Life Long Learning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) are the
processes by which professionals, such as nurses, develop and improve their
practice.
There are many ways to address CPD: formally, through attending courses,
study days and workshops; or informally, through private study and reflection.
Reading articles in professional journals is a good way of keeping up-to-date
with what is going on in the field of practice, but reflecting and identifying
what you have learnt is not always easy. These questions are designed to help
you to identify what you have learnt from studying the article. They will also
help you to clarify what you can apply to practice, what you did not understand
and what you need to explore further.
1. How many people does the Mental Health Foundation say will experience
some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year?
a) 1 in 3
b) 1 in 4
c) 1 in 5
d) 1 in 6
2. What percentage of drugs prescribed in the NHS are for mental health
problems?
a) 25 per cent
b) 33 per cent
c) 10 per cent
d) 20 per cent
3. In the definition of mental health under the DDA, what qualifies
mental illness?
a) The length of time
b) Recognition by a respected body of medical opinion
c) The number of episodes
d) Recognition by the Department of Health
4. What is the aim of the Working Minds campaign?
a) To undertake a study
b) To obtain mental health statistics
c) To lift the lid on one of society’s last taboos
d) To hold focus groups
5. Where can you read case histories about people’s experiences of mental
ill health at work?
a) Mind Out for Mental Health
b) CBI/DOH survey
c) HSE
d) Working Minds
6. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that influences the
likelihood of one suffering from stress?
a) Personality
b) Age
c) Past experiences
d) Genetic factors
7. Which company has signed up to the Working Minds partnership?
a) Boots
b) Zeneca
c) Marks & Spencer
d) The Post Office
8. What is the purpose of organisational behaviour modification?
a) To strengthen desirable behaviour and weaken undesirable behaviour,
creating a happier and more productive workforce
b) To weaken desirable behaviour and strengthen undesirable behaviour, creating
a happier and more productive workforce
c) To strengthen desirable behaviour and weaken undesirable behaviour
d) To weaken desirable behaviour and strengthen undesirable behaviour
9. The RCN survey sampled
a) 5,000 nurses with a 58.5 per cent response rate
b) 6,000 nurses with a 58.5 per cent response rate
c) 5,000 nurses with a 68.5 per cent response rate
d) 6,000 nurses with a 68.5 per cent response rate
10. The RCN survey identified a good employer as one that
a) Provides well-designed employee-friendly services
b) Values and consults staff
c) Provides a safe environment and protects and supports staff
d) All of the above
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1b); 2a); 3b) Revisit your information on the DDA and ensure you
understand and are conversant with the mental health aspects of disability. 4c)
Obtain a copy of the Working Minds document – you can download it from the
website www.workfoundation.com – and study it carefully. Consider how you can
implement the recommendations in your workplace. 5d) Read the case
histories in the Working Minds document. 6b) It was difficult to find an
answer which would not create stress in someone! 7c); 8a)
Find out more about organisational behaviour modification and discuss with a
respected colleague or your clinical supervisor if this would be relevant in
your organisation and what part occupational health could play. 9d)
Obtain a copy of this publication and consider how relevant the survey findings
are to organisations other than healthcare establishments. 10d) Review
this article and the documents relating to mental health promotion in the
workplace. Discuss with your colleagues how far your organisation and practice
go to establishing mental wellbeing in the workplace and consider what
improvements you can make at a meso and micro level.
