Agnes Higgins - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Agnes Higgins

is an ESRC PhD student researching spirituality, mental health and mental health recovery at the ... more is an ESRC PhD student researching spirituality, mental health and mental health recovery at the University of Nottingham. Prior to this she worked in a diverse range of mental health and therapeutic roles, including seven years as a spiritual care practitioner and spirituality lead in the NHS. Katja has a passionate interest in spirituality and has explored a wide variety of practices, approaches and belief systems throughout her adult life.

The current emphasis within Irish mental health service policy is on promoting a partnership appr... more The current emphasis within Irish mental health service policy is on promoting a partnership approach between users of services, families and practitioners within an ethos of recovery. One strategy to promote this philosophy is the development of peer led educational interventions for both users and family members. The literature suggests that peer led programmes can have positive outcomes in terms of enhanced knowledge, empowerment and support. To date, the majority of programmes evaluated tended to be developed by practitioners and delivered either through the use of a clinician or peer model. In addition, there is a dearth of studies evaluating collaborative peer and clinician led educational interventions for people experiencing mental health diffi culties or educational interventions developed in partnership with users and family members, which is the focus of the EOLAS project.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Research has shown that people bereaved by suicide have an increased risk of mental health proble... more Research has shown that people bereaved by suicide have an increased risk of mental health problems, suicidality and associated stigma, as well as higher rates of sick leave and increased rates of receiving disability pensions. Peer-led suicide bereavement support groups are perceived to enhance people’s recovery by enabling shared experiences with others who are bereaved in similar circumstances. The aim of the research was to explore the viewpoints of participants living in Denmark and the Republic of Ireland on these peer-led support groups. This study focused on how the participants experienced being part of the peer-led support and how the participation affected them. We conducted four focus groups, two in Denmark and two in the Republic of Ireland, and two individual interviews, involving a total of 27 people bereaved by suicide. Data were analyzed thematically. The participants’ experiences in the peer-led support groups were in contrast to what they had experienced in their ...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

Suicide bereavement support groups are a widely available format of postvention service. Although... more Suicide bereavement support groups are a widely available format of postvention service. Although other reviews have addressed peer-led bereavement interventions, no review has focused specifically on peer-led support for people bereaved by suicide. Informed by a framework for undertaking scoping reviews, we conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches conducted in May 2021 of peer-reviewed literature in MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), EMBASE (Elsevier), AMED (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Web of Science (Core Collection), ASSIA (Proquest), and Global Index Medicus. The search was not limited by language, and all studies were included to full text screening. The search identified 10 studies conducted between 1994 and 2020 in five countries. The selected papers were subjected to quality assessment. The interventions included face-to-face groups, telephone and online groups/forums and were evaluated using a variety of methodologies, wh...

I would also like to thank the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPP) for providing financial suppo... more I would also like to thank the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPP) for providing financial support. Our particular thanks to Maeve O Brien of the CPP for contributing her research expertise to the tendering process and the review of the final document.

International journal of older people nursing, Jan 22, 2014

The specific healthcare needs and concerns for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT... more The specific healthcare needs and concerns for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons have not been explored to any degree within Ireland. The aim of this paper, which is part of a larger study, is to detail older LGBT persons' usage, experiences and concerns with accessing healthcare services, disclosing their LGBT identity to professionals, preferences for care and their suggestions for improvement in services, including nursing services. A mixed methods research design combining quantitative survey and qualitative interview approaches of equal significance was used. 144 respondents completed an 84-item questionnaire concerning their use of healthcare services, experiences and needs. The qualitative phase involved in-depth interviews where 36 participants' experiences and concerns around health services were explored more in-depth. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative analysis employed the constant comparative proce...

