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Abstract

Introduction

Antipsychotic medications play a significant role in the treatment and recovery of people with several psychiatric disorders. However, research findings indicate mental health nurses are insufficiently knowledgeable about antipsychotic medication side effects.

Aim

To assess practising mental health nurses’ knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects using a Multiple‐Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) across National Health Service (NHS) Trusts in England.
Hypothesis

Knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects amongst registered mental health nurses is related to their academic qualification, clinical banding and length of experience.

Method

A national survey of registered mental health nurses was carried out using an online questionnaire which was disseminated by Research and Development departments.
Results

504 questionnaires were returned, 245 of which had full data and further analysed. The mean score for the sample was 14.4 and only 21 participants attained a mark of >80%.

Implications for Practice

Two out of three of our hypotheses (that length of experience and clinical banding are directly related to knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects) were supported.

Our study found many nurses have a suboptimal working knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects which has the potential to compromise care. Strategies need to be put in place to enhance pharmacology knowledge.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This accepted version is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Begum, F., Mutsatsa, S., Thomas, B., Gull, N. and Flood, C. (2019). Antipsychotic medication side effects knowledge amongst registered mental health nurses in England: A National Survey. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, which has been published in final form at doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12600. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Subjects:	R Medicine > RT Nursing
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Nursing

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