective and efficient for the population (client). Special attention should be paid to strengthening areas such as primary health care, public health and health promotion in the direction of minimizing the demand of hospital services. Implications for nursing management, Any implementation of major health care reforms should consider seriously the role of the nursing management which formulates the substantial link between the health services and the patient. [source] The development of nurse-led suicide prevention training for multidisciplinary staff in a North Wales NHS TrustJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2010R. JONES rmn bsc msc Accessible summary ,,Suicide and suicidal behaviour evoke strong feelings. That is so not only for those directly affected , the individual, family and friends, but for professional staff and the community at large. ,,Assessing the risk of suicide demands staff having the ability to connect and maintain rapport with people in varying degrees of distress. ,,Multidisciplinary training groups allow staff the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from one another. ,,Suicide awareness training for non mental health staff in the UK is variable and should be more of a priority. Abstract There are 300 deaths in Wales each year as a result of suicide. Though the rate in England and Wales has fallen in recent years, it is still the second most common cause of death in men aged 15,44 behind accidental death. The majority of those who die by suicide make contact with health professionals within a relatively short time before their death. For those with mental ill health, relationships with professionals appear particularly important; indeed negative relationships have been cited as a key factor precipitating death by suicide. This paper outlines a suicide awareness programme which aims to restate the values of empathy and relationship building in everyday interaction. It acknowledges risk factors and risk assessment tools, but more than anything strives to demonstrate the value of encouraging personal expression in patients. [source] Surveying the attitudes of acute mental health nursesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2007S. MUNRO msc bnurs pgcert rnmh cpn Recent UK policy and guidance indicates the importance of positive attitudes towards mental health service users. This is especially true in acute inpatient care, where service users are often at their most vulnerable and have higher levels of contact with mental health staff. The following paper details secondary analysis of data collected for the validation of an attitude measurement scale with a sample of 140 nursing staff in acute settings. The results demonstrate that a wide range of attitudes are held by mental health nurses towards acute mental health care. Overall, the results indicate generally positive attitudes. Significant differences were found between qualified and unqualified staff, and males and females for some questions. Recommendations are made for future attitudinal research of mental health staff. [source] Case management models and the care programme approach: how to make the CPA effective and credibleJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 4 2003A. SIMPSON rmn ba (hons) pgdip The care programme approach (CPA), a form of case management, is a key mental health policy in England. Yet after over 10 years, it remains poorly and unevenly implemented with few benefits for service users, carers or mental health staff. This paper reviews the wider literature on case management and identifies and considers the principal models that might have informed the development of the CPA. After discussing the evidence for each of the clinical, strengths, intensive and assertive case management models, the paper identifies the key components that appear to be central to effective case management across these models. These components are then considered in relation to the CPA. It is argued that the CPA has been undermined by a failure to incorporate and build on certain important features of the major models of case management. The paper concludes by suggesting the key developments required to make the CPA more effective and to underpin the policy with a unifying philosophy while endorsing it with much needed credibility among both clinicians and service users. [source] Employment, social inclusion and mental healthJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2000J. Evans bsc econ (hons) rmn dip (psychosocial management of psychosis) Whereas unemployment is clearly linked to mental health problems, employment can improve quality of life, mental health, social networks and social inclusion. Yet in the UK only 15% of people with serious mental health problems are employed , despite an overwhelming consensus from surveys, case studies and personal accounts that users want to work. This paper aims to challenge common misconceptions surrounding employment, work and mental health problems. Drawing on a range of research evidence and legislative guidance it discusses significant barriers to work and proposes feasible solutions. The need for mental health staff and services to become involved in the provision of work opportunities is considered, as is the vital role they can play in changing communities. The potency of work as a vehicle for improving the social inclusion and community tenure of people with mental health problems is highlighted. [source] Building a Partnership to Evaluate School-Linked Health Services: The Cincinnati School Health Demonstration ProjectJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 10 2005Barbara L. Rose Partners from the Cincinnati Health Department, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati wanted to determine if levels of school-linked care made a difference in student quality of life, school connectedness, attendance, emergency department use, and volume of referrals to health care specialists. School nurses, principals and school staff, parents and students, upper-level managers, and health service researchers worked together over a 2.5-year period to learn about and use new technology to collect information on student health, well-being, and outcome measures. Varying levels of school health care intervention models were instituted and evaluated. A standard model of care was compared with 2 models of enhanced care and service. The information collected from students, parents, nurses, and the school system provided a rich database on the health of urban children. School facilities, staffing, and computer technology, relationship building among stakeholders, extensive communication, and high student mobility were factors that influenced success and findings of the project. Funding for district-wide computerization and addition of school health staff was not secured by the end of the demonstration project; however, relationships among the partners endured and paved the way for future collaborations designed to better serve urban school children in Cincinnati. (J Sch Health. 