Improving the ability of mental health nurses to give second opinion in Judicial Reviews: an evaluation study

In New Zealand, concern has been expressed regarding the variable quality of second opinions given by health professionals assisting judicial decisions on the use of compulsory assessment and treatment under mental health legislation. This second opinion is mostly given by registered mental health nurses. An innovative education programme based on experiential learning and adult learning principles was developed to assist health professionals to effectively undertake this role. A mixed method pre-post test intervention research design was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in assisting health professionals to feel more competent in undertaking the role. Data from the participants (n= 112) was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and a thematic analysis of open-ended questions. The findings suggested gains in all competencies following the education programme, although there was room for further improvement. These changes were sustained over time at the next occasion when the health professionals undertook the role. There is a need to nationally disseminate such educational innovations to assist more mental health nurses to maximize their input into judicial decisions, which have a marked impact on the lives of those service users involved.