Nursing Commons^™

The Association Between Self-Rated Mental Health Status And Total Health Care Expenditure: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of A Nationally Representative Sample, Muoi T. Nguyen, Winnie Y. Chan, Courtney Keeler

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Both clinical diagnoses and self-rated measures of mental illness are associated with a variety of outcomes, including physical well-being, health utilization, and expenditure. However, much of current literature primarily utilizes clinically diagnosed data.

This cross-sectional study explores the impact of mental illness and health care expenditure using 2 self-rated measures: self-rated measured of perceived mental health status (SRMH) and Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6).

Data from the 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized individuals (n = 18,295), were analyzed using bivariate χ² tests and a 2-part model (logistics regression and …

Disseminating An Evidence-Based Course To Teach Self-Management Of Auditory Hallucinations, M Buffum, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

This multi-site project extended course dissemination of the 10-session Behavioral Management of Auditory Hallucinations Course to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health outpatient settings. The VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) model and Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations served as the theoretical framework. The course was taught to mental health professionals using teleconferencing, electronic media, and monthly conference calls across 24 VA mental health outpatient sites. Twenty course leaders provided feedback. One hundred percent reported being better able to communicate with patients about their voices and 96% reported improved understanding of the voice-hearing experience. Thirty-three course participants …

Self-Management Of Unpleasant Auditory Hallucinations: A Tested Practice Model, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, M Buffum, P Birmingham, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals who experience auditory hallucinations (AH) frequently report hearing unpleasant voices saying disturbing things to them, making derogatory remarks about them, or commanding them to do something, including harming themselves or someone else. The Self-Management of Unpleasant Auditory Hallucinations Practice Model was developed to help psychiatric-mental health nurses in both inpatient and outpatient settings implement evidence-based nursing care for voice hearers who are distressed by unpleasant voices. The model's utility extends to nursing education, administration, and research. The model is comprised of three parts: (a) Assessment of Voice Hearer's Experience, (b) Nursing Interventions, and (c) Voice Hearer's Expected Positive Outcomes. …

Comprehensive Evidence-Based Program Teaching Self-Management Of Auditory Hallucinations On Inpatient Psychiatric Units, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, M Buffum, K Lyttle, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Patients hearing command hallucinations to harm whose only self-management strategies are to obey these commands, can represent serious safety concerns on inpatient psychiatric units. A comprehensive evidence-based program teaching self-management of auditory hallucinations on inpatient psychiatric units is described that includes five components: suggestions for staff education; patient self-assessment tools; an interview guide and safety protocol; a course to teach strategies for managing distressing voices and commands to harm; suggestions to improve staff communication; and a plan to extend the program from inpatient care settings into the community by sharing materials with community case managers and caregivers when patients are …

Behavioral Management Of Auditory Hallucinations: Implementation And Evaluation Of A 10-Week Course, M D. Buffum, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, A A. Gerlock, P Birmingham, G A. Dowling, G J. Kuhlman

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

A 10-session behavioral course for self-management of auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia has demonstrated positive outcomes. This article evaluates both the course’s implementation and benefits to patients attending the course. Teleconferencing, electronic media, and 26 monthly conference calls were used to educate six advanced practice nurses (APNs) at six sites about the course implementation. Thirty-two patients within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs participated in the course. All of the APNs reported course helpfulness, improved communication with patients about voices, and improved harm assessment. Of the patients, 96% found the course helpful: 67% no longer heard voices to harm …

Behavioral Management Of Command Hallucinations To Harm In Schizophrenia, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

The study objective was to evaluate changes in prevalence of command hallucinations to harm self or others, characteristics and intensity of auditory hallucinations, and levels of anxiety and depression after attendance at a 10-session course teaching behavioral strategies for managing persistent auditory hallucinations to adult outpatients with schizophrenia. Prevalence of command hallucinations to harm self or others was measured at baseline, end of course, and 1-year post-course. Pre-course scores on the Characteristics of Auditory Hallucinations Questionnaire, Unpleasant Voices Scale, tension-anxiety subscale of Profile of Mood States, and Beck Depression Inventory-II were compared with scores immediately post-course and 1 year later. …