Mental health knowledge in residential aged care: A descriptive review of the literature
Mei Chi Hsu
Research Centre for Clinical Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Nathan QLD
Lorraine Venturato
Research Centre for Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Nathan QLD
Wendy Moyle
Research Centre for Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast QLD
Debra K Creedy
Research Centre for Clinical Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport QLD
PP: 231 - 239
Abstract
Health care staff knowledge of mental health is vital in the provision of quality care for older people in residential aged care settings. This paper aims to describe mental health knowledge competence of health care staff in residential aged care through a review of existing literature and to explore the link between knowledge, attitudes and education about older people and mental health. A literature review was conducted using electronic databases and library catalogues to identify articles published in English during the period 1982-2002.
There is insufficient evidence within the literature to draw conclusions about staff knowledge levels in relation to mental health, however, the literature identified a link between continuing education, knowledge levels and staff attitudes to older people with mental health disorders.
Future studies are needed to investigate existing levels of mental health knowledge among health care staff in residential aged care and to identify and evaluate strategies to enhance their ability to provide care for this population.
Keywords
knowledge; dementia; aged care; mental health; continuing education
References
Abramson T & Halpain M (2002): Providers of mental health services: Now and in the future. Generation 26(1): 107-110.
American Psychological Association (1993): Vitality for life: Psychological research for productive aging. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Armstrong-Esther CA, Sandilands ML & Miller D (1989): Attitudes and behaviors of nurses towards the elderly in an acute care setting. Journal of Advanced Nursing 14: 34-41.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW] (2002): Older Australian at a glance 2002 (3rd ed.).AIHW Cat. No.AGE25.AIHW & DDHA, Canberra.
Australian Nursing Council Incorporated [ANCI] (1993): Code of Ethics for nurses in Australia. ANCI, Canberra.
Australian Nursing Council Incorporated [ANCI] (1995): Code of professional conduct for nurses in Australia. ANCI, Canberra.
Bellaver C, Daly JM & Buckwalter KC (1999): Information resources and knowledge needs of rural nurses regarding Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing 30(3): 114-120.
Bevan C & Jeewody B (1998): Successful ageing. Perspectives on health and social construction, pp. 39-86. Mosby Publication, Sydney.
Bruser S & Whittaker S (1998): Quality watch. Diluting nurses' scope of practice. American Journal of Nursing 98(10): 59-60.
Burdekin B (1993): Human rights and mental illness: Report of the national inquiry into the human rights of people with mental illness (Volume 1, 2). Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Coffey CE & Cummings JL (1996): Textbook of geriatric neuropsychiatry. American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC.
Conn DK (2001): Mental health issues in long-term care facilities. In Conn DK, Herrmann N, Kaye A, Rewilak D & Schogt B (eds.) Practical psychiatry in the long-term care facility: A handbook for staff (2nd ed.), pp. 1-15. Hogrefe and Huber Publishers, Seattle.
Carr KK & Kazanowski MK (1994): Factors affecting job satisfaction of nurses who work in long-term care. Journal of Advanced Nursing 19: 878-883.
Dieckmann L, Zarit SH, Zarit JM & Gatz M (1988): The Alzheimer's disease knowledge test. The Gerontologist 28(3): 402-407.
Douglas E (1994): Care of people with dementia. In Davis JA (ed.) Older Australians, pp. 93-117. W. B. Saunders, Sydney.
Doyle C & Ward S (1998): Education and training in residential dementia care in Australia: Needs, provision and directions. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 22(5): 589-597.
Duerson MC, Thomas JW, Chang J & Stevens CB (1992): Medical students' knowledge and misconceptions about aging: Responses to Palmore's Facts on Aging Quizzes. The Gererontologist 32(2): 171-174.
Edwards RM, Plant MA, Novak DS, Beall C & Baumhover LA (1992): Knowledge about aging and Alzheimer's disease among baccalaureate nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education 31(3): 127-135.
Gatz M, & Finkel S (1995): Education and training of mental health service providers. In M. Gatz (Ed.), Emerging issues in mental health and aging, pp. 282-300.American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Glasspoole LA & Aman MG. (1990): Knowledge, attitudes, and happiness of nurses working with gerontological patients. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 16(2): 11-14.
Haight BK, Christ MA & Dias JK (1994): Does nursing education promote ageism? Journal of Advanced Nursing 20: 382-390.
Happell B (2000): Can education make a difference to undergraduate nursing students' attitudes to psychiatric nursing? Contemporary Nurse 9(1): 40-50.
Happell B & Brooker J (2001): Who will look after my grandmother? Attitudes of student nurses toward the care of older adults. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 27(12): 7-11.
Happell B & Rushworth L (2000): Can educational methods influence the popularity of psychiatric nursing? Nurse Education Today 20(4): 318-326.
Harper MS (1995): An overview of mental health and older adults. In Hogstel MO (ed.) Geropsychiatric Nursing (2nd ed.), pp. 1-16. Mosby, St. Louis.
Huber M, Reno B & McKenney J (1992): Long-term care personnel assess their attitudes and knowledge of the older adult. Journal of Advanced Nursing 17, 1114-1121.
Kaasalainen S (2002): Staff development and long-term care of patients with dementia. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 28(7): 39-46.