European Journal of Palliative Care

International Journal of Nursing Practice, 2006

Nurses, by virtue of the close relationship with patients, are in a unique position to promote se... more Nurses, by virtue of the close relationship with patients, are in a unique position to promote sexual health and provide sexual health advice to people in their care. Although nurses espoused the ideals of person‐centred and holistic care, evidence from research studies suggested that, for a number of reasons, nurses did not consciously and proactively engage with patients in relation to sexual concerns. In today health‐care environment, where patients are seeking information about the impact of illness and treatments on their sexual function, nurses have a responsibility to proactively engage with patients’ sexual health concerns in an informed and sensitive manner. The aim of this paper is to provide nurses with guidelines on how they might include this aspect of care within their everyday work.

Schizophrenia Research, 2014

Nurse education in practice, 2003

Despite the available literature that identifies the value of integrating computer-assisted learn... more Despite the available literature that identifies the value of integrating computer-assisted learning into the curriculum, psychiatric nurse education lags behind in this area of curriculum development. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot project involving the use of a computer assisted learning (CAL) interactive multimedia (IMM) package called 'Admissions,' as a self-directed learning tool with two-second year psychiatric nursing students. The students were on a practice placement in an Irish mental health service. The aim of using the multimedia resource was to augment the students' learning during their practice placement and enable them to re-examine the issue of psychosis from a multiplicity of perspectives. This paper provides a brief description of the interactive multimedia package, together with a discussion on the support offered to the students during its use. experiential taxonomy is used as a framework to guide the discussion on the learning and...

Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 2011

Nurse Education Today, 2009

The World Health Organisation first identified, in 1975, the need for health professionals to be ... more The World Health Organisation first identified, in 1975, the need for health professionals to be educated in the area of sexuality. Since then, studies exploring aspects of educational preparation of general nurses in relation to sexuality, found that there was an 'absence' of education in this area of practice. This paper reports findings on the educational discourses that shape mental health nurses' understandings of sexuality. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 27 consenting mental health nurses working in the Republic of Ireland. Data were analysed using the principles of Grounded Theory. Findings suggest that participants were exposed to a subtle network of legitimised sexual discourses during primary, secondary, and professional socialisation. These discourses provided participants with a view of sexuality that emphasised taboo, privatisation, pathology, and control. Social, political, or rights-based discourses that could have provided participants with the knowledge and clinical competence necessary to include sexuality in an open and confident manner within the horizons of nursing practice were absent. These findings challenge educators involved in curriculum development to rethink the fundamental philosophy that is shaping mental health nursing curricula. They also challenge educators to rethink their ideas around the meaning of 'absence' in relation to education.

Nurse Education Today, 2014

Background: Nursing and midwifery education have comparatively recently moved into academia in Ir... more Background: Nursing and midwifery education have comparatively recently moved into academia in Ireland. In 2002, nurse tutors who were qualified to Master's degree level assimilated into the third-level sector. Only 11 of the 35 staff (31%) in one university School held, or were undertaking, a PhD. In 2006, children's nursing and midwifery tutors also moved into third-level institutions. The culture of all assimilating tutors was focussed on teaching, rather than research. Objectives: The School set ambitious plans to develop the research abilities of all academics, setting the goal that 75% of academic staff would either hold, or be undertaking, a PhD by 2010. Objectives were also set to increase external research funding, peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Methods: A combination of sabbatical leaves, student stipends and periods of reduced teaching load was introduced to provide staff with protected time for doctoral studies. Funding for conference and research expenses was provided, based on the previous year's research output of publications, conference presentations and external funding submissions. Results: By October 2010, 79% of the 66 School staff either had (n = 23), or were conducting (n = 29), PhDs, surpassing goals set. Peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations had increased by N20% per year and external research funding totalled €6,351,101 for the previous 5 years. Conclusions: Strong research leadership, generous support and liberal encouragement can change a predominantly teaching-focussed culture to one of academic research excellence. This increase in research expertise will lead to better patient/client care and improved education of nursing and midwifery students.

