Nurses' preparedness for health promotion through linkage with mutual-aid self-help groups

This descriptive study of a sector of the Canadian nursing population aimed to identify attitudes, knowledge, and roles regarding mutual-aid self-help groups. Questionnaires were mailed to 200 randomly selected hospital nurses and to all 177 community health nurses working in the Nova Scotia metropolitan centre; 74 completed questionnaires were returned. Only half of the respondents considered themselves educationally well prepared for work with self-help groups. Almost all respondents viewed their relevant level of knowledge as only fair, and the most commonly cited reason for non-referral was lack of information. Most desired pertinent inservice training, a directory and continuing-education sessions. Twice as many nurses attended group meetings to increase their familiarity with groups as served initiator, speaker, consultant or non-professional member roles. The majority held positive attitudes regarding the effectiveness, merits and functions of lay help groups, professional linkage with self-help groups and future personal involvement. Reoriented educational mechanisms were recommended to overcome knowledge deficits.