Main Article Content
Training in child and adolescent psychiatry for primary health care nurses in South Africa
Abstract
Objective — To obtain feedback from primary care nurses who attended two study days in child and adolescent mental health. The study days aimed to equip nurses with basic assessment and intervention skills for the most common problems in child and adolescent psychiatric nursing.
Method — All 144 and 68 primary care nurses who attended Study Days 1 and 2 respectively completed confidential questionnaires after each day.
Key findings — Over 80% of the nurses practised in settings in which one would expect to encounter children or adolescents suffering from, or at risk for, mental health problems. Weekly contact with youngsters with mental health problems was reported by 61.1% of the nurses. The majority of nurses (77.8%) reported consulting with other professionals when managing these problems. Important barriers to child and adolescent mental health services provision at primary care level included busy clinics, training deficits and time management. Only 2.8% reported that lack of interest was a barrier. There was an overwhelmingly positive response to both study days. The nurses were able to apply what they had learned between the study days. Almost half usually spent at least 30 minutes on counselling when managing children or adolescents with mental health problems. Many unmet needs for further training, consultation and supervision were identified.
Conclusions — The next challenge is to investigate whether such study days result in more positive outcomes for children and adolescents with mental health problems and their families.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2004, 16(2): 83–86
Method — All 144 and 68 primary care nurses who attended Study Days 1 and 2 respectively completed confidential questionnaires after each day.
Key findings — Over 80% of the nurses practised in settings in which one would expect to encounter children or adolescents suffering from, or at risk for, mental health problems. Weekly contact with youngsters with mental health problems was reported by 61.1% of the nurses. The majority of nurses (77.8%) reported consulting with other professionals when managing these problems. Important barriers to child and adolescent mental health services provision at primary care level included busy clinics, training deficits and time management. Only 2.8% reported that lack of interest was a barrier. There was an overwhelmingly positive response to both study days. The nurses were able to apply what they had learned between the study days. Almost half usually spent at least 30 minutes on counselling when managing children or adolescents with mental health problems. Many unmet needs for further training, consultation and supervision were identified.
Conclusions — The next challenge is to investigate whether such study days result in more positive outcomes for children and adolescents with mental health problems and their families.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2004, 16(2): 83–86
