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Introduction and Aims: Alcohol-related morbidity is estimated to range from 10-38% of the presentations to hospital emergency departments. This study aims to investigate the actual management process for alcohol-related presentations in a teaching hospital in Australia.Design and Methods: Retrospective audit was conducted on the electronic medical records of 210 presentations with a primary or secondary diagnosis of 'alcohol use disorder' at discharge between November 2016 and February 2017. Six key management steps were investigated: identification of alcohol use disorder, documentation, thiamine, alcohol withdrawal assessment, benzodiazepine for alcohol withdrawal and referral to the drug and alcohol consultation liaison service.Results: Of all the 210 presentations, 77.1% (162) were identified with alcohol use disorder in the initial assessments; 64.3% (135) were documented with alcohol use history, 49.5% (104) were prescribed with thiamine, 48.1% (101) were assessed with the alcohol withdrawal scale, 41% (86) were prescribed with benzodiazepine for alcohol withdrawal and only 38.6% (81) were referred to the drug and alcohol consultation liaison service. Only 8.6% (18) of the initial presentations were directly related to alcohol. These presentations had a higher completion rate in each of the six steps than those (91.4%, 192) not directly related to alcohol. Only 6.2% (13) were formally screened for alcohol use.Discussion and Conclusions: The findings suggest a need to improve the alcohol management practice in the hospital. Routine use of an alcohol screening tool can enable early identification of the alcohol use disorder and to improve the management of this problem in the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviors associated with resilience can be seen as tantamount to coping with stress and vulnerability. This is important for people who live with mental illness. This study aimed to determine whether key basic psychological needs influence resilience among people with a lived experience of mental illness. A total of 159 consumers with a lived experience of mental illness completed self-report surveys measuring resilience and the basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) espoused in self-determination theory. A 2-step analysis was conducted, including Pearson product correlations and stepwise multiple regression. Higher levels of relatedness significantly predicted resilience. Competence and autonomy did not have a significant influence on resilience. Reconnecting or establishing social relationships within ones community is important for people living with mental illness. The link between resilience and relatedness ought to be considered in treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of mental health care has recently focused on the concept of recovery-oriented care. Clinical placements are important for imparting recovery-oriented knowledge and skills to students. However, it has been determined that not all clinical placements are beneficial for future nursing professionals. The aim of this study was to examine what elements of professional learning were facilitated by engagement in a recovery- and recreation-based clinical placement for pre-registration nursing students calledRecovery Camp. Qualitative data were collected through individual interviews and reflective journals of pre-registration nurses. Findings from this study indicate thatRecovery Campenhanced students' understanding of stigma, developed their professional knowledge and applied skills, and helped them gain insight into the role a consumer plays in his/her own recovery journey. Placements that allow pre-registration nurses the opportunity to authentically engage with people with a lived experience of mental illness may assist in the effective development of future professionals in meeting their diverse needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living with mental illness (consumers) often experience difficulty in achieving life goals, particularly those important for their recovery. An innovative approach to address consumers' goals for recovery can be found in the form of therapeutic recreation (TR) initiatives.Recovery Campis a five-day TR program, bringing together people with a serious mental illness, undergraduate health students, and staff members. This article aims to examine the types of goals set by consumers in the context ofRecovery Camp, and to what extent the self-identified goals were attained. The consumers (n  =  27) were invited to set goals that they wished to achieve during the week. On the final day ofRecovery Camp, each participant rated the degree to which they felt that each of their goals was achieved or not. The goals were themed using content analysis, revealing four key themes: connectedness, developing healthy habits, challenging oneself, and recovery. All goals were, to some extent, attained. The results suggest people with a mental illness are able to both set and evaluate the self-identified goals in the context of a TR initiative. A collaborative recovery approach indicates that goal planning should be undertaken in direct consultation with the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is used increasingly in nursing education. The purpose of this article is to report on the qualitative evaluation of the first implementation of a medication administration OSCE within an Australian school of nursing. Method: A two-stage data gathering strategy was undertaken. The first stage was to survey participants' pre-OSCE and the second stage involved surveying the same participants' immediately post-OSCE. A constant comparison analysis method was used. Results: The first stage data analysis (pre-OSCE) were classified into three themes: (a) Student Anxiety, (b) Student Preparedness, and (c) The Effectiveness of This Style of Assessment. The three key themes from the second stage (post-OSCE) analysis were: (a) Feelings Toward the OSCE, (b) Assessor Interaction, and (c) The OSCE Environment. Conclusion: Although they found it stressful, the participants valued the OSCE experience. The OSCE gave the students confidence in their capabilities of medication management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engagement in clinical placements is mandatory for all preregistration nursing programs. Although clinical placements can be valuable, recent literature illustrates that placements within a mental health setting can vary in their educational development. The aim of the current study was to examine the potential learning benefit of 20 pre-registration nursing students in an innovative, university-accredited mental health clinical placement called Recovery Camp. Recovery Camp is a 5-day immersive clinical placement, grounded in therapeutic recreation, which involves all participants engaging in a variety of activities focused on enhancing personal recovery. Qualitative data were collected using individual interviews, reflective journals, and researcher field notes. Analysis of data was conducted using an inductive thematic approach. Analysis of data revealed five themes: (a) Initial Anxiety/Nervousness, (b) Diffusion of Power, (c) Student Perceptions of Consumers, (d) Interaction and Communication, and (e) Resource Shift as a Result of Camp. Developing the professional learning of pre-registration nurses through immersion in effective clinical placements is paramount. Findings demonstrate that pre-registration nurses may benefit from clinical placements that provide immersive and collaborative experiences that allow for the development of relationship-oriented skills that can facilitate person-centered care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposePeople who access health services often have a range of needs that require the involvement of members from a multidisciplinary team. Teaching future health professionals about the importance of a multidisciplinary approach can be challenging. The aim of this paper is to describe a project called Recovery Camp that enhanced multidisciplinary health education through experiential and immersive engagement with people experiencing mental illness.MethodFuture health professionals and people with a lived experience of mental illness took part in Recovery Camp — an innovative five-day therapeutic recreation initiative in the Australian bush. Results are presented in a case study format and provide the reflective quotes of participants. The quotes were analyzed using a content analysis to identify core concepts.ResultsAnalyses identified a common appreciation of multidisciplinary learning. The interactions among students and between students and consumers, promoted inter-professional practice and a holistic understanding of mental health care.ConclusionsAn immersive multidisciplinary approach, embedded within a recovery-based programme, enhances students’ understanding of the significance of multidisciplinary mental health care and treatment.Implications for RehabilitationPeople with a lived experience of mental illness have a range of complex needs that require involvement of members from a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.This study suggested a multidisciplinary, experiential, immersive health education experience — drawing on the principles of therapeutic recreation — can promote inter-professional rehabilitative practice and an appreciation for holistic mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) require the support of an informal carer, such as a family member or close friend, to assist with everyday living. The difficulties and altered life circumstances experienced by individuals with SMI result in carers taking on significant responsibilities. The current study aimed to address the benefits to carers of several days relief from their caring responsibilities. Carers (N = 9) of a cohort of individuals with SMI who attended a therapeutic recreation initiative, Recovery Camp, were surveyed in late May 2015. A custom-designed instrument using open and closed questions was administered. Data were analyzed using the constant-comparative method. Participants reported negative health effects that they directly associated with their caring responsibilities. The experience of having a break when their care recipient attended Recovery Camp was positive for all participants, highlighting the need for respite services. Further research is required to explore the specific respite needs of individuals who provide care to those with SMI to reduce the burden experienced by these vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women, alcohol, and alcohol use disorders are underresearched topics when compared with the plethora of literature exploring male alcohol consumption and its related harms. It is time to change the fact that women are underrepresented in research and programs targeting alcohol use disorders. Given the changing patterns of alcohol consumption by women, coupled with the fact that women experience a telescoping effect in alcohol-related harms, it is time that increasing attention be paid to the way gender influences the experience of alcohol-related harms, including the development of alcohol use disorders. Recovery-orientated systems are not possible without the voices of the consumers being heard. With this in mind, the purposes of this article are to explore factors that lead to alcohol-related harm in women and to highlight the gender-specific barriers to service engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people who live with a serious and enduring mental illness describe themselves as leading sedentary and highly routine existences as a result of the constant need to manage symptoms of their illness. Twenty-seven people with a lived experience of mental illness volunteered to participate in a pilot Therapeutic Recovery Camp project. The camp aimed to envelope consumers in an experience of therapeutic recovery via a strengths-based five-day outdoor camp held in the Australian bush. The opportunity to get out of their comfort zone by participating in physically and mentally challenging activities appealed to many camp participants due to inactivity and unchanging daily existences. Individual participant expectations were collected via a survey precamp and the degree to which these were met was measured postcamp using a Likert rating scale. Consumers rated the camp as a success. Participants took full advantage of the challenges while also embracing the stress caused by leaving their comfort zone. Overall, engagement in therapeutic recreation as experienced during the Recovery Camp facilitated a sense of purpose toward overcoming challenges brought about by living with a mental illness. This is an important component of a person’s recovery journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health consumers are often socially isolated and may lack the basic leisure competencies which serve as a critical building block for community ( re) integration. Therapeutic recreation ( TR), as a treatment modality for people with mental illness, is yet to be fully embraced in the Australian health-care setting, despite having a strong historical foundation in North America. A team of academics created a TR experience, termed Recovery Camp, which was designed to collectively engage consumers and future health professionals drawn from a range of discipline areas. The 2014 Recovery Camp was staged over a five day period and involved 28 adult consumers living with mental illness. Consumers undertook a diverse range of experiential recreation activities engineered to facilitate individual engagement and to encourage the development of positive therapeutic relationships and teamwork. The camp atmosphere was deliberately community-based and recovery-oriented, valuing the lived experience of mental illness. Using a 2 × 3 design involving a camp and comparison group, the study sought to examine the influence of a TR programme on the self-determination of individuals with a mental illness. Those who participated in the Recovery Camp reported an increase in awareness of self and perceived choice post-camp, relative to the comparison group. While this difference remained significant for awareness of self at three-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in perceived choice between the two groups at follow-up. Study findings serve to support the role of recreation within a recovery framework to positively change the health-related behaviour of mental health consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]