Forensic Nursing and Multidisciplinary Care of the Mentally Disordered Offender

Book excerpt: The first comprehensive account of forensic nursing and its role within the wider professional team, the aim of this book is to provide a multidisciplinary perspective on the training needed to work with mentally disordered patients, as well as to examine the key characteristics of the forensic nursing role. An international group of contributors, from a wide range of disciplines, provides a well-rounded, comparative view of the forensic nursing profession. The chapters are a rich contribution of cross-cultural thinking on the many dilemmas and challenges facing nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and other health care practitioners, working with specific client groups. Each contributor has utilised empirical data to analyse relevant issues, such as: professional standards; effectiveness of preparation for nurses working within secure environments; day to day and long term challenges facing nurses; clinical effectiveness; the dilemma of security versus practice; how forensic nursing differs from other kinds of nursing; and what forensic nurses can contribute to other mental health care disciplines. Examples of how research findings may be integrated into practice, will be of interest not only to forensic nurses, but also to significant sectors of the mental health care field.