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Accessible Summary: In the past 30 years, many people with (intellectual) learning disabilities have been moved out of large "institutions" and into their own home in their local communityThese people are now often between 30 and 50 years oldWe asked people with learning disabilities aged between 30 and 50 and who are living in their local community what things, including work, that they enjoyed doingWe asked people with learning disabilities aged between 30 and 50 and who are living in their local community whether they felt that they could make decisions about their lifeWe found out the things that make their life good, and also what might stop people enjoying their lifeWe learnt that people with learning disabilities should receive more support to assist them before they retireWe learnt that people with learning disabilities still need more support and choice around who they live with Background: This study investigated perceived quality of life (QoL) of community‐dwelling middle‐aged adults (30–50 years) with an intellectual disability and/or developmental disability living in rural or urban areas in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The specific aim of the current paper was to provide a descriptive evidence base of QoL and its specific domains by various key demographic characteristics of middle‐aged individuals. This cohort is likely to have either experienced or reached adulthood during and after large‐scale deinstitutionalisation in Australia. Methods and procedures: A cross‐sectional design was utilised, based on the QoL‐Q survey, testing domains of satisfaction; Competence/Productivity; Empowerment/Independence; and social belonging/community integration. The survey included demographic questions and was distributed to participants through disability support agencies across two states. The final sample included 291 respondents. Results: The overall QoL‐Q scores ranged from 3.0 to 29.5 (Mean = 20.4, SD, 4.1), with considerable variation in mean scores both across and within domains. The two demographic areas that showed greatest predictive value for QoL were work status and accommodation issues. The loss of agency and control in choice of co‐residents influenced perceived QoL for empowerment and independence domain of QoL‐Q. Conclusions: The findings highlight QoL issues associated with policy decisions and support programmes for middle‐aged adults. The two key recommendations arising from the project are that future planning for post‐retirement or reduced working hours needs to commence at a much younger age than currently expected, and more attention needs to focus on facilitating individual decision‐making and choice within shared accommodation options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health is a major concern in Indigenous communities, as Indigenous people experience poorer health outcomes generally, and poorer social and emotional well-being throughout their lives, compared to non-Indigenous populations. Interviews were conducted with 20 mental health workers from a housing assistance programme for Indigenous clients with mental illness. Service and infrastructure needs identified to support clients were classified under the following overarching theme 'supports along the road to recovery'. Subthemes were: (i) It is OK to seek help; (ii) linking in to the local community; (iii) trusting the workers; and (iv) help with goal setting and having activities that support their achievement. This paper highlights the importance of targeted housing and accommodation support programmes for Indigenous people to prevent homelessness, and the essential services and infrastructure required to support Indigenous clients' mental health needs. These insights may inform service review, workforce development, and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With continued growth in the demand for nursing care, many organizations have incorporated nursing assistants into the acute care workforce. However, role descriptions are often generic and do not provide clarity in specialist areas such as mental health inpatient settings. Issues have been noted regarding the role of assistants, delegation, and their integration with the nursing team. This study extended an existing set of care activities and explored the perceptions of nursing assistants and registered nurses regarding these activities. A modified Delphi approach added 14 new care activities for nursing assistants. A follow‐up survey found significant differences between nursing assistants and registered nurses regarding utilization of the activities, delegation, teamwork, and role clarity. Future research must incorporate the perspectives of those with lived experience of mental health issues, and develop an understanding of the interactions between nursing assistant care activities and other factors such as local supports, skillmix, and the practice environment, as these may impact how an organization can introduce nursing assistants to specialty areas while maintaining consumer and staff safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrants from areas affected by war, especially refugee migrants, are susceptible to mental health issues. In addition to recognising trauma, health professionals, such as mental health nurses, need to be aware of the strength and resilience of refugees and migrants. The capacity to provide trauma‐informed care that is shaped by the recognition of clients' strength and resilience is required/paramount to meet the current demand of multiculturalism emanating from an increased global