The perceived psychological stressors and coping behaviours in university students, on a pre-registration programme.

The purpose was to investigate perceived stressors and coping behaviours in student nurses on a pre-registration programme of study. Stress in student nurses has been identified with decreased emotional well-being and poor academic achievement. The significance of stress and coping behaviours in students during training has implications for education and practice. The present study recruited eighty seven pre-registration student nurses in a cross sectional design. Bivariate and multivariate analyses assessed the differences in field and year of study and the students’ perceived stress and coping behaviours. The findings showed that stress is a significant issue in nurse training. Fifty-three percent of the participants had levels higher than the mean. Interestingly, the present study found that high perceived stress was associated with avoidance behaviours. The most common type of perceived stress and ranked by highest factor were from written assignments and a lack of professional skills and knowledge. Their peer group and everyday life activities were shown as potential ways of coping with stressors. Thus, it seems reasonable to focus support on decreasing avoidant and enhancing stress-reducing behaviours. Psychological stress and coping behaviours must be considered together as perceived stress is bound by the ability to ameliorate stress by managing helpful and unhelpful behaviours. The findings may suggest that a potential benefit could come from the provision of helpful strategies such as peer group support and reduction of avoidant behaviours. Also, there seems to be a need for greater mental health literacy in dealing with stress during training

Perinatal mental health : preparing the future nursing workforce

Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems occur during pregnancy and up to a year after giving birth. They can have a significant effect on the mother and family, and can affect the social, emotional and cognitive development of the child. PMH nursing is gaining increasing recognition in national policy; additional funding has been announced to align national perinatal services with agreed standards and the perinatal workforce has been identified as an area of growth. The PMH competency framework published by Health Education England and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, is aimed at training staff to deliver high-quality care to women who experience mental health problems during the perinatal period. However, the framework does not address the competencies required from the emerging workforce: nursing students. The pre-registration nursing curriculum must align with PMH competencies to ensure that nursing students become competent practitioners who are adequately prepared to care for the PMH needs of the mother and family

Implementing an Integrated Acute Response Service: Professional Perceptions of Intermediate Care

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation, care processes and sustainability of an integrated, intermediate Acute Response Team (ART) service. The primary aims of the service are to enhance the level of health and social care integration across a range of organisations, to ensure a timelier and appropriate service for people in the community at risk of admission to hospital. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative methodology was employed in order to gain a deep understanding of the experiences of staff members within the ART service and external stakeholders. Twenty-one professionals took part in a focus group or one-to-one interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: The key to successful implementation was that the service was co-created from the “ground-up” with support from local provider organisations. The inclusion of general practitioners (GPs) as part of the team was instrumental in setting up and maintaining the service and seems to be unique in intermediate care settings. Referrals into the ART service were dependent on awareness of the service at the interface with mainstream services. Transitions out were sometimes delayed due lack of availability of social care packages. To ensure sustainability of the ART and other integrated intermediate care services, continued resources, especially skilled staff members, are necessary. Originality/value: This study adds to the intermediate care and acute response service literature by offering insights into “what works” from a professional perspective in terms of service implementation, care processes and sustainability, in an integrated care system

University vaccine campaign increases meningococcal ACWY vaccine coverage

In this study, we report MenACWY vaccine coverage in first year students arriving at the University of Nottingham (UoN) in September 2015. We also report the uptake of MenACWY vaccine offered to unvaccinated students via a campus-based mass vaccination campaign as part of a local initiative by the University of Nottingham Health Service (UNHS), in liaison with UoN, during the registration period. [Taken from introduction

Urgent care centre redirection: evaluation of a nurse led intervention

Aim: Patient redirection can help reduce service demand by providing information about more appropriate services. There is, however, no evidence about the effect of nurse-led patient redirection in urgent care centre settings. The aim of this project was to develop and evaluate a nurse-led patient ‘self-care and redirection first’ intervention in an urgent care centre (UCC). Method: Adopting a prospective observational design, the intervention was delivered to an opportunity sample of patients who attended a south London hospital UCC, between June and July 2014, and evaluated through patient interviews five to ten days after initial attendance. Findings: 118 of the 1,710 people who attended the UCC participated in the intervention, of whom 81 (69%) were redirected to other services or home to self-care, and 37 were transferred to an emergency department. Of the 110 (93.2%) participants who completed the questionnaire, 97.2% were satisfied with the service. Only two accessed different services to those recommended, 72.2% (n=85) said they would not reattend a UCC for a similar condition. Conclusion: Treating minor ailments in a UCC is an inefficient use of resources. A nurse-led self-care and redirection intervention can help divert patients with minor ailments to more appropriate services. Further evaluation of the effect of the intervention on service demand and costs is required

The influence of therapeutic horticulture on social integration

Study Purpose: The purpose of the pilot study was to qualitatively evaluate the impact of therapeutic horticulture on social integration for people who have mental health problems. Method: A qualitative grounded theory approach captured the perceptions about therapeutic horticulture from people with mental health problems. Data were collected using semi-structured focus group and interviews from a purposive sample (n= 7) and were analysed using a constant comparative approach. Findings: Four key themes emerged from the analysis: ‘A Space to Grow’, ‘Seeing the Person’, ‘Learning about Each Other through Nature’ and ‘Connecting to Nature and Others’. The findings suggest that therapeutic horticulture enabled participants to integrate socially, engage with nature and develop confidence. Social Implications: Therapeutic horticulture embodies the principles of empowerment, person centeredness and can support people with mental health problems to integrate socially. Originality: There is limited evidence about the influence that therapeutic horticulture have on mental health and social integration. The use of therapeutic horticulture is an area that is gathering evidence and this small study highlights the perceived potential benefits of this approach

Improving the psychological evaluation of exercise referral: psychometric properties of the Exercise Referral Quality of Life Scale

There is a growing need to assess the psychological outcomes of exercise referral and the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence has called for the routine assessment of life-quality. However, a quality of life scale specific to the requirements of exercise referral is currently unavailable. Therefore, the aim of this study was to produce a quality of life measure for this purpose. The Exercise Referral Quality of Life Scale is a 22-item measure comprising three domains: mental and physical health, injury pain and illness and physical activity facilitators. Exploratory factor analysis determined the initial factor structure and was subsequently confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Additional scale properties were also assessed. The scale contributes to the global need for improved consistent psychological outcome assessment of exercise referral

The nature and extent of healthy architecture: the current state of progress

© 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The design of the built environment is a determinant of health. Accordingly, there is an increasing need for greater harmonization of the architectural profession and public health. However, there is a lack of knowledge on whether designers of the built environment are changing their practices to deliver healthier urban habitats. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: The research uses a multi-method approach to data analysis, including: systematic mapping study, structured review and thematic analysis. Findings: The research finds that there are almost no requirements for the compulsory inclusion of health across institutions and agencies that have the power to execute and mandate the scope of architectural profession, training, education, practice or knowledge. Despite the urgent need for action and the myriad entreatments for greater integration between architecture and health, there is very little evidence progress. Practical implications: The research has implications for the architectural profession and architectural education. Health and well-being is not currently an integral part of the educational or professional training requirements for architects. University educational curriculum and Continuing Professional Development criteria need to better integrate health and well-being into their knowledge-base. Social implications: The design of the built environment is currently undertaken by an architectural profession that lacks specialized knowledge of health and well-being. There is a risk to society of environments that fail to adequately protect and promote the health and well-being of its inhabitants. Originality/value: The research evidences, for the first time, the lack of integration of “health and wellbeing” within the architecture profession training or education systems