Pamela Kennedy is Raising Money for SAMH This Weekend

2nd Year Mental Health Nursing student is raising money for SAMH by taking part in the Great Scottish run on 6th October 2013.

Pam's motivation for this challenge is the memory of her uncle Gordon who completed suicide in 2012. Pam says 'Everyday Gordon felt it was a challenge to live with the psychotic disorder schizophrenia which he was diagnoised with in his early 20's. Most importantly, Gordon had a heart of gold and touched the lives of those he came in contact with. He was a true inspiration and I am proud to call him my uncle.'

To donate go to  Pam's Just Giving page 

http://www.justgiving.com/pamela-kennedy1

Welcome to the Class of 2013!

Margaret Caldwell Working in Partnership with Clinical Service

Following an approach from Senior Management (NHSGG&C) Margaret has been facilitating a number of educational sessions for Community Support Workers (CSW).

As part of our wider Clinical Academic Career developments and Clinical linking these sessions involved some clinical teaching of clinical skills such as taking and recording electronic Blood pressure and manual pulse.

"Service gives so much to our students in clinical settings and here in the University and this is part of us giving something in return," said Margaret.

The sessions, supported by clinical staff were delivered in their own locality and evaluated well:

Participants indicate that the sessions were "Very informative" "Clear and simple, easy to follow" 

·         

The Mental Health Nursing Team at GCU know the importance of developing clear links between themselves and Service and wish to support development opportunities for all grades of staff.  

"We want to work with practice rather than working in silos. This is work that we can take into the classroom with our students who now don't see us as being remote from practice. It enhances our credibility," Margaret added.

Class of 2010 on their final day!

Congratulations and good luck to the Class of 2010 from the MH Nurse teaching team



Then watch as Ukulele Bill and Val serenade them on their last day by clicking here

GCU Mental Health Nursing Student Lisa Pollock awarded a place in the National Junior Leadership Academy

GCU Mental Health Nursing Student Lisa Pollock supported by the GCU Mental Health Nursing teaching team, has been accepted as one of only 10 UK “remarkable” nursing students on the pilot National Junior Leadership Academy.

This six month programme funded by the Higher Education Academy seeks to develop 10 promising nursing students leadership identity early in their career journey and develop their leadership knowledge, attitudes and skills.

The National Junior Leadership Academy is aimed at high performing pre registration nursing students or pre registration nursing students in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelan

Activities include

•   Residential Leadership Retreats

•   Mentorship: each participant will be assigned to a senior national nursing leader who will act as their Leadership Mentor

•   Internship: each participant will have a two week policy/leadership internship period with their Leadership Mentor in a nursing related organisation

•   Leadership Networks: the cohort of 10 will be split into three leadership peer networks which will meet in between the leadership retreats and the internship period to work on pre negotiated tasks.

The National Junior Leadership Academy is led by Stacy Johnson and Dr Aru Narayanasamy, University of Nottingham and Professor Laura Serrant-Green, University of Wolverhampton.

"I feel honoured to be part of the academy. I still can't believe I have been chosen to be one of the 10 student nurse in the UK. I am delighted that my passion for mental health nursing has come through in my application and interview and I am very much looking forward to being part of this exciting opportunity"

Congratulations Lisa from the GCU Mental Health Nursing Team!

Scottish Delirium Association: Delirium Pathway Posters

Please see below the 2 posters on the delirium pathway. Please feel free to comment on these posters.

Francis Report Highlights

Watch the Robert Francis delivering highlights of Francis Report http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/robert-francis-lessons-stafford …

400 Suitcases found in New York Assylum in 1995

400 suitcases were found in an attic at the asylum in 1995. They dated from 1910 to 1960

Visit the Willard Suitcases Exhibition by clicking here

3rd Year GCU Mental Health Nursing Student Tom enters the Dragons’ Den and wins!

Tom Lyon wins social business competition

Tommy Whitelaw's Acute Services and Dementia Training Interview

Watch the Tommy Whitelaw interview here

Val Howatson Co-Presents at 2nd Scottish Mental Health Nursing Research Conference - Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

Val was co-presenting with with Gwenne McIntosh (Napier University);  M. McCraig (UWS) & L. McNay (UWS) their paper titled: The HEI-R: a potential tool for developing Recovery Focussed Practice in HEI’s?

The aim of this presentation was to highlight the work of the HEI Scottish User and Carer Involvement group. The group have been working in partnership with SRN to develop a tool which could enable Higher Education Institute’s (HEIs) to audit and develop their practices in terms of promoting a recovery based approach to mental health education.