Klein J (2002): Will students be prepared? Current status of gerontological content in entry-level occupational therapy programs in Canada. Canada Journal of Occupational Therapy 69(3): 168-75.
Knight BG, Santos J, Teri L & Lawton MP (1995): Introduction: The development of training in clinical geropsychology. In Knight BG, Teri L, Wohlford P & Santos J (eds.) Mental health services for older adults: Implications for training and practice in geropsychology, pp. 1-9.American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Lawler J (1991): Behind the screens. Churchill Livingstone, Melbourne.
Lookinland S & Anson K (1995): Perpetuation of ageist attitudes among present and future health care personnel: implications for elder care. Journal of Advanced Nursing 21: 47-56.
Lusk C (1999): Geriatric mental health education in Canada SKIPs into the 21st. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 25(5): 37-48.
Ministerial Implementation Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disability (1988): Report to the Minister of Health. Department of Health, Sydney.
Mobily PR, Mass M, Buckwalter KC & Kelley LS (1992): Geriatric mental health: Staff stress on an Alzheimer's unit. Journal of Psychological Nursing 30(9): 25-31.
Mohler MM (2001): Big public policy issues face gerontological nursing. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 27(12): 7-11.
Moyle W, Skinner J, Rowe G & Gork C (2003): Views of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction in Australian long-term care. Journal of Clinical Nursing 12: 168-176.
Nay R & Closs B (1999): Staffing and quality in non-acute facilities. In Nay R & Garratt S (eds.) Nursing older people: Issues and innovations, pp. 172-187. MacLennan & Petty, Sydney.
Peplau H (1989): Future directions in psychiatric nursing from the perspective of history. Journal of psychosocial Nursing 27: 18-28.
Percival E (1999): Quality care and continuing education. In Nay R & Garratt S (eds.) Nursing older people: Issues and innovations, pp. 319-336. MacLennan & Petty, Sydney.
Queensland Health (1996): 10 year mental health strategy for Queensland. Queensland Government, Queensland Health, Brisbane.
Queensland Health (2002): The aged care strategy 2002-2007. Mental health care for older people. Queensland Government, Queensland Health, Brisbane.
Royal College of Nursing Australia [RCNA] (1996a): Continuing professional development position statement. RCNA, Canberra.
Royal College of Nursing Australia [RCNA] (1996b): Mandatory continuing education for nurses, discussion paper No.1, prepared by Hamiton H. RCNA, Canberra.
Royal College of Nursing Australia [RCNA] (1997): Ageism and nursing practice in Australia, discussion paper No.3, prepared by Stevens J & Herbert J. RCNA, Canberra.
Salmond SW (1995a): Models of care using unlicensed assistive personnel. Part II: perceived effectiveness. Orthopaedic Nursing 14(6): 47-58.
Salmond SW (1995b): Models of care using unlicensed assistive personnel. Part 1: job scope, preparation and utilization patterns. Orthopaedic Nursing 14(5): 20-30.
Santo-Novak DA, Duncan JW, Grissom KR & Powers RE (2001): MSHAKE:A tool for measuring staff knowledge related to geriatric mental health. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 27(2): 29-35.
Sherrell KE (2001): A memo to geropsychiatric nurses: Let's act out. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 27(12): 5-6.
Slevin Oliver D'A (1991). Ageist attitudes among young adults: implications for a caring profession. Journal of Advanced Nursing 16: 1197-1205.
Smith M, Buckwalter KC, Garand L, Mitchell S, Albanese M & Kreiter C (1994): Evaluation of a geriatric mental health training program for nursing personnel in rural long-term care facilities. Issues in Mental health Nursing 15: 149-168.
Sorrentino EA (1992): Hospice care: A unique clinical experience for MSN students. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care 9(1): 29-33.
Spore DL, Smyer MA & Cohn MD (1991): Assessing nursing assistants' knowledge of behavioural approaches to mental health problems. The Gerontologist 31(3): 309-317.
Stevens JA & Dulhunty GM (1992): New South Wales nursing students towards a career in mental health. Australian Journal of Mental Health Nursing 2: 59-64.
Stevens JA & Dulhunty G.M (1994): Nurse education does not produce mental health nurses: Curricula in need of new direction. Proccedings, Australian and New Zealand College of Mental Health Nursing, 20th Annual Convention. Brisbane, Queensland.
Stevens J & Crouch M (1995): Who cares about care in nursing education. International Journal of Nursing Studies 32(3): 233-242.
Wagnild G (1988): A descriptive study of nurse's aides turnover in long-term care facilities. Journal of Long-Term care Administration 16(1): 19-23.
Whitehouse R, Chamberlain P & Tunna K (2000): Dementia in people with learning disability: a preliminary study into care staff knowledge and attributions. British Journal of Learning Disabilities 28: 148-153.
Wilkes L & LeMiere J (2001): Caring for residents: The effects of education on staff attitude and knowledge in an aged care facility. Geriaction 19(3): 15-21.
Wilkes L, LeMiere J & Walker E (1998): Nurses in an acute care setting: Attitudes to and knowledge of older people. Geriaction 16(1): 9-16.
eContent Home
