The Experiences of Nurses With Mental Health Problems: Colleaguesʹ Perspectives

A 3-stage qualitative study conducted in 2008 aimed to explore the issues to inform a mental health education program to deliver to nurses. This article presents the findings of Stage 1. Data were collected from semistructured interviews conducted with 14 Australian nurses. The interviews explored nursesʹ knowledge and understanding of mental health problems and their workplace experiences of working with nurses with mental health problems. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for the main themes: textbook knowledge, day-to-day support, and workplace considerations. These nursesʹ narratives guided the implementation of a mental health education workshop targeting nurses (Stage 2).