Search results

The nature and problems of forensic nursing research are presented and discussed. The background to and current state of forensic nursing research are described. Some differences between the nature of forensic psychiatric, psychological and forensic nursing research are identified. Forensic psychiatric research deals primarily with drug treatments and psychological research deals with specific therapies often referred to as ‘talking therapies’, whereas forensic psychiatric nursing research deals with care of the patient and all that entails, such as physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social care. Issues identified include the power gradient and forensic nurses' position on that gradient, the application of Lee's typology of research as threat and Mason's (2003) discussion of the typology in the forensic context. The article concludes with some discussion of the strategic direction required for further development.

Forensic nursing is a term applied to nurses working in many different areas of clinical practice, such as high security hospitals, medium secure units, low secure units, acute mental health wards, specialised private hospitals, psychiatric intensive care units, court liaison schemes, and outpatient, community and rehabilitation services. Rarely is the term defined in the general literature and as a concept it is multifaceted. Concept analysis is a method for exploring and evaluating the meaning of words. It gives precise definitions, both theoretical and operational, for use in theory, clinical practice and research. A concept analysis provides a logical basis for defining terms and helps us to refine and define a concept that derives from practice, research and theory. This paper uses the strategy of concept analysis to explore the term ‘forensic nursing’ and finds a working definition of forensic mental health nursing. The historical background and literature are reviewed using concept analysis to bring the term into focus and to define it more clearly. Forensic nursing is found to derive from forensic practice. A proposed definition of forensic nursing is given.

The forensic nursing role is complex, creates tensions within itself and is underpinned by core values, knowledge, skills and personal attributes; often referred to as ‘good nurse’ characteristics (Smith & Godfrey, 2002). Forensic nurses perform unique, multifaceted roles; they are viewed by patients as ‘a source of treatment, comfort and advice’, but also as ‘part of the system that deprives them of their liberty’ (United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting & University of Central Lancashire (UKCC & UCLAN), 1999: 42). This is problematic both for nurses and patients. Although appearing as opposites, security and therapeutic characteristics of nurses can and do co‐exist in forensic nursing (Peternelji‐Taylor & Johnson, 1996). Through critical analysis of dialogue from interviews and focus groups, this paper depicts forensic practice with people with a learning disability through a study that explores apparent ‘truths’ about such people detained in forensic settings (here referred to as ‘the men’) and the staff who work with them. Beliefs about nursing characteristics were exposed through discourses present in dialogue between the men and the staff. General research questions included: (1) What are the discourses related to learning disability and forensic practice? (2) What ideologies underpin and justify forensic practice? (3) What in particular are the positive discourses? Related discussion is primarily concerned with the way that staff and men share relationships and with characteristics of the nursing staff. Findings generally suggest that the staff may be viewed as prison wardens, leading to relationships of mistrust. Paradoxically, there are also positive discourses identifying warm and therapeutic relationships and good nurse characteristics of the staff. This may have practice implications, such as enabling staff to hear positive views expressed by the men and begin to develop metrics of ‘good’ forensic nurse characteristics that may positively affect treatment.

Over the last decade there has been considerable growth in the role that psychiatric nurses play in providing care for the mentally disordered offender (MDO). Yet there has been little written about this specialty from a global perspective. Examination of the literature illustrates a large body of research and development programmes reporting the development of services to the MDO, for example, self‐harm and clinical risk assessment. Such service development is growing at a rapid pace, yet training and education to meet the needs of this patient group is something that is added onto post registration courses. Furthermore, the lack of vision and career pathways into forensic care is stifling a growing profession, which is subject to continual permanent change and investigation. Leaders and professional associations have contributed little to this unique nursing group which plays a major role in the multidisciplinary care of a very demanding set of patient needs.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the lived experiences of learning disability nurses working within forensic services, and their views on their practice as a speciality.

A qualitative, semi-structured interview-based design was used and participant's voices were examined through interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Nurses explored a range of topics related to their practice and overall, five superordinate themes were developed. Forensic nursing as being both the same and different to generic nursing, the journey, and the emotional challenge of forensic nursing, the balancing act of everyday practice and the role of language within forensic nursing practice.

Very little research has examined the views of learning disability nurses within the forensic field. This study gives both a voice to these nurses and suggests areas of interest both for research and for clinicians to consider in their practice.

