Jeanette Rossetti

Stigma is defined as endorsing prejudicial attitudes about mental illness leading to discriminatory behaviors. It undermines the quality of medical care received by people with mental illness. Research suggests contact based interventions are effective in reducing stigma and increasing positive attitudes towards people with mental illness. This paper describes the development of a consumer led student-nurse mentoring program as part of nursing student education. People with lived mental health experience would mentor student nurses regarding the harmful effects of stigma and the beneficial outcomes of affirming attitudes. Seventy members of stakeholder groups (people with lived mental health experience and student nurses) participated in focus groups. Qualitative analyses revealed themes across stakeholder groups regarding: perceived mental health stigma from nurses, ways to reduce stigma, target message for the mentorship program, characteristics of mentors and logistics in developing such a program within the student nurse curricula.

The future of psychiatric-mental health nursing depends on the preparation of nurses who will meet the mental health care needs of society. The current article discusses the development of the “Mental Health Ward,” a simulated mental health experience that was offered for the first time to undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students at a Midwestern university in the United States. The Mental Health Ward is an innovative simulated hospital environment that includes the use of standardized patients and role play scenarios, resulting in a full mission simulation whereby students learn various psychiatric diagnoses and practice various pertinent skills, including nursing assessments, admission and discharge processes, medication administration, and therapeutic communication. Lessons learned by faculty and students in formulating the Mental Health Ward are presented. [ Journal of Psychosocial and Mental Health Nursing, 52 (10), 52–58.]

BACKGROUND: In Illinois, the Human Rights Authority (HRA) exists to conduct investigations of complaints of violations of the rights of persons with disabilities. PURPOSE OF STUDY: The purpose of this study is to describe the findings from the HRA investigations and to determine significant implications for psychiatric nursing practice. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used, and the sample was composed of reports from the Illinois Guardianship & Advocacy Commission HRA ( N = 129) for 2008. RESULTS: Allegations of restriction/notification of rights were significantly more likely to be substantiated than other allegation types. State hospitals were less likely to have allegations against them, whereas medical hospitals were less likely to have inadequate treatment allegations and more likely to have restriction/notification of rights allegations. CONCLUSIONS: The HRA findings will inform psychiatric nursing practice by expanding the nurses’ knowledge of patient rights issues.

There has been a growing interest in the use of portfolios to assess nursing student progress in areas such as critical thinking, problem solving, and communication. The data obtained from student portfolios can be used to improve undergraduate nursing curricula; however in order for change to occur, closing the assessment feedback loop is essential. The portfolio program of one Midwestern school of nursing has successfully used portfolio evidence to effect undergraduate curricular change. This portfolio program, under the direction of the school’s Portfolio Subcommittee, involves active participation by students, faculty and administration. Examples of curricular improvements based on portfolio findings included increasing rigor in course assignments, improving student self reflection, promoting students’ ability to write in the discipline, and maintaining writing assignments in larger classes.

The use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as an adjunct treatment approach in psychiatric settings has received much attention in the literature. This article explores the use of AAT with psychiatric patients. The authors performed a literature review and found that AAT can have a significant effect on the improvement of psychiatric patients’ socialization and provides a variety of psychological benefits. Nurses can benefit from learning about the potential benefits of AAT for psychiatric patients.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe factors associated with successful university teaching within the cultural norms of a public university in the midwestern United States. An interpretive analysis was conducted using the educational philosophy and goal statements of 35 university professors who received Presidential Teaching Awards from the university. The professors' diverse disciplines included nursing, curriculum and instruction, accountancy, music, and political science. The authors offer nursing educators the opportunity to increase their confidence and effectiveness by “learning” from faculty members who have been recognized as exceptionally successful in teaching. Four main relevant themes associated with successful university teaching were identified: Presence, Promotion of Learning, Teachers as Learners, and Enthusiasm. The narratives of the professors helped define the meaning of successful teaching across disciplines and offer nursing faculty additional perspectives and experiences.

The purpose and objectives of this exploratory descriptive study were threefold: to assess the impact of pet-assisted therapy on the overall well-being of behavioral health staff, to document whether pet-assisted therapy affected the retention of behavioral health staff, and to explore and describe therapeutic measures behavioral health staff implemented in using pet-assisted therapy in the delivery of mental health patient care. The participants in this study were 10 behavioral health staff members who were involved with the pet-assisted therapy program at a private psychiatric hospital in a Chicago suburb. Themes that emerged from the study included Self-Awareness, Morale, Innovative Therapeutic Strategies, Challenges, and Future Directions. This article describes these themes in detail, provides quotations from participants to further highlight meaning, and discusses the powerful effect of pet-assisted therapy on both patients and staff in the therapeutic milieu.

The media has shared with the American public horrors of abuse towards prisoners of war in recent newscasts. Prisoners, and others in vulnerable positions, can fall victim to neglect and abuse at the hands of their captors. Often, human rights can be violated. Therefore, people in vulnerable positions need advocates who will defend and protect their rights. The role of advocate is familiar to nursing professionals. In the mid-1980's advocacy grew attention due to disclosure of human rights abuses in mental health facilities. Today, worldwide, nursing leaders continue to confront abuses in multiple settings. In the United States, the Human Rights Authority was specifically developed to address issues of abuse of persons with physical disabilities and or mental illness. Globally, nurses will want to support the development and enforcement of policies that protect persons in vulnerable positions.