This chapter discusses the required knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide a safe and compassionate environment by adopting trauma-informed care (TIC). Many people will have experienced traumatic experiences outside of the safety of their family unit, e.g., bullying, or sexual harassment. Therefore, we need to be cautious about blaming parents or care givers, without first establishing the situation and context of the traumatic history of the person.Many people who present to mental health, addiction and disability services, however, will report complex histories of physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse (see chapter 15). Evolving research recommends therapeutically addressing complex, as distinct from single incident, trauma (Kezelman & Stavropoulos, 2019), requiring a particular skill set of the practitioner to provide effective therapy. This chapter focuses on the fundamental skills of responding to people who disclose their trauma, particularly sexual abuse, and how practitioners can respond in ways that foster human connectedness.

This chapter explores the legal and ethical factors that inform mental health nursing, from multiple perspectives. The chapter proposes a legal and ethical framework that promotes human connectedness between the practitioner and people with mental health conditions and their families and whānau. The chapter includes theoretical and practical aspects of working within a legal framework and provides several narratives to bring to life what it means to experience compulsory treatment. It concludes by discussing proposed alternatives to compulsory treatment and a potential future legal framework that embraces a person’s autonomy and human rights. New Zealand – and each Australian state and territory – has its own mental health legislation. Although there are differences between them, they share the essential features of providing for treatment without consent, criteria of danger or risk to self and others, and certain procedural protections. Throughout this chapter we use the term ‘mental health legislation’ to refer to common aspects of the legislation in different jurisdictions.

This chapter discusses the required knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide a safe and compassionate environment by adopting trauma-informed care (TIC). Many people will have experienced traumatic experiences outside of the safety of their family unit, e.g., bullying, or sexual harassment. Therefore, we need to be cautious about blaming parents or care givers, without first establishing the situation and context of the traumatic history of the person.Many people who present to mental health, addiction and disability services, however, will report complex histories of physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse (see chapter 15). Evolving research recommends therapeutically addressing complex, as distinct from single incident, trauma (Kezelman & Stavropoulos, 2019), requiring a particular skill set of the practitioner to provide effective therapy. This chapter focuses on the fundamental skills of responding to people who disclose their trauma, particularly sexual abuse, and how practitioners can respond in ways that foster human connectedness.

As mental health practitioners, we will encounter the broad and diverse range of sexual orientations and gender identities within the people we serve. In this chapter we focus on the cultural diversity of genders and sexualities, and the effects of marginalisation, interpersonal and intimate partner violence and abuse on people’s mental health (Bosse et al., 2018). We describe the ways in which mental health practitioners are able to practise empathically and effectively in gender, diversity, and disclosures of violence and abuse. Throughout the chapter, we will be reading Riley’s story to help us understand how mental health services can be more supportive and accepting of gender and sexual diversity.

As mental health practitioners, we will encounter the broad and diverse range of sexual orientations and gender identities within the people we serve. In this chapter we focus on the cultural diversity of genders and sexualities, and the effects of marginalisation, interpersonal and intimate partner violence and abuse on people’s mental health (Bosse et al., 2018). We describe the ways in which mental health practitioners are able to practise empathically and effectively in gender, diversity, and disclosures of violence and abuse. Throughout the chapter, we will be reading Riley’s story to help us understand how mental health services can be more supportive and accepting of gender and sexual diversity.

This chapter will discuss the process of positive ageing, the life course, and the changing cultural norms of older people within contemporary society. The chapter will assist nurses to consider and understand how ageism and subsequent stigma and discrimination can impact on the well-being of the older person and their family/loved ones. The multiple losses and associated mental health problems will also be presented. The specific approaches to nursing care required to support human connectedness with older people will also be discussed. Common mental health problems, associated risk factors and considerations for treatment embedded within a recovery approach are explained. The chapter concludes with future issues for this area of specialty nursing practice.

This chapter explores the legal and ethical factors that inform mental health nursing, from multiple perspectives. The chapter proposes a legal and ethical framework that promotes human connectedness between the practitioner and people with mental health conditions and their families and whānau. The chapter includes theoretical and practical aspects of working within a legal framework and provides several narratives to bring to life what it means to experience compulsory treatment. It concludes by discussing proposed alternatives to compulsory treatment and a potential future legal framework that embraces a person’s autonomy and human rights. New Zealand – and each Australian state and territory – has its own mental health legislation. Although there are differences between them, they share the essential features of providing for treatment without consent, criteria of danger or risk to self and others, and certain procedural protections. Throughout this chapter we use the term ‘mental health legislation’ to refer to common aspects of the legislation in different jurisdictions.

This chapter will discuss the process of positive ageing, the life course, and the changing cultural norms of older people within contemporary society. The chapter will assist nurses to consider and understand how ageism and subsequent stigma and discrimination can impact on the well-being of the older person and their family/loved ones. The multiple losses and associated mental health problems will also be presented. The specific approaches to nursing care required to support human connectedness with older people will also be discussed. Common mental health problems, associated risk factors and considerations for treatment embedded within a recovery approach are explained. The chapter concludes with future issues for this area of specialty nursing practice.