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AbstractHealth research remains a vital activity of Indigenous health workforces. This paper reports on the main findings of yarning interviews with 14 Indigenous researchers, that was central to a project analysing the role of research training infrastructures in strengthening the Indigenous health research workforce in Australia. The findings highlighted Indigenous researcher peers as core sources of inspiration, moral support and sustenance in academia and in life. Peer generative power arising from peer groups provide a unique enriching to the educational and research experience. Indigenous researcher peers have a strong shared aspiration to champion change to health research and higher education as a key pathway to widespread positive impacting on health and well-being. We suggest the (revived) development at a collective level of a strategic and planned approach to capitalising on the positive outcomes of peer generated leadership and support.

Mental health nursing continues to struggle to be seen as a valuable and rewarding career choice. It's been described as the 'brussel sprouts' course; often unpalatable to students, despite its [...]

A greater emphasis of the importance of physical healthcare for mental health nursing practice is now generally understood and in some services, has led to the implementation of innovative strategies [...]

ABSTRACTOver the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the number of Indigenous graduate research students in Australia, yet research and pedagogy has not kept pace with changes underway in the sector. From an extensive search of literature published between 2000 and 2017, 15 papers (representing 10 research projects conducted by seven teams or authors) were identified that addressed Indigenous graduate research student experience. Overall, the literature tends to focus on identifying barriers to completion, noting in particular the impact of financial difficulties, social isolation and racism. A research degree is a key site for the assertion and legitimation of Indigenous knowledges, and it is here that Indigenous students are navigating tensions between legitimated disciplinary practices of the centre and the peripheral status of Indigenous knowledges. We, therefore, adopt Herbert's ‘centre–periphery’ model to interpret the research, arguing that this framework explains the focus on barriers, the neglect of pedagogy centred on academic excellence and student strengths, and research relationships between students and Indigenous communities. Our review identifies the need for a systematic research agenda specifically focused on Indigenous student success at the graduate research level, and looking internationally in order to assess the performance and strategies of Australian higher education providers in comparison to international institutions meeting the aims of First Nations research communities. This approach, we suggest, should move beyond an analysis of the nature of enablers and barriers to focus on Indigenous Higher Degree by Research success.

Recovery-focused mental health services has certainly become the language of the day. Most mental health services acknowledge there is some way to go before this becomes a reality. Achieving recovery-focused [...]

Central obesity is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, but taking waist circumference measurements can be uncomfortable for psychiatric inpatient clinicians and consumers, and if often avoided. The objective of this study was to assess whether metabolic syndrome in people with mental illness can be diagnosed without using waist circumference measurements. This study involved a retrospective file audit of metabolic monitoring forms stored in consumers’ electronic health records of community-based and inpatient mental health consumers at a mental health service located in regional Queensland, Australia. Of the 721 consumer files audited, 261 included a metabolic monitoring form. Of these 261 forms, 74 contained data on all five criteria for metabolic syndrome and the population-specific criteria for waist circumference was met in 54 (73%) of cases. Metabolic syndrome was detected in 39 consumers and waist circumference was necessary for this diagnosis in 12 (31%) cases. Measurement of waist circumference is, therefore, necessary for the detection of metabolic syndrome for a substantial proportion of consumers. The common practice of avoiding waist circumference measurements clearly needs to change if the physical health needs of consumers are to be adequately addressed.

People diagnosed with a serious mental illness are likely to die 20-25 years earlier than the general population as a result of treatable physical health conditions. In what other area [...]

The active involvement of consumers in the education of nurses and other health professionals has been acknowledged as essential if Australian mental health policy goals to enhance consumer participation in all aspects of mental health services are to be realised. However, consumer participation has not become embedded in nurse education. A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken to gain perspectives from mental health nurse academics and consumer educators and academics. Telephone interviews were conducted with 34 nurse academics and 12 consumer academics or educators. Data were analysed thematically. Two important themes to emerge from this work were: vision for the future; and building capacity. Most participants highly valued the contribution consumers made to the education process and had a desire to see this strengthen. A stronger vision was evident from consumer participants who sought expansion into all health professions and a more defined process for communication and collegiality between consumer academics and educators. Closely tied to vision, was the issue of capacity building, and the need to provide supports to consumers as these are currently not readily available. Closer collaboration between nurses and consumers is necessary to ensure consumer participation is genuine and effective and promotes the development and articulation of their expertise and contribution to education.

Physical activity is important to the physical and mental health of people with serious mental illness (SMI). This study investigated views of public mental health nurses on physical activity promotion for consumers with SMI, through a national electronic survey in Australia. Consumers with SMI were viewed to be less physically active than the general community. Two-thirds of nurses wanted training on exercise support of consumers. Motivation of consumers was indicated to be a major barrier. There was great variability in discussion frequency between nurses and exercise physiologists. An analysis of open comments revealed two themes: (1) access – opportunities for health education, participation in physical activity programmes and nurses' connections to exercise physiologists; and (2) commitment – nurses promoting physical activity and building competencies. Findings indicate that initiatives to increase physical activity promotion for people with SMI are likely to be supported by nurses in the mental health sector of Australia.

The article focuses on a study that explored the sexual health service provision of nurses in mental health services for consumers of their services, using a survey that was made available to nurses in Australia via the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. Topics discussed include risk issues that were avoided by nurses and the goal to improve nurses' awareness of the sexual health needs of consumers and to explore strategies to improve the response by nurses to these health needs.

The article discusses the use of lived experience perspectives from mental health patients to improve attitudes on mental illness and boost interest in mental health nursing. It states that sharing of mental illness recovery and service use showed positive improvements in nursing students' attitudes and knowledge on mental illness. Also noted is the importance of viewing lived experience as autonomous and distinctive from academic knowledge.