Is there a crisis in inpatient mental health care?

Abstract

The standards of care in the NHS are the subject of debate. Frequently, members of the public have complained about poor staff attitudes towards patients and visitors alike and this has generated discussion as to the best way forward for the nursing profession. In mental health, poor standards have been reported on numerous occasions and the first author had firsthand experience of casual nursing attitudes when she visited a friend in an acute inpatient mental health ward. This article uses her anecdotal account to highlight poor standards in mental health. The paper then examines possible antecedents to this vexed issue before suggesting a way forward.

Are new mental nurses prepared for practice?

“…Rooks and Mutsatsa, 2013;Happell et al, 2011). The current study supports these findings as participants felt that that caring for physical health needs was something that they had found difficult to manage upon first qualifying.…”

“…The findings reported in this paper are similar to previous studies (i.e. Rooks and Mutsatsa, 2013;Hardy et al, 2011;Baker et al, 2012) that have identified deficits in the preparation of mental health nurses. In this regard, the findings are unremarkable.…”

“…As seen, there is some evidence that nurses may be unprepared for aspects of practice such as physical health care (i.e. Rooks and Mutsatsa, 2013;Happell et al, 2011). The current study supports these findings as participants felt that that caring for physical health needs was something that they had found difficult to manage upon first qualifying.…”

“…However, evidence suggests that poor care in mental health settings continues (Rooks and Mutsatsa, 2013). There has been concern about high-physical morbidity and poor standards of health care within mental health services (Happell et al, 2011).…”