Wisdom and mental health nursing

Wisdom is a complex quality. For example, one person’s inconsequential recognition or perception may be experienced as extraordinary or incredibly insightful to another (Randall & Kenyon, 2004). Broadly, wisdom is considered to be a higher personal attribute that embodies a special combination of intelligence and insight gained via life experience. Wisdom is considered to be comparatively rare, although reflective and morally inclined people may actively seek wisdom and those who pursue such a path hold that it is a valuable and desirable human quality or virtue

The role of conscience in nursing practice

Professional and ethical codes and standards mandate nursing care that is safe and effective while being responsive to individual and community needs and cultural beliefs and practices (International Council of Nurses, 2012). Care is also guided by nurses’ own individual characteristics, including their critical thinking skills, values, and worldviews. Within this mix of influences, conscience may be a particularly important factor, although we may not always be cognizant of this. This column explores the role of conscience in nursing practice, highlighting its importance and some of the challenges involved in ensuring it positively influences stakeholder experiences and outcomes

Kindness and its relevance to everyday life: Some considerations for mental health nurses

Qualities such as kindness, geniality, and graciousness are not obviously well-practiced in contemporary daily interpersonal encounters; and when they are—because of their often quiet nature—they are not lauded and praised like apparent bravery or heroism. Similarly, kindness is rarely listed in the index of mental health texts let alone discussed as a seminal quality that can make a valuable contribution to nursing. On the other hand, we are sure that patients, visitors, students, junior nurses, and new staff members appreciate most small kindnesses shown them, especially when they feel unsure in a setting is that is unknown and scary at times. Is this simply because kindness is unfashionable and squeezed out of social awareness and discussion, or is it because it has such a low profile, or is enacted in fleeting ways as often by people with low professional status as those who are deemed experts or important leaders

Physical touch in a changing world: Guidance for the mental health nurse

Physical contact with other people is an essential health activity (Johansson et al., 2020). For example, caring for one another is expressed through physical touch, whether it be soothing a small child who is crying, embracing a lover, or physically supporting a frail, older person (Strozier et al., 2003). Likewise, physical contact is used to connect people socially through, for example, greeting one with a handshake or, in some cultures, kissing cheeks or touching noses (Prisco, 2014). Physical touch can also be used inappropriately, as evidenced by ongoing reports of child and elder abuse or exploitation through unequal or gendered power roles (Davin et al., 2019

Integrating evidence-based practice in the nursing curriculum

Higher education is an important component of society’s sociopolitical and economic development and culture (Collins & Hewer, 2014). Higher education worldwide is changing and so too is nursing education, in particular, at tertiary level. Integrating contemporary research findings that inform practice within nursing curricula is fundamental to ensuring students graduate with up-to-date knowledge and skills essential for providing safe, quality care. The Institute of Medicine (2013) defined quality health care as “the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge” (Institute of Medicine, 2013)

Academic integrity and plagiarism

Writing is central to knowledge development and synthesis and therefore involves students at all levels and academics with varying experience. Whether writing an undergraduate or postgraduate essay, or writing for publication, specific conventions need to be followed. These are articulated in essay criteria and student policy as well as journal guidelines for publication. Integrity is a fundamental principle of academic writing. Be it an essay or a paper for publication, writing with integrity requires us to be honest about the origins of the ideas, information and knowledge we present in our work (Hayes & Introna, 2005). Writers who disregard this convention are at risk of plagiarism—the focus of this piece

Leadership during times of crisis: Towards recovery

During times of crisis—whether an individual, organisational, community, or national crisis—people will look to leaders for answers. Feelings of uncertainty and insecurity can give rise to the need for respected leaders to give credible information, ethical guidance, and authentic reassurance

Retiring baby boomers: Enabling and valuing continuing engagement in nursing

The very nature of our lifecycle means that irrespective of their profession people will retire at some point in their lives. In nursing, much has been written in recent years of the impending retirement of nurses from the baby boomer generation (Twenge, Campbell, & Freeman, 2012) and the subsequent depletion of the nursing workforce when this occurs (McDonald, Mohan, Jackson, Vickers, & Wilkes, 2010). Although the recent global economic downturn has delayed retirement for some, these nurses will nonetheless retire in the foreseeable future (Wray, 2013)

Addiction and mental health across the lifespan: An overview of some contemporary issues

Throughout history, humans have discovered paths to pleasure, euphoria, and alternate realities through substances. Psychoactive substances that were ingested, chewed, inhaled, or smoked have played an important part in cultural rituals across the millennia. Early humans also discovered that substances derived from plants (e.g., opium from the poppy plant) can relieve the agonizing pain of acute and chronic medical conditions. All of these substances that benefited humanity also can be abused, either intentionally or inadvertently. New to the modern world are technological tools that can be misused and abused, such as the Internet. As Grossman noted, “The Internet, conceived as a research and productivity tool, has become a weapon of mass distraction” (Grossman, 2008, p. 52)

From ‘refrigerator mothers’ to empowered advocates: The evolution of the autism parent

A historical perspective offers a chance to reflect on unfolding narratives. The emergence of the diagnosis of autism attracted some positions of blame for “refrigerator mothers”. With ensuing neuroscience and developmental research and more nuanced biopsychosocial models, this gave way to notions of strong neurological contributions to the disorder and the positive role of parents supporting the regulation of their child. The notion of co-regulation then emerges with collective agency by parents to offer advocacy and support for those with ASD and their parents and an important role in educating society around the needs and value of those with ASD