migration. To facilitate increased awareness about West African women's resilience prior to migration and support trauma‐informed care, we used a qualitative strength‐based storytelling approach with 22 West African women residing in Sydney, Australia. Thematic analysis of the women's stories identified two major themes: When the World Falls Apart and Battered but Strong. Findings revealed that past personal experiences significantly influenced participants' strength and resilience and contributed to their mental health. Mental health professionals such as nurses can play an important role by incorporating knowledge about the resilience of migrants and refugees into providing appropriate trauma‐informed care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health nurses have traditionally lagged in terms of physical healthcare skills and have been found to have poorer cultural safety‐related attitudes relative to other nurses. Organizational culture, including safety‐related culture, is associated with important aspects of care quality. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationships between safety‐related attitudes, physical healthcare‐related knowledge and organizational culture among mental health nurses. By doing so, the intention was to inform decisions about interventions to improve attitudes and care related to severe physiological deterioration among mental health nurses. The study design was cross‐sectional and correlational. The safety‐related attitudes of N = 133 nurses from the inpatient mental health services of one Local Health District in New South Wales, Australia, were examined in terms of a range of potential predictor variables of safety attitudes (Safety Attitudes Questionnaire) including individual organizational‐perceiver type (Organisational Climate Assessment Inventory), knowledge of emergency medical healthcare (Lambeth In situ Training Questionnaire), use and perception of medical emergency teams (purpose‐designed questionnaire) and a range of demographic variables. Regression analyses revealed that those who perceived the organization to have a primarily market‐oriented culture had poorer safety‐related attitudes than those who perceived a more clan‐type culture. Number of years qualified was negatively associated with safety attitudes. To our knowledge, this is the first study in mental health which demonstrates a link between organizational culture‐perception and safety attitudes related to physical healthcare. Results suggest that, among nurses, individuals have quite different perceptions of the organizational culture. In turn, this suggests that the 'one‐size fits all' approach to changing organizational culture may be inappropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The process of handover has received recent attention within Australian health care, as evidence linking patient safety with the quality of handover emerges. Such links between clinical handover and patient safety have been reported elsewhere in the literature, where it is posited that the safe care of patients relies not only on the expertise and judgment of individual clinicians, teamwork, and effective management, but hinges to a large extent on the quality of information transferred from team to team. The present qualitative, descriptive study used participant observations, focus groups, and interviews to investigate the nursing handover in two acute mental health inpatient units in New South Wales, Australia. Data collected as part of that investigation contributed to the development of a handover guideline that incorporates the key components of structure, content, and leadership. The research indicated a link between these components, and further revealed the necessity to have other forums, such as supervision and clinical review, to ensure that handover serves its intended purpose in an efficient manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The Rock and Water Program ( RWP) has been implemented in some Australian schools as a means of addressing school disengagement, anger and aggression, which are significant determinants of mental illness. However, much of the evidence supporting the RWP is anecdotal. This project explored rural adolescent males' perceptions of the RWP. Design Questionnaires were used to gather data about the students prior to their commencement in the RWP. Focus group interviews were conducted with students at weeks 5 and 9 of the 9-week program. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting and Participants The RWP was facilitated in four schools in rural NSW over three terms for a total of 12 program deliveries. One hundred and eighty-seven rural adolescent males participated in the focus groups. The participants were identified by their school as disengaged in schoolwork and either perpetrators and/or victims of anger and aggression. Main Outcome Participants liked the 'learning by doing' action-oriented approach, and reported learning strategies that could reduce aggression in the school and wider community. Results The focus groups provided insight into why these adolescent boys engaged with this program when generally engagement in school, overall, was reported as poor. Suggestions for program improvement included more or longer sessions, and the inclusion of girls. Conclusion This study found that the RWP engaged rurally based boys, who spoke positively about the action-oriented program. Future research could examine if this translates into reduced incidents of anger and violence at school and improved school engagement and overall physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]