Understanding Mental Illness Nursing Seminar

8:30am - Registration

9:00am - Sick Bodies and Fragmented Minds

Psychiatric symptoms may exist concurrently with a diagnosed physical illness

• Clarification of mental health and mental illness and the differences between eccentric, attention seeking and mentally disturbed behaviours.
• Comments on the impact of negative nursing attitudes toward patients with a mental illness.
• What can be done to convert these attitudes into positive perspectives and helpful communications?
• What would make you suspect that someone in your care might be exhibiting symptoms of mental instability?

9:45am - Types Of Mental Illness

Information about the major types of mental disorders using the framework of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders. Examples include mood disorders, the psychoses, organic brain disorders and personailty disorders, symptoms of mental instability.

10:30am - Morning Tea & Coffee

11:00am - Establishing and Sustaining Therapeutic Relationships

• Which interpersonal strategies help nurses to communicate and work effectively with patients who have a mental illness?
• Which communication approaches are unhelpful?
• Guidelines for remaining professional and non-judgmental, even when provoked, e.g. when confronted with a patient who repeatedly presents with the life-threatening effects of drug overdoses.
• How to chat with therapeutic intent while 'doing the cbs'.
• Specific guidelines for responding to patients with delirium, delusions and/or hallucinations, panic attacks or obsessive compulsive rituals.

11:45am - Assessing, Coping and Managing

• Making the best use of your existing nursing skills.
• How to acquire new competencies and clinical partnerships for the provision of first class nursing care for those who are affected by mental illness. How is mental status assessed?
• Is self-harm training for emergency nurses indicated?
• What is the role of the Liaison Psychiatric Services in large, acute-care hospitals?

12:30pm - Lunch Break

1:30pm - Dealing with the 'Black Dog' of Depression

One in five Australians, at some time, will have a major episode of depression.

• How does depression differ from 'the blues' to which everyone is prone?
• Summary of the emotional and physical manifestations of this serious mood disorder.
• What is the difference between endogenous (biochemical) depression and reactive (neurotic) depression?
• Is it possible to experience just a single episode of depression?
• Practical nursing care and management approaches when someone who is physically ill also has a clinical depression.
• When is depression likely to cause suicidal ideas?

3:00pm - Afternoon Tea & Coffee

3:30pm - Preventing Suicide and Managing Suicide Attempts

'Those who say they'll take their lives never do!'  - Sorting out the myths from the facts.

• Are all suicidal people depressed?
• What are the overt and covert signs that a patient has suicidal intentions?
• When is staff hyper-vigilance most needed?
• What do you need to know about the nursing interventions needed for patients who feel suicidal and those who have actually tried to kill themselves?
• How to sustain unconditional positive regard in the face of unresponsiveness and negativity.
• Where to access information and guidelines on depression and suicide.

4:15pm - Close of Day One of Program

9:00am - Start of Day Two

9:00am - Don't Panic, Don't Panic, it is Just Anxiety!

Anxiety Disorders are the most common type of Mental Illnesses experienced by people in Australia. When does stress turn into an anxiety disorder? It is often said 'She has never been a nervous type'. Are people born with difficulties managing anxiety or is it a learnt behaviour? Does tea and sympathy help? Different strokes for different folks! What helps people cope with their anxiety?

9:45am - Sad, Mad or Simply Bad!

Many people who are incarcerated in prisons suffer from or develop mental illness. What is the difference between someone who is psychotic and someone who is psychotic and someone who is psychopathic? What causes people to 'go mad'? Do psychotic people really know what they are doing? Is it that some people have 'sad' lives or are some people just born 'bad'?

10:30am - Morning Tea & Coffee

11:00am - Common Psychiatric Medications and Therapies

Overview of psychotropic medications, the indications for their use and how they work What are the side effects of anti-depressant medications? Why do patients with bi-polar disorders, who are prescribed lithium carbonate, need to have regular blood tests? When are antipsychotic medications indicated and what are their side effects and complications? Is tardive dyskinesia preventable? How helpful are complementary therapies in alleviating mental disorders?

11:45am - When Substance Abuse Cases Problems

Examination of the adverse effects on mind and body of dependence on alcohol/other drugs. Summary of the main types of recreational drugs and their impacts. At which stage is substance abuse classified as a diagnosable psychiatric disorder? What are the issues when substance abuse and mental illness co-exist? How to recognise alcohol/drug withdrawal and what to do Can alcoholism and drug addiction be cured? What is meant by the term 'dual diagnosis'?

12:00pm - Drug and Alcohol Dependent Professionals

What should you do if you suspect that a colleague has problems with alcohol or other drugs? Is it likely that workplace drug testing will become commonplace for staff in health care services?

12:30pm - Lunch Break

1:30pm - The Challenges of the Three Ds: Delirium, Dementia and Depression

Definitions and comparatives differences between these three types of mental impairments. Which patients are likely to develop delirium within 24 hours of surgery and why? How long does it last? Other causes of delirium in patients with identified physical illnesses. Is it 'normal' to have depression if you have dementia?

2:15pm - Beyond the Plagues and Tangles

Who is this person with dementia? How can nurses relate to someone with little or no coherent speech or cognition, poor judgment and impaired memory who also have physical problems? What impact do new routines and unfamiliar carers have for those suffering with dementia?

3:00pm - Afternoon Tea & Coffee

3:30pm - Close Encounters of the Aggressive Kind

Are mentally ill people invariably aggressive? What are the main reasons for hostility escalating into verbal or physical abuse?  Can aggressive incidents of concern be prevented? When violence happens, what can nurses do to contain the situation? Should nurses train in self-defence? Responding to major aggressive incidents in hospital settings - comments on policy guidelines Post-incident debriefing of staff, and, perhaps, patients.

4:15pm - Close of Day