Conference poster
Knowledge and attitudes of MHNs working with people with BPD in crisis roles in Australia
Unpublished
ACMHN's 46th International Mental Health Nursing Conference, Mental Health Nursing in a Climate of Change (Gold Coast, Australia, 07/09/2022 - 09/09/2022)
07/09/2022
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Abstract
Many people diagnosed with or presenting with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) attend the emergency department (ED) when in crisis. There is limited understanding of how mental health nurses (MHNs) within EDs perceive the diagnosis of BPD or make sense of the constellation of behaviours and symptoms associated with BPD and how attitudes influence the conferral of a provisional diagnosis of BPD.
We aimed to identify the attitudes held by mental health nurses working in emergency and crisis settings towards people who present with symptoms characteristic of BPD. We also aimed to explore the defining symptoms and behaviours that indicate a diagnosis of BPD as perceived by MHNs working in emergency and crisis settings.
A descriptive survey tool composed of 23 questions was adapted from a previously used survey tool deployed on clinicians in a mental health service in Australia. Fifty-four nurses who identified as MHNs and were currently employed in EDs or crisis settings completed the survey online.
MHNs who work in emergency and crisis settings were found to hold positive attitudes towards people with BPD, including being optimistic about recovery and treatment and non-punitive or blaming in relation to presenting behaviour in emergency or crisis contexts.
The changing nature of presentations to the emergency department and the increase in education for nurses may have attributed to the positive change in attitudes. Further research using a validated tool with a larger sample size should be afforded to explore the attitudes, knowledge, and confidence of MHNs in the ED. Research might also explore how MHNs in these contexts facilitate an effective response, facilitates ongoing treatment goals, and recovery.
Details
- Title
- Knowledge and attitudes of MHNs working with people with BPD in crisis roles in Australia
- Creators
- Richard Lakeman - Southern Cross UniversityKatrina Campbell - Southern Cross UniversityDeb Massey - Southern Cross University
- Conference
- ACMHN's 46th International Mental Health Nursing Conference, Mental Health Nursing in a Climate of Change (Gold Coast, Australia, 07/09/2022 - 09/09/2022)
- Publisher
- Unpublished
- Identifiers
- 991013154286102368
- Academic Unit
- Nursing; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference poster