Citation

Rea K, Aiken F, Borastero C. Womens Health Issues 1997; 7(2): 121-125.

Affiliation

Ashworth Centre, Ashworth Hospital, Liverpool John Moores University, School of Health Care, England.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9071885

Abstract

This article examines the aims and objectives of a training package devised for nurses working directly with women who self-harm and detained in institutions. The training package aims to change and inform staff attitudes toward self-harming behavior and to encourage therapeutic responses and interventions. The first key step in helping these women is to understand why they resort to self-harm. Some of the underlying reasons why these women try to hurt themselves include dominance of older women, histories of abuse, and feelings of powerlessness. The training program uses a seminar format followed by reflective practice sessions which enables the nursing staff to explore how both theoretical constructs and women's experiences could inform and influence the delivery of care. It utilized community-produced and focused support networks, and consisted of six sessions, each lasting around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Seminar topics include reasons for self-harm, types of women who self-harm, caring for and myths about these women, and communication issues.

Language: en