Nurse Education in Practice, 2002

Within this paper a review of the literature on the area of reflection and reflective practice is... more Within this paper a review of the literature on the area of reflection and reflective practice is presented. Lecturers at Trinity College Dublin currently face a dilemma with regard to including these concepts in the nursing curricula. They are faced on the one hand with national recommendations for the use of reflection and reflective practice, and on the other with personal and professional concerns about the practical, legal, ethical and moral implications raised in teaching and assessing this subject. The literature reveals that there is little consensus of opinion regarding the exact nature of reflection. There is also little empirical evidence to support the benefits of teaching and assessing of reflection or reflective practice from either an educational or clinical perspective. This, together with the practical difficulties of teaching and assessing reflection, may negate against the incorporation of reflection and reflective practice into the nursing curriculum. It is suggested that, rather than isolate reflection as a distinct topic, that the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, self-awareness and analysis be developed within the curriculum.

Nurse Education in Practice, 2006

The rapidly changing and developing arenas of biological and medical technology, coupled with a m... more The rapidly changing and developing arenas of biological and medical technology, coupled with a myriad of social concerns and issues affecting individual, family and societal health, necessitates that nursing practitioners engage themselves fully with patients in the pursuit of health and healing. The above factors have not only served as catalysts in the development of educational curricula in general but also nursing curricula. Reflection in these curricula is often considered an appropriate vehicle for the analysis of nursing practice, fostering not only an understanding of nurse&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s work but also the development of critically thoughtful approaches essential for providing nursing care in complex environments [Duke, S., Appleton, J., 2000. The use of reflection in a palliative care programme: a qualitative study of the development of reflective skills over an academic year. J. Adv. Nurs. 32 (6), 1557-1568]. Consequently, nurse educators are being called upon to develop nurses who are reflective practitioners. The focus of this paper is on an exploration of issues that arose from the implementation of reflective sessions with a group of qualified nurses undertaking a diploma in nursing. This paper addresses the challenges experienced in the introduction of reflection as a teaching method. Recommendations for other lecturers when using this approach are also provided. It is anticipated this paper will provide practical advice and guidance for educators who wish to use reflective sessions to enhance the educational experience of their nursing students.

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2006

In recent years a growing body of evidence has highlighted the impact of neuroleptics and antidep... more In recent years a growing body of evidence has highlighted the impact of neuroleptics and antidepressants on sexual function. Research from a service user's perspective suggested that service users are dissatisfied with the information that they received on drugs, and would like more education, in particular, on the side effects of medication that impact on sexual function. This paper reports some of the findings of a grounded theory study that explored how psychiatric nurses responded to issues of sexuality in practice. Emphasis within the paper is given to how nursing staff addressed the side effects of drugs that impact on sexual function. Findings suggested that nurse addressed the issue of prescribed medication and sexual function in practice, using a 'Veiling Sexualities Cycle', which had three subcategories: 'Hanging the Veil', 'Lifting the Veil' and 'Re-veiling'. In the light of contemporary mental health policy, findings from the study are discussed and recommendations for practice and education made.

Journal of Nursing Management, 2013

Factors influencing advanced practitioners' ability to enact leadership: a case study within Iris... more Factors influencing advanced practitioners' ability to enact leadership: a case study within Irish healthcare Aim To report the factors that influence clinical specialists' and advanced nurse practitioners' ability to enact their clinical and professional leadership roles; findings from the SCAPE study. Background The importance of leadership for specialist and advanced practitioners is highlighted in the international literature and is considered an important factor in the provision of improved patient outcomes. Despite many studies identifying the barriers in developing and integrating new specialist/ advanced practice roles into health services, little is known about the factors that influence the leadership dimension of their role. Method A case study design involving 23 clinical specialist/advanced practitioners working in Ireland and multidisciplinary team members working with them, was used. Data were collected using interview, observation and documentary analysis. Results Four mediating factors influence the specialist/advanced practitioner's ability to perform a leadership role, namely the presence of a framework for the professional development of the role; opportunities to act as leaders; mechanisms for sustaining leadership; and personal attributes of practitioners. Conclusion and implications for nursing management Nursing/midwifery leaders and managers at all levels have a key role in supporting leadership potential, through countering the negative impact of professional isolation, expanding opportunities for specialist/advanced practitioners to influence policy and network with wider professional groups.