This abstract was linked to the topic of “Workplace” at the conference as it is proposed that through the development of this tool there would be opportunities to model best practice and be seen as part of the ‘recovery jigsaw’ that includes universities, service providers, service users, carers, students, and the wider public. 

Their paper proposed that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) need to audit and further develop their practices in relation to promoting recovery. 

This recognises that HEIs are part of the ‘recovery jigsaw’ of promoting recovery focused practice/services, given that the preparation of student mental health nurses is a shared responsibility between HEIs and service partners. In practice within Scotland the Scottish Recovery Indicator 2 (sri2) (Scottish Recovery Network (SRN), 2012) is being rolled out across NHS services to promote service development in recovery focused practice as outlined in the Mental Health Strategy for Scotland (Scottish Government, 2012). The presenters proposed that a similar tool be developed for HEIs. 

Student Poster Presented at 2nd Scottish Mental Health Nursing Research Conference

We are delighted that GCU Mental Health students Lizzie Burns and Hazel Thomson represented students at the recent Mental Health Nursing Research Conference at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Members of the Mental Health Nursing teaching team supported the students and attended the conference. The students presented their poster / paper  titled: Recovery Rollercoaster.

Mental Health Nursing at GCU

Click here to watch the Mental Health Nursing Video

GCU Mental Health Nursing talk about their course on GCU Web click here

Abby's Poem to Tommy Whitelaw

Tommy are you listening, i cant say i understand, 
But i am here, and i am willing, 
so penny for your thoughts?
C'mon Tommy, pick yourself up theres no time for feeling down, 
Your doin ok, and you shouldn't worry, 
Your doing your ol' ma proud.
The small things your doin everyday, 
are brining hope to peoples lives, 
so when your feeling down and in doubt, 
just keep that in your mind

The things that you's faced, all on your own
Send a shiver right up my spine, 
And i gotta tell you one more time, 
Mate, your doing fine.
You told us stories about your ma, 
And God she sounds like a doll, 
A hardworking lady who loved her kids, 
And was madly deeply in love.

Tommy i know cause you told us so, 
The way the story goes, 
The newspaper clippings and scribbled writings, 
To remind her who she was.
That hardworking lady cant remember a thing, 
even the man she loved so true, 
But no 'what ifs' Tommy cause your ol' ma, 
is living and shinning through you.

We have let you down, and your ma, 
and that makes me hell of a sad, 
But Tommy you have spoken to me, 
And i will do all i can.

Tommy your the voice, for all those like you, 
who have also been let down, 
A voice of justice, a voice of reason, 
That together can shout so loud.
You struck a chord in me that day, 
And inspired me in so many ways, 
Don't let the b#####ds get you down Tommy, 
Cause i promise your doing great.
That wedding dress that Joan made, 
Oh Tommy it was a beauty!
so you get out there
And never give up, 
And share with the world, 
Joan and Your Story!

Tommy Whitelaw Talks to 1st & 3rd Year Mental Health Students

Student tweets in response:

Listening to @tommyNtour in a seminar.Hard hitting real life story about carers&their families. Puts things into perspective.#gcucarervoice

@tommyNtour crying at your talk. Sad but inspirational !

Your story was heartbreaking & inspiring! @tommyNtour Relate 2 u in many ways as carer at home! carers need a voice like u!#gcucarersvoice

@GCUMentalHealth @tommyNtour Had a seminar this morning that I feel will change the course and attitude of our students forever.

What ive learnt today is that its time to step up our game as students. We affect real people & its up to us how we do that. #gcucarersvoice

@tommyNtour absolute inspiration, such a heartbreaking story told so eloquently. you should be so proud of your work and am sure Joan is too

1st Year GCU MH Nursing Student Abby's Stigma Poetry

Anti-discrimination film made by 1st Year GCU Mental Health Nursing Students

Nursing award for GCU Mental Health team

The Glasgow Caledonian University Mental Health team has been recognised for its innovative teaching.

The team won the award for Practice Innovation and Excellence in Mental Health Nursing for the education category of the Mental Health Nursing Forum Scotland Awards.

Lecturer Margaret Caldwell said: “We are delighted to receive this award and were particularly commended by the panel for our service user and practitioner involvement.”

Andy Lowndes is Speaking at Scottish Caring and Dementia Congress 2013, April 17 in Edinburgh

Andy is presenting on the recent reminiscence project Memories FC at the upcoming 5th Annual Scottish Caring and Dementia Congress in Edinburgh.
His presentation is titled "Advancing group-based reminiscence practice: Memories FC (football memories) and beyond."

Letters from the past

BBC News - Letters from Scotland's Victorian asylums go on display click here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20937473