Post‐qualifying students' experiences of implementing skills acquired from a “hearing voices” module into routine clinical practice
| Date | 17 June 2011 |
| Pages | 85-92 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17556221111168931 |
| Published date | 17 June 2011 |
| Author | Jim Chapman,Mervyn Morris |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Post-qualifying students’ experiences
of implementing skills acquired from
a ‘‘hearing voices’’ module into routine
clinical practice
Jim Chapman and Mervyn Morris
Abstract
Purpose – Previous research into psychosocial interventions courses has identified a problem with the
uptake of newly acquired skills into routine practice. This paper seeksto analyse interviews of students
who have undertaken a module equipping them with recovery orientated skills to work with voice hearers
at one higher education institution, to establish if the same problems exist, if any new problems have
emerged and if any strategies can be employed to overcome these barriers.
Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were used to interview 45 previous
course participants in four focus groups about their experiences of implementing skills acquired from
the module into routine practice. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken by two people,
independent of one another and aided by the use of NVivo 8 software.
Findings – Three main themes were identified: organisational issues; resistance and process issues.
Management support can be a great enabling factor,as can effective clinical supervision. The readiness
of the individual to change and their perceived confidence to implementnew skills are important factors
as is the readiness from service users and their families to accept new ways of working.
Originality/value – Mental health educators need to be aware that although participants on a course
might ‘‘buy-in’’ to a new approach whilst undertaking a period of training, it is easy to slip into old
customs and practices. More robust and accessible supervision might help participants to ‘‘keep the
faith’’ with their new skills and knowledge, and may also help people feel more confident in trying out
new skills.
Keywords Psychosocial interventions, Auditory hallucinations, Recovery, Training, Education
Paper type Research paper
Background
New ways of working with people who hear voices have emerged over the last 25 years,
which promote a much more recovery orientated approach to the phenomenon, often
classified as psychosocial interventions (PSIs). The work in particular of Romme and Escher
(1989, 1993, 2000) has helped mental health professionals to begin to work more
constructively and openly with service users who hear voices. Far from attempting to
eliminate or stop voices from occurring, Romme and Escher advocate helping people to
cope with the experience, make sense of the inter-relationship between the voices and past
lived experiences and ultimately arrive at a point where the voice hearer becomes
empowered and in willful control of the voices, even going so far as to be able to engage in
meaningful dialogue with their voices, and to be able to tell the voices when to come and go.
Romme and Escher view the phenomenon of auditory hallucinations from a psychological
rather than medical perspective; that there is a link between the content of voices and
previous life events; that voices may be associated with unresolved trauma or feelings of
guilt; and that psychiatric medicine is unable to help people to fully overcome this problem.
DOI 10.1108/17556221111168931 VOL. 6 NO. 2 2011, pp. 85-92, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE 85
Jim Chapman is a Senior
Lecturer, Department of
Skills and Simulation,
Birmingham City University,
Birmingham, UK.
Mervyn Morris is the
Director of the Centre for
Community Mental Health,
Birmingham City University,
Birmingham, UK.
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