Forensic nursing is a fast‐developing branch of psychiatric nursing and now at an international level covers many aspects of practice. As its field of study develops to incorporate working with vicyims, survivors and offenders, it becomes increasingly important to establish the evidence base for the practice areas. This paper outlines these developing areas and highlights the expansive nature when see from an international perspective.

Examining the education and training needs of forensic nurses is paramount as services move from the older institutions to new care settings. The purpose of this study was to identify Irish Forensic nurses perceived deficits in their knowledge and skills to assist them to provide effective seamless care for individuals with an intellectual disability within their forensic mental health service, so that appropriate training could be provided.

Training needs analysis (TNA) procedures are used as a way of establishing the continuing processional development of staff, as they seek to identify the gaps between the knowledge and skills of an individual and the need for further training. A training needs tool developed by Hicks and Hennessy (2011) was used and completed by nurses working in an Irish forensic mental health service. A total of 140 surveys were circulated and 74 were completed (51 per cent response).

The top priority training needs identified were for additional training in research and audit and in the use of technology. Other self-identified training needs included additional training in behavioural management for challenging behaviour, understanding mental health and intellectual disability and dual diagnosis, training in enhancing communication skills and how to work with patients who have an intellectual disability patients specific training on autistic spectrum disorders and a guide and template for advance individual care planning and for caring for the physical health needs and promoting the physical health needs of these patients.

Despite there being a vast range of training issues identified, the majority of nurses appear to have a clear idea of their training needs to ensure the provision of seamless care for individuals with an intellectual disability within a forensic mental health setting. This TNA has identified the specific needs of nursing staff working at different positions across the interface of intellectual disability and forensic mental health care.

ABSTRACT Providing nursing care for patients with personality disorders is seen by many nursing staff as a highly undesirable job. This paper reviews the available literature and attempts to explore why the task of providing nursing care to these clients is so unpopular. Five core areas of difficulty are identified in the literature and each of these will be elaborated upon within the paper: i) these patients are perceived as less reinforcing and more demanding than mentally ill patients, ii) nurse training is inadequate preparation for this type of work, iii) the role of nursing personality‐disordered patients is high in conflict, iv) this type of nursing is traumatising and v) this type of nursing requires specific skills and qualities.The paper will then outline the implications that these challenges have for a nursing service that provides care for personality‐disordered patients. These include the impact upon i) the retention of staff, ii) the recruitment of staff, iii) the patients and iii) an organisation. The paper will also suggest some potential solutions to these challenges.

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a preliminary evaluation of psychological-based supervision and consultation provided by a clinical psychologist to nursing staff working in a low-secure Learning Disability Forensic Service.

A questionnaire was completed by 22 staff members, to gather information about their experiences of receiving this service and its impact on the motivation, stress and the care they provide for patients within the service.

The most common reasons for staff to attend were to discuss patient issues (n=10), needing space to reflect (n=10) and wanting to discuss service issues (n=9). Staff found these sessions to be supportive (n=13), useful (n=11), helpful (n=11) and informative (n=11). A majority of staff reported an increase in positive interactions (60 per cent, n=9) and in motivation (60 per cent, n=9) and a reduction in stress (43.7 per cent, n=7). Of staff answering the question 87.5 per cent (n=16) would recommend these sessions to others.

The findings suggest that staff benefitted from having this opportunity to discuss patient and service issues and that this had a positive impact on their role and the care they provide.

Therefore, the paper suggests that by offering psychological supervision and consultation will provide support to nurses working in Learning Disability Forensic Service, increase motivation and reduce stress. These findings could also be used by management in service development, for example to reduce staff sickness and subsequently reduce costs within the service.

This study sought to address one of the most critical issues that mental health professionals endure in modern health care, namely stress at work. Though it has been discussed for some time in the literature relating to mental health services, it still remains one of the biggest impediments to the provision of high quality care. In this study, two groups of mental health nurses were compared: forensic and acute mental health nurses. Stress levels were ascertained using a standardised assessment tool, the Mental Health Professional Stress Scale (MHPSS). Though both groups reported high levels of stress, no significant differences were found between them. Though both groups perceived certain aspects of their work as being stressful, each group identified different causes for stress within their respective work environments. This paper discusses some of the implications of these findings and highlights the importance of protecting staff from unpropitious work environments and burn‐out.