2005;75(10):363-369) [source] The ,Collaborative Care' curriculum: an educational model addressing key ACGME core competencies in primary care residency trainingMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 9 2003Keith Frey Aim, The ,Collaborative Care' curriculum is a 12-month senior resident class project in which one evidence-based clinical guideline is designed, implemented and evaluated in our residency practice. This curriculum specifically addresses three of the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies: Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills and System-Based Practices. Additionally, the project enhances the quality of patient care within the model family practice centre in a family practice residency. Methods, During the project, the third-year residency class selects the disease, develops the clinical guideline, leads its implementation and guides the evaluation process. Select faculty members serve as mentors and coach the resident class through each phase of the project. Specific educational objectives are developed for each content area: evidence-based medicine, clinical guideline development, continuous quality improvement and team leadership. A series of seminars are presented during the project year to provide ,just-in-time' learning for the key content and skills required for each step in the project. By working together to develop the practice guideline, then working with nurses and allied health staff to implement the guideline and review its effectiveness, the resident team gains competence in the areas of practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills and system-based practices. Results, The self-reported level of resident confidence in skill acquisition for each content area was measured for each resident at the time of graduation from the residency programme. Results from the first 2 years of this curriculum are reported (resident n = 12), and demonstrate a high level of physician confidence in the skills addressed and their utility for future practice. Conclusions, The senior resident seminar and team project model reported here creates learning experiences that appear to address at least three of the ACGME general competency expectations: practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal communication skills, and systems-based practice. From the initial resident feedback, this educational model seems to establish a high level of physician confidence in the skills addressed and their utility for future practice. [source] Nursing staff attitudes towards patients with personality disorderPERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2007Daniel Webb Background,The Gwylfa Therapy Service is a specialist outpatient personality disorder (PD) service within Gwent Healthcare NHS trust. Among its key functions, the service is required to develop training procedures that improve the attitudes and capabilities of mental health staff working with patients with PD. Aim,The aim was to assess Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) nurses' attitudes to patients with PD, using the Attitude to Personality Disorder Questionnaire (APDQ), and to compare their scores with published APDQ data for nurses and prison officers working with patients with PDs. Method,Participants were nurses recruited from CMHTs (n = 88) and those who volunteered to attend a PD awareness workshop (n = 29). They completed the APDQ. Results,CMHT nurses reported lower feelings of security, acceptance and purpose compared with all other groups, although at the same time they also reported higher levels of enjoyment in working with PD patients. CMHT nurses who volunteered to participate in an awareness workshop reported higher levels of enjoyment, security, acceptance and purpose when working with patients with PD compared to those who did not volunteer. Discussion,CMHT nursing staff require help to feel safer, more accepting and more purposeful when working with patients with PD. Some of these issues may be addressed through the formulation of policies and good practice procedures, but staff also need to be trained for working with people with PD. The next step is to design suitable training and evaluate its effectiveness with respect to how it changes knowledge, attitudes and skills, and, eventually, how this benefits patients. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effectiveness of the provision of free nicotine replacement therapy on quit rates among health staffAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 2 2008Cate Wallace No abstract is available for this article. [source] Promoting mental health care in a rural paediatric unit through participatory action researchAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2009Brenda Happell Abstract Objective:,To explore, advance and evaluate mental health practices in a rural general paediatric unit through participatory action research. Design:,A participatory action research approach guided this study, providing an opportunity for nursing staff to become actively involved in the design, direction and outcomes of the research. Setting:,A 16-bed paediatric unit of a rural general hospital. Participants:,A purposive convenience sample of all paediatric nursing staff (n = 20; of 24 nurses). Outcome measures:,In the first phase of this study, focus groups were conducted to explore the experiences of nurses. Results:,Participants considered mental health to be a specialist discipline area and the role of the mental health nurse to be complex. They felt that their lack of training and experience with mental health issues was detrimental to the delivery of optimal patient care. There was concern about differing approaches to treatment, relationships with other mental health services and the suitability of the ward environment for young people with a mental health problem. Participants called for training by qualified mental health staff and the development of policies and clinical guidelines to facilitate their delivery of care to patients with a mental health problem in an acute medical environment. Conclusions:,There is a clear need for nursing specialities to work