This revised and updated second edition is a rhetorical analysis of written communication in the mental health community. As such, it contributes to the growing body of research being done in rhetoric and composition studies on the nature of writing and reading in highly specialized professional discourse communities. Many compelling questions answered in this volume include: * What "ideological biases" are reflected in the language the nurse/rhetorician uses to talk to and talk about the patient? * How does language figure into the process of constructing meaning in this context? * What social interactions -- with the patient, with other nurses, with physicians -- influence the nurse's attempt to construct meaning in this context? * How do the readers of assessment construct their own meanings of the assessment? Based on an ongoing collaboration between composition studies specialists and mental health practitioners, this book presents research of value not only to writing scholars and teachers, but also to professional clinicians, their teachers, and those who read mental health records in order to make critically important decisions. It can also be valuable as a model for other scholars to follow when conducting similar long-range studies of other writing-intensive professions.

This revised and updated second edition is a rhetorical analysis of written communication in the mental health community. As such, it contributes to the growing body of research being done in rhetoric and composition studies on the nature of writing and reading in highly specialized professional discourse communities. Many compelling questions answered in this volume include: * What "ideological biases" are reflected in the language the nurse/rhetorician uses to talk to and talk about the patient? * How does language figure into the process of constructing meaning in this context? * What social interactions -- with the patient, with other nurses, with physicians -- influence the nurse's attempt to construct meaning in this context? * How do the readers of assessment construct their own meanings of the assessment? Based on an ongoing collaboration between composition studies specialists and mental health practitioners, this book presents research of value not only to writing scholars and teachers, but also to professional clinicians, their teachers, and those who read mental health records in order to make critically important decisions. It can also be valuable as a model for other scholars to follow when conducting similar long-range studies of other writing-intensive professions.

Qualitative Nursing Research addresses many of the problematic issues in qualitative research. Leading qualitative methodologists from orientations in phenomenology, grounded theory and ethnography contribute chapters on their favourite issues, which also form the bases for the `dialogues' which alternate with each chapter. With the exception of a few chapters that describe a single method, the problems discussed relate to every qualitative nursing project: improving the use of self; examining one's own culture; some myths and realities of qualitative sampling; debates about counting and coding data; and ethical issues in interviewing.

The accuracy and completeness of mental health records are crucial in the effective treatment of patients. In addition, such records can form the primary bases for profound legal decisions including civil litigation and involuntary commitment to an institution. This volume explains the importance of mental health records to patients, practitioners and third parties such as courts, employers, insurance companies as well as future patients and practitioners. The book is illustrated by `real life' comments by health professionals from a variety of backgrounds who describe their experiences of the often frustrating process of record keeping.

Each year, more than 33 million Americans receive health care for mental or substance-use conditions, or both. Together, mental and substance-use illnesses are the leading cause of death and disability for women, the highest for men ages 15-44, and the second highest for all men. Effective treatments exist, but services are frequently fragmented and, as with general health care, there are barriers that prevent many from receiving these treatments as designed or at all. The consequences of this are seriousâ€"for these individuals and their families; their employers and the workforce; for the nation's economy; as well as the education, welfare, and justice systems. Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions examines the distinctive characteristics of health care for mental and substance-use conditions, including payment, benefit coverage, and regulatory issues, as well as health care organization and delivery issues. This new volume in the Quality Chasm series puts forth an agenda for improving the quality of this care based on this analysis. Patients and their families, primary health care providers, specialty mental health and substance-use treatment providers, health care organizations, health plans, purchasers of group health care, and all involved in health care for mental and substanceâ€"use conditions will benefit from this guide to achieving better care.

This User’s Guide is intended to support the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and quality evaluation of registries created to increase understanding of patient outcomes. For the purposes of this guide, a patient registry is an organized system that uses observational study methods to collect uniform data (clinical and other) to evaluate specified outcomes for a population defined by a particular disease, condition, or exposure, and that serves one or more predetermined scientific, clinical, or policy purposes. A registry database is a file (or files) derived from the registry. Although registries can serve many purposes, this guide focuses on registries created for one or more of the following purposes: to describe the natural history of disease, to determine clinical effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of health care products and services, to measure or monitor safety and harm, and/or to measure quality of care. Registries are classified according to how their populations are defined. For example, product registries include patients who have been exposed to biopharmaceutical products or medical devices. Health services registries consist of patients who have had a common procedure, clinical encounter, or hospitalization. Disease or condition registries are defined by patients having the same diagnosis, such as cystic fibrosis or heart failure. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews.