Abstract: The present paper reports on the results of a telephone survey of 217 alcohol and drug treatment clinicians on their beliefs and practice, in relation to service provision for women. Nurses comprised the second largest professional group surveyed. Seventy-eight percent of clinicians believed that women's treatment needs differed from men's and 74% reported a range of approaches and interventions, such as assisting with parenting issues and referral to women-only programmes. Several differences emerged in relation to approaches and interventions used, depending on clinician gender, work setting and proportion of women on clinicians' caseload. Implications for mental health nursing include the need to more systematically incorporate gender-based treatment needs into practice and undergraduate and postgraduate education and training programmes.

Abstract: Homosexuality has been practiced since ancient times, but through the centuries this expression of sexual identity has moved from being acceptable to unacceptable and finally regarded in a contemporary era as a mental health problem that needed to be, and it was thought could be, cured. This paper focuses on the barriers that lesbian women perceive when wanting to access health care. Most of the research about lesbian women has been conducted in the United States with some in the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand. Through reviewing the available literature and grouping common themes, the author identifies three main barriers to health care that exist for lesbian women. Firstly, ignorance or insensitivity of the health care professional about the specific health care needs of this client group; secondly, homophobia or heterosexism that may be present in the health care environment; and thirdly the risk of disclosing one's sexual orientation. These barriers are discussed using the concepts of cultural safety and nursing partnership. The author concludes that the negative health care experiences that lesbian women encounter leave them feeling vulnerable and fearful. This fear and stigmatisation has resulted in lesbian women becoming an 'invisible' community. It is the assumption of heterosexuality that immediately places the lesbian woman at a disadvantage and this potentially may produce missed opportunities to provide individualised care to the lesbian client. The purpose of this work is to encourage discussion within nursing to challenge attitudes and the approach to women who identify as lesbian. The author hopes that this paper will contribute to the increasing body of knowledge in regard to this client group.

Abstract: Using a qualitative descriptive research design, this study explored nurses' knowledge and views on their talking therapy training and skills in practice. The study examined the use of talking therapies, or specialised interpersonal processes, embodied within the Te Ao Maramatanga: New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses Inc (2004) Standards of Practice for Mental Health Nurses in New Zealand. A survey questionnaire was sent to 227 registered nurses from a district health hoard mental health service and a sample of eight nurses participated in a semi-structured interview. Content analysis based on the headings “knowledge views, skill acquisition and skill transfer” established the major themes from the data collection processes. The findings confirmed that nurses believe their knowledge and skills in evidence-based talking therapies to be vitally important in mental health nursing practice. Nurses identified that talking therapy training courses needed to be clinically relevant and that some learning strategies were advantageous. The identification of some knowledge gaps for, nurses with limited post graduate experience, and for nurses who currently work in inpatient areas suggests that further consideration must be given to ensure that a cohesive, sustainable approach is ensured for progression of workforce development projects relevant to training in talking therapies for mental health nurses in New Zealand.