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This integrative review explored nursing assessment of youth who self-harm. Eleven papers published between 2000 to 2020 met inclusion criteria. Three themes emerged: "Doctors and nurses' perceptions of assessment of self-harm", "Attitudes and experiences of assessment of self-harm" and "Assessments and outcomes". The ways youth communicate is an important consideration when assessing and planning for care. The metaphor of Narcissus is used to understand youth beliefs, self-image and how they communicate these thoughts. This paper suggests an alternative reading of what young people, who presents with self-harm, are trying to communicate to others and how this is integrated into assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides context to the establishment of advance statements within the Australian mental health setting, in the state of Victoria. A movement to legislate for a more humane and liberal approach to mental health consumer care resulted in changes to the Victorian Mental Health Act (2014a). This Act mirrored legislative changes across the western world and resulted in a socially progressive movement embracing recovery focussed care and consumer clinician partnerships. Thus, we purport that an identified need for a more liberal way to work with individuals who have a diagnosis of mental ill health was a major aim of this law reform. The advance statement model is seen as a tool in addressing a growing recognition of how mental health providers engage consumers of mental health services, and value their preferences to care received. This article arises from a larger study which has aimed to explore the role and scope of advance statements. This research has sought to demonstrate how advanced statements can be used within mental health services by providing recommendations for the mental health nursing workforce in relation to the implementation and deliverables for training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use disorder in older adults is associated with a number of substantial medical complications, including cognitive decline. Due to limited success and application of screening approaches in this cohort, older adults are more likely to present to general hospital settings with undiagnosed problematic alcohol use. Consultation-liaison psychiatry services operating in general hospital settings are likely to be referred older adults with alcohol use disorders for assessment and management. A 77-year-old female presented to a metropolitan hospital with symptoms including frequent falls, slurred speech, difficulty judging distance, hypersomnia, poor reasoning, and odd behaviours. She also presented with severe anxiety and bruxism. Several diagnostic tests were inconclusive, and a consultation-liaison psychiatry assessment revealed a prominent heavy drinking pattern and concurrent abuse of oxycodone and benzodiazepines. This report adds further support to the case for uniform screening of all older adults for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. A number of weeks had passed before the patient's drinking pattern was established, with no withdrawal management in place. A multifaceted treatment approach, including antidepressant therapy, anticraving medication, benzodiazepine as well as opiate rationalisation, and AOD counselling support was commenced prior to discharge from the general hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the experiences of informal carers of people with mental illness in an Australian mental health service. A qualitative descriptive approach was used with data collected via focus group interviews with a purposive sample of 19 carers. Data analysis revealed two major themes: (a) “Something is not right” and (b) “Now we have a diagnosis.” The carers noticed that there was something wrong with their relative before they received a diagnosis but were often hesitant to engage Mental Health services. Carers have trouble understanding if the problems they are witnessing are part of normal development, contemporary culture, or are symptoms of mental illness. Fear of stigma remains a barrier to accessing services and early diagnosis. Findings suggest a need to target support for informal carers in the period prior to and leading to the establishment of a mental health diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article explores the literature about the co-occurring mental illness in older methadone treatment patients as well as examines the future challenges pose by the growing cohort of ageing adults to aged persons' psychiatry services. Information about the Scopus, ProQuest, and CINAHL journal databases as well as individuals in methadone maintenance programs is presented.

Dual diagnosis is associated with frequent relapse, poor treatment engagement and overall unsatisfactory treatment outcomes. A comprehensive review of the contemporary literature examining this issue was conducted, finding a paucity of literature concerning dual diagnosis in older adults. Of the literature appraised for this review, a number of studies examined US Veteran's Affairs populations, which were largely male. Studies concerning older mental health populations were scarce. During the literature search, a number of background studies that influenced contemporary research regarding dual diagnosis in older adults were found; these studies were examined regarding their contribution to contemporary paradigms concerning older adults with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. This review presents the results of the contemporary literature concerning dual diagnosis in older adults. Several recurring themes emerge from the literature, including the notion of a statistically small population that, in absolute terms, represents a sizeable number of individuals coming to the attention of aged mental health services in the future. Additionally, the potential for under-diagnosis in this cohort is highlighted, potentially creating a hidden population of older adults with dual diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable progress that has been witnessed in the physical and material wellbeing for most Australians over the 20th century has not been paralleled by gains in the mental and subjective wellbeing of the population. General practice plays a strategic role in Australia's primary health care, which has been recognised as an essential health system that is able to deliver health to the population in a timely and equitable manner (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2008). General Practitioners are unable to provide adequate care to people experiencing a severe mental illness without support from specialist mental health professional such as a mental health nurse in the practice. The mental health nurse incentive program (MHNIP) offers opportunity for mental health nurses to work collaboratively with GPs in primary health care in the delivery of care to people with a severe mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]