Introducing Mental Health Nursing: A Service User-oriented Approach, 2nd Edition

Abstract

Reviews the book, Introducing Mental Health Nursing: A Service User Oriented Approach, 2nd Edition by B. Happell, L. Cowin, C. Roper, R. Lakeman, and L. Cox (2013). The reviewer argues that there is a lot to like about this undergraduate book. The orientation towards recovery and service user perspectives, especially in the early part of the book, mean that it is contemporary and will give nursing students an understanding of mental health care. If using it for teaching, there are case studies and critical-thinking boxes to help students. More importantly, the writing styles are clear, and reviewers found them easy to read. This is critical for undergraduates, who might not have been interested in mental health when they started studying nursing. The book has four parts. Part 1 give the background the context of mental health nursing and addresses contemporary/innovative issues. Part 2 addresses defining and understanding mental health problems. Part 3 discusses the treatment of mental illness. Part 3 places the collaborative interpersonal relationship as central to the work of a mental health nurse. Overall, the book is a contemporary text that could support the development of future nurses' understanding of mental health care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)