together to ensure that optimal care is given to patients admitted to general hospital with a mental health issue. Given the absence of accessible specialist child mental health inpatient units in regional and remote areas, upskilling paediatric nurses must be a priority. [source] STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF CARE FOR DELIBERATE SELF-HARM PATIENTS IN RURAL WESTERN AUSTRALIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDYAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 5 2002Janine Slaven ABSTRACT: Suicide has been a major community concern in Esperance, a geographically isolated port on the south coast of Western Australia. This study to explores the views of regional health staff on barriers to the effective management of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and ways in which those barriers could be addressed. Semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. Interviewees included 77% of general practitioners (n = 7), 18% of nurses (n = 13) and 55% of mental health professionals (n = 5). The most important barrier was a lack of structure to treating DSH, resulting in deficiencies and inconsistencies in its management. Suggestions to improve the management of DSH included better communication between services, support for nurses in raising the issue of suicide, use of a simple risk assessment tool, the development of a nurse liaison position, and a multidisciplinary planning group. The higher rates of DSH and completed suicide in rural and remote regions compared with metropolitan areas make secondary prevention particularly important. [source] Staff Perceptions of Care for Deliberate Self-Harm Patients in Rural Western Australia: A Qualitative StudyAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 5 2002Janine Slaven Abstract: Suicide has been a major community concern in Esperance, a geographically isolated port on the south coast of Western Australia. This study to explores the views of regional health staff on barriers to the effective management of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and ways in which those barriers could be addressed. Semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. Interviewees included 77% of general practitioners (n = 7), 18% of nurses (n = 13) and 55% of mental health professionals (n = 5). The most important barrier was a lack of structure to treating DSH, resulting in deficiencies and inconsistencies in its management. Suggestions to improve the management of DSH included better communication between services, support for nurses in raising the issue of suicide, use of a simple risk assessment tool, the development of a nurse liaison position, and a multidisciplinary planning group. The higher rates of DSH and completed suicide in rural and remote regions compared with metropolitan areas make secondary prevention particularly important. [source] Perinatal services and outcomes in Quang Ninh province, VietnamACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2010Nguyen T Nga Abstract Aim:, We report baseline results of a community-based randomized trial for improved neonatal survival in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam (NeoKIP; ISRCTN44599712). The NeoKIP trial seeks to evaluate a method of knowledge implementation called facilitation through group meetings at local health centres with health staff and community key persons. Facilitation is a participatory enabling approach that, if successful, is well suited for scaling up within health systems. The aim of this baseline report is to describe perinatal services provided and neonatal outcomes. Methods:, Survey of all health facility registers of service utilization, maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths during 2005 in the province. Systematic group interviews of village health workers from all communes. A Geographic Information System database was also established. Results:, Three quarters of pregnant women had ,3 visits to antenatal care. Two hundred and five health facilities, including 18 hospitals, provided delivery care, ranging from 1 to 3258 deliveries/year. Totally there were 17 519 births and 284 neonatal deaths in the province. Neonatal mortality rate was 16/1000 live births, ranging from 10 to 44/1000 in the different districts, with highest rates in the mountainous parts of the province. Only 8% had home deliveries without skilled attendance, but those deliveries resulted in one-fifth of the neonatal deaths. Conclusion:, A relatively good coverage of perinatal care was found in a Vietnamese province, but neonatal mortality varied markedly with geography and level of care. A remaining small proportion of home deliveries generated a substantial part of mortality. [source] Teacher's PETS: a new observational measure of experiential training interactionsCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 3 2002Derek Milne Government policy now stresses the importance of staff training in fostering evidence-based practice, but what is done in the name of training is rarely reported and there are few instruments with which to analyse training. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop a new measure of training processes and mini-outcomes, and to provide a case study illustration. A single subject (N = 1) withdrawal design was used to assess the empirical validity of the measure. The measure (Teacher's PETS) was derived from the applied psychology literature in order to operationalize Kolb's (1984) integrative theory of experiential learning. Reliability and validity assessments were conducted. During the intervention phase of the case study baseline data from PETS were fed back to the trainer. The effectiveness of this intervention was assessed structurally and functionally, in relation to the learners, i.e. mental health staff (N = 31) receiving training in evidence-based practice (psychosocial interventions in severe mental illness). PETS was found to have very good inter-rater reliability (K = 0.84) and promising content, empirical and concurrent validity. The case study illustrated that, at baseline, the training did not correspond to a ,training workshop'. However, the intervention of feedback and modelling resulted in more appropriate training processes and outcomes, which were maintained at a 1-month follow-up assessment. It is concluded that PETS shows promise as an instrument and has the advantage of affording detailed, transactional information to improve the efficiency of training. It may also be useful in relation to clinical supervision. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||