Every effort was made to develop educational content and tools that would support the CASN/ CFMHN (2015) competencies in mental health and addiction. The following table shows how each section of the guide aligns with various competencies.

 

PDF: Alignment between CASN/ CFMHN Entry-to-Practice Mental Health and Addiction Competencies and Sections in the Nurse Educator Mental Health and Addiction Resource

Process Recording

Process recording. (2016). In C. Forchuk, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing course work. London, ON: University of Western Ontario. Adapted with permission.

PDF: Process Recording

Criteria for Validation: Process Recording

Criteria for validation: Process Recording. (2016). In C. Forchuk, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing course work. London, ON: University of Western Ontario. Adapted with permission

PDF: Criteria for Validation: Process Recording

Criteria for Phase of Relationship: Process Recording

Criteria for phase of relationship: Process recording. (2016). In C. Forchuk, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing course work. London, ON: University of Western Ontario. Adapted with permission

PDF: Criteria for phase of relationship: Process Recording

Journaling Activity

Journaling activity. (2016). In C. Forchuk, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing course work. London, ON: University of Western Ontario. Adapted with permission.

Reflect on a life experience that involved significant joy, sadness, conflict, anger. Situate the experience historically, personally and socially by asking yourself: What were the circumstances? What events preceded the experience? Utilize the life world existential—lived space, lived body, lived time, and lived human relation—as guides to reflection.

Begin to write the story. Try to be as clear and descriptive as you can.

When you feel that you have completed the story, put it down. Walk away from it for awhile. Then return to it and reread it. Does it seem true to life? Do other memories surface as you revisit it? Add them if they do.

Reflect on the following and write a journal to summarize the following:

• What themes emerged within your story? How do those themes speak to you of your life experience?
• What did you become sensitive to within yourself through the process of reflecting upon and writing this story?
• Why do you believe that you chose this particular story? Why did these memories emerge? How do they speak to you of your life and of the significance of your experience to whom you are today?

Come to class prepared to share your process and the critical reflection revealed to you within your journal.

Safety and Comfort Plan

Reprinted from “Safety and comfort plan” by the Professional Practice Office, 2016, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Reprinted with permission.

Form is intended to capture the client’s perspective.

PDF: Safety and Comfort Plan

Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH)

The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is Canada’s largest mental health advocacy group. It is an alliance of mental health organizations comprised of health care providers as well as of the mentally ill and their families.

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is a national voluntary organization that promotes mental health and serves consumers and others through education, public awareness, research, advocacy, and direct services.

Disability Rights International (DRI)

Disability Rights International (DRI) is an advocacy organization dedicated to the recognition and enforcement of rights of people with mental disabilities.

Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is a non-profit organization created to focus national attention on mental health issues, to work to improve the mental health of Canadians, and to reduce the stigma associated with this disease.

Schizophrenia Society of Canada

This toolkit provides support and basis information regarding core concepts of advocacy and working with the media. It provides practical steps that are required by people living with mental illness, caregivers and supporters to start advocating (SSC, 2007).

World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH)

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) is the only international, multidisciplinary, grassroots advocacy and education mental health organization.

World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency for health. The objective set out in its constitution is the attainment, by all peoples, of the highest possible level of health.

Engaging Lived Experience

Tips for how educators can work with persons with lived experience, support groups and how to engage with them.

Prepared by Betty-Lou Kristy, Lived Experience/‘Family’ Advocate- Mental Health, Addiction, Trauma & Bereavement (2016)

Engaging lived or family experience to share journeys of struggle and/or recovery with mental health and addiction issues can be one of the most powerful and humanizing ways to pass on knowledge to nursing students. Personal lived experience journeys (stories) and the journeys of the supporting self-defined family members (caregivers) are great examples of personal experiences and demonstrate the impact of the broader determinants of health. Specifically, lived experience of people and families can speak to the complex reality people living with mental health and substance use issues, and help to break down stigma, misperceptions, fears and myths, while breathing life into knowledge exchange.

Some of the potential outcomes of sharing lived experience include:
»» Evidence of qualitative data, such as facts and mitigating emotions, that leads to more
fulsome evidence of human tragedy and resilience, what loss of hope and dignity can do to
a person and the power of human spirit; and
»» Profound teaching moments that express the feelings behind events, enabling learners to
experience how a situation feels.

Planning tips

Here are some things that need to be considered if you are inviting lived or family experience to become part of your choices for teaching, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Strengthening Your Voice Speakers Training.

BEFORE THE EVENT

Ensure you inform speakers of the following items:

• The intent of the event;
• The topic you would like them to talk about—this could include specific content you would like them to include or content you prefer they stay away from;
• How much time you are allotting them to speak;
• Who else will be speaking and what their role is (for example, peers with similar experiences, health care workers, parents, youth);
• Who the audience is (for example, general public, health care workers or students at a certain level or in a particular class);
• The date and time of the event;
• The location of the event and detailed directions to get there;
• Whether you can provide them with and set up any equipment they might need (for example, computer and screen);
• How you will let them know how much time they have left to speak, or that it is time to stop speaking; and
• That you appreciate their contribution to making the event a success.

Provide speakers with:

• A contact name and details of how and when they can reach that person;
• Practice time with the microphone during the setup; and
• Encouragement.

DURING THE EVENT

Provide speakers with:

• Water;
• Tissues; and
• Any help they might need (for example, with the microphone or other equipment, with the question-and-answer part of the event).

AFTER THE EVENT

Provide speakers with:

• An honorarium; and
• Reimbursement of their travel costs (for example, mileage, parking, public transportation) or any other expenses they may have incurred related to participating in the event. If possible, provide bus fare before the event.

HOW TO DEBRIEF WITH SPEAKERS

• Ask them, for example, how they’re feeling personally and how they’re feeling about the event itself.
• Give speakers feedback about how you think the event went, including feedback about their presentation. Make constructive comments about what worked well and why.
• If it is not possible to debrief immediately after the event, tell speakers you will call them the following day to debrief.

Honorarium and/or expense reimbursement

Consider the follow recommendations regarding honorarium and expense reimbursement.

• Ensure ahead of the event that the person’s travel, accommodation, event registration costs (if applicable), and meal needs related to the event are covered up front (if needed). Keep in mind that many people with lived experience can not afford to wait 30 to 60 days to be reimbursed.
• Offer support and flexibility in how an honorarium is given. Frequently people with lived experience have money concerns so it is helpful to make it clear that it is up to the person to report the income or not. Cash is best where feasible and safe. If they are really leery to accept money, you can negotiate things like grocery cards instead—as long as gift cards are a fallback tactic and not the default go-to method.

 

RESOURCES

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Strengthening Your Voice Public Speakers Guide

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2013). Strengthening your voice: A public speaking guide for people with lived experience of problems with prescription pain medication.

Newfoundland: CHANNAL Consumers Health Awareness Network Newfoundland and Labrador

Nova Scotia Self Help Connection

The Ontario Peer Development Initiative (OPDI) http://www.opdi.org/members.php
Mississauga Halton Enhancing & Sustaining Peer Support, TEACH http://www.t-e-a-c-h.org/
Manitoba is focused on LGBTQetc Peer Support Groups | Rainbow Resource Centre http://www.rainbowresourcecentre.org/peersupport/

Support Groups

eMentalHealth.ca

Youth Peer-to-Peer Support | Together to live

Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba

Saskatchewan: generalized peer support cross-disability

Peer Support | North Saskatchewan Living Centre

Calgary Peer Support Meetings

Peer Support Centre