The Magic Wand Question and Recovery-Focused Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

BACKGROUND: This paper uses a case study to describe the implementation of the Magic Wand Question (MWQ), also known as the miracle question, in a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Scotland. The MWQ, a common intervention, is based on a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach. This intervention was undertaken by a third year student nurse with the intention of demonstrating how practice can be more closely aligned to a recovery-focused, strengths-based approach, which is in line with national policy. METHODS: SFBT has a growing evidence base for use with children and young people. However, there are still some common uncertainties about its use; therefore, a literature review has been undertaken to further explore the evidence base for the use of SFBT, with a focus on the MWQ. Furthermore, an exploration of the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the MWQ is provided with a 15-year-old girl experiencing symptoms of low mood. RESULTS: Although limitations have been identified, giving careful consideration to posing the MWQ, through detailed planning prior to implementation, led to an increased understanding of factors supporting the use of the MWQ and reduced any uncertainty around when to use the MWQ in practice. In this clinical intervention, with a 15-year-old girl experiencing symptoms of low mood, the use of the MWQ was successful. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of any treatment is best judged by the individual receiving care, and positive results have been achieved in this case study. Use of this approach ensured professionals were looking beyond diagnosis, illness, and problems in line with the principles of recovery-focused practice (Scottish Recovery Network [SRN] and NHS Education for Scotland [NES], 2007). The use of the MWQ in this case enhanced the knowledge of evidence-based practices, in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, ) and improved overall outcomes for individuals receiving care.

Supporting the development of interpersonal skills in nursing, in an undergraduate mental health curriculum: reaching the parts other strategies do not reach through action learning.

The centrality of therapeutic relationships is considered to be the cornerstone of effective mental health nursing practice. Strategies that support the development of these skills and the emotional aspects of learning need to be developed. Action learning is one such strategy. This article reports on a qualitative research study on the introduction of Action Learning Sets (ALS) into a Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing Programme. This teaching and learning methodology was chosen to support the emotional aspects of learning and mental health nursing skills. Four themes were identified: developing skills of listening and questioning in 'real time', enhanced self-awareness, being with someone in the moment--there is no rehearsal and doing things differently in practice. Students and lecturers found the experience positive and advocate for other Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing Programmes to consider the use of ALS within the curriculum.

Physical fitness in pre-registration nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are ideally placed to deliver health promotion interventions, including physical fitness, however evidence suggests that nurses themselves are failing to engage in healthy lifestyles; this in turn making them less likely to promote health. It would appear that some nurses are allowing their own values, beliefs and behaviours to hinder this role. We propose these nurses are in breach of the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) code. Currently nurses self declare their fitness to practice through the NMC, however self-monitoring has been criticized for its lack of reliability. Recruitment of student nurses in the UK does not currently assess physical fitness levels in line with other professionals such as the armed forces, police or fire service. Over half the nursing workforce is now overweight or obese, with alarming levels of inactivity. Physical activity positively correlates with motivation, wellbeing, coping and positive attitude. These attributes in turn impact on employability, retention and absence. This article explores promoting health, focussing on physical activity and discusses innovative ideas to promote physical activity within the nursing Curricula.

Review of the integrity of a Self Administered Motivational Instrument.

BACKGROUND: Motivational interviewing (MI) was developed by Miller and Rollnick as an evidence-based counselling approach for use in supporting people with alcohol problems. Over the years the principles and spirit of MI have been reviewed and fine-tuned and the approach has been embraced by practitioners worldwide and across fields. Since 2001 a number of instruments have been designed to evaluate the fidelity of MI practice. For the purposes of this study, one such instrument is used to assess a self-administered motivational instrument, known as the SAMI, which takes the interviewer role. OBJECTIVES: The SAMI is evaluated against the MITI 3.1.1, which is designed to assess the extent to which MI interventions perform on five global dimensions. These are evocation, collaboration, autonomy/support, direction and empathy. DESIGN: The SAMI was assembled based on the principles and spirit of MI, problem solving and goal-setting. The targeted behaviour changes were student learning styles and approaches to study. SETTING: The SAMI was distributed, completed and submitted electronically via the university virtual learning environment. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty three mature students of a university which delivered online nursing programme were invited to complete the SAMI. Of these, 25 submitted completed transcripts. METHODS: Transcripts of a sample of six completed SAMIs were assessed by a group of teachers and researchers with experience in the use and evaluation of MI, using five-point Likert scales to assess the SAMI on the five dimensions. RESULTS: Overall, an average score exceeding 4.5 was attained across the five dimensions. Conventionally, such a score is recognised as competency in MI. However, on one dimension (empathy), the rating was three. CONCLUSIONS: This current research confirms that global principles have been observed in the online delivery of MI using the SAMI to probe approaches to study.