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This paper presents the findings of a doctoral research project that involved a state-wide investigation into mental health triage nursing in Victoria, Australia. Mental health triage is a specialized domain of nursing practice that has emerged within the context of wider mental health reform in the State. The overall aim of the study was to produce a comprehensive definition and description of psychiatric triage nursing in Victoria. Methodological triangulation was used in the design of the study to enable the use of both survey (n = 139) and semi-structured interview (n = 21) data collection methods. Mental health triage nursing was found to be a complex, stressful role that involves high levels of responsibility, clinical decision making, and multiple role functions, many of which overlap into areas of practice previously the exclusive domain of medicine, such as assessment, diagnosis, and referral. The paper raises discussion on contemporary professional issues of concern to mental health triage nursing, and concludes with recommendations for the future development of the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients regularly abscond from mental health units and at times the consequences for patients and for others can be serious. The police are involved with absconding events, but are rarely considered in the mental health literature. In most jurisdictions, the police can take missing person reports for involuntary patients whose whereabouts are unknown and there are genuine concerns for their safety or welfare. Those people remain active cases for the police until located. This paper presents extracts of 25 police officers' narratives from a qualitative research project. Officers viewed absconding as a regular event, and workload burden that was exacerbated when mental health staff rarely initiated any search for the absconded patient and abdicated responsibility too quickly to the police. The officers were concerned about communication with mental health services and reported that information about the absconded patient could be inadequate or not given to police, and police often were not informed when the patient was found or discharged. Improved liaison and cooperative working that promote effective communication could strengthen police and mental health nursing collaboration and ensure better outcomes for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the evaluation of the Transition Care Cognitive Assessment and Management Pilot (TC CAMP) at a residential care facility in Victoria, Australia. Transition care aims to provide a goal-oriented time-limited service to older people at the conclusion of an episode of hospital care. The TC CAMP was established to specifically meet the needs of people with cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the TC CAMP. The evaluation sought to explore the perceptions ofstaffandfamily carers, and outcomes for the person with dementia. Methods consisted of file audits, focus groups and individual interviews with nursing staff and carers. This evaluation found that it was possible to provide appropriate transition care to people with cognitive impair-ment who exhibited behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. The TC CAMP achieved length of stay and readmission rates that were comparable with transition care for cognitively intact people. The role of the Clinical Nurse Consultant was highly valued by staffand families involved in TC CAMP. The findings from TC CAMP suggest a suit-able environment, availability of trained and resourced nursing and clinical staff and clear roles and expectations for all stakeholders should be considered in implementation of this model of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]