911 for Women
Links to: professional organizations, domestic violence hotlines, sexual assault resources, sex harassment resources. From the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Domestic Abuse Warning Signs
Links include: potential indicators, stress related problems in children of abuse, progression of violence, how abusers stage a return, common characteristics of the batterer, dangers after separation, long term effects of abuse. From the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Domestic Violence Information Center
Links include: what you need to know, Internet resources, hotline information, Violence Against Women Act, events. Presented by the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Elder Abuse Definitions, Signs & Symptoms
Elder abuse is defined as the physical, sexual and/or emotional mistreatment, neglect or financial exploitation of the basic needs of an adult, sixty years of age or older by a spouse, family member, friend or acquaintance in a domestic setting, which results in harm to the elder adult. The elder adult may or may not be physically or mentally impaired. Self-neglect is included in the definition because almost half the cases of elder abuse that are reported involve self-neglect. See site for definitions of underlined topics.

Men's Rape Prevention Project
The Men's Rape Prevention Project provides presentations, workshops, and training and consulting services.

National Center on Elder Abuse
The Center performs elder abuse clearing house functions, develops and disseminates information, provides training and technical assistance, and conducts research and demonstration projects. Their site provides elder abuse statistics, outcomes of incidence studies and publications.

Partnerships Against Violence
Seven U.S. government agencies (U.S. Departments of Education, Agriculture, Labor, Justice, Defense, HHS, HUD) working to stop male violence. Links to: conference calendar, user's guide, other resources, programs, curricula, tech info..

Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
This is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that operates a national toll-free hotline for victims of sexual assault. Links to: what's new, health issues, classifieds, resources & links, activism, articles & speeches.

Rape Victim Advocacy Program
Site information includes: If you have been assaulted...., What to say to a rape survivor...., facts about sexual assault.

Red Flag Green Flag® Resources
Red Flag Green Flag® Resources supplies materials (workbooks, curriculum, coloring books, videos, resource packets) that cover the following topics:

• Sexual abuse prevention education 
• Child sexual abuse treatment 
• Children living in violent homes 
• Persons with developmental disabilities 
• Adult victims of domestic violence 
• Adolescent and adult victims of sexual assault

2. Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders

Adolescent Depression
From Internet Mental Health.

Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders Linked to Teen Parenthood
News Release from Harvard Medical School Office of Public Affairs.

Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses
This is a national nursing specialty organization for children and adolescent mental health. Links to: calendar, resources.

Mood Disorders  in Children and Adolescents
A 1999 article written by a Canadian Child Psychiatrist: emphasizes the similarities and differences between child and adult mood disorders.  This article emphasizes that mood disorders in the young are both prevalent and underdiagnosed..

Facts for Families
From the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, dozens of authoritative  educational handouts for parents and families about psychiatric disorders affecting children and adolescents. The website includes material on issues such as the depressed child, teen suicide, stepfamily problems and child sexual abuse. Information is available in English, Spanish and French.

National Runaway Switchboard
Telephone crisis hotline for youth, teens, and parents. Available to help, 24 hours a day. Links include: teen info, services for parents, bulletin board, programs & services, statistics, links.

Schizophrenia: Youth's Greatest Disabler
This site is produced by the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society. Offered links include: early warning signs, symptoms, The "Blame and Shame" Syndrome, How Schizophrenia Affects Families, stigma and discrimination.

Depression and Suicide in Children and Adolescents
From  the Surgeon General's report: Chapter 3.  See this link also.

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3. Anxiety/Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders Association Of America
The Association promotes the prevention and cure of anxiety disorders and works to improve the lives of all people who suffer from them. The association is made up of professionals who conduct research and treat anxiety disorders and individuals who have a personal or general interest in learning more about such disorders. 

Anxiety Network 
Site links to anxiety: information, help, disorders, articles.

Anxiety Panic Internet Resource, The
The Anxiety Panic Internet resource is a grass roots project involving thousands of people interested in anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, phobias, shyness, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior and post traumatic stress. This is a self-help network dedicated to the overcoming and curing of overwhelming anxiety.

ASAP Dictionary of Anxiety & Panic Disorders
This site offers definitions regarding anxiety and panic disorders, therapies, medications, herbal remedies, etc... as well as tables of related disorders, acronyms, statistics and historical chronology. Versions in English and Spanish.

Internet Mental Health
Diagnostic criteria for most anxiety disorders, both English and European versions. Information on treatments, medications included. Site links offered include: disorders, medications, what's new, magazine, diagnosis, Internet links.
 

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4. Childhood Psychiatric Disorders

Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses
This is a national nursing specialty organization for children and adolescent mental health. Links to: calendar, resources.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
At this site the visitor will find information on: child and adolescent psychiatry, fact sheets for parents and caregivers, current research, practice guidelines, managed care information.

Children's Mental Health: the Surgeon General's Agenda for Action

Autism Society of America
The mission of the Autism Society of America is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons within the autism spectrum and their families, to be fully included, participating members of their communities through advocacy, public awareness, education, and research related to autism. Site links to: getting started, news, mailing list.

Children and Anxiety
Links to: anxiety, panic disorders, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobia, social phobia, OCD, PTSD.

Children and Clinical Depression
Fact sheet from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adults
CHADD - an organiztion focused on information and advocacy for ADHD in all age groups. 

Conduct Disorder
Links include: information and articles, definitions, treatment.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Links include: information and articles, definitions, treatment.

The Individual Education Plan for Children with Disabilities: One Couple's Report of an Unpleasant IEP Experience

Mistakes Parents Can Make in Seeking Legally-Mandated Appropriate Education for their Children

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5. Community Mental Health Nursing

Assertive Community Treatment
One prominent model of care for severely mentally ill persons in the community.

MCARE
MCARE is the National Clearinghouse on Managed Care and Long-Term Services and Support for Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Their Families. It is funded through a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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6. Complementary/Somatic Therapies

American Holistic Nurses' Association
The American Holistic Nurses' Association is dedicated to bringing the concepts of holism to every arena of nursing practice. Links are offered to: description, mission, happenings/events, AHNA Certificate Program in Holistic Nursing.

Alternative Systems of Medical Practice
A scholarly essay containing information on alternative health systems, specifically Native Americans, Hispanics, Curanderismo (Latin America), Ayurveda (India), homeopathy, acupuncture, and naturopathy.

American Music Therapy Association
The purpose of the association is the progressive development of the therapeutic use of music in rehabilitation, special education, and community settings. The Association is committed to the advancement of education, training, professional standards, credentials, and research in support of the music therapy profession.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
A positive presentation from the perspective of a practicing psychiatrist. Other websites (example) are maintained by patients who report negative experiences from ECT.

Healing Touch International, Inc.
Healing Touch is a type of alternative healing using hands-on and energy-based techniques to balance and align the human energy field. Body, mind, emotion and spirit are touched through this therapeutic process, and each individual is empowered to participate fully in his or her healing.
 

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7. Crisis/Crisis Management

Crisis Resource Center at the University of Houston
The purpose of this website is to educate individuals about the resources available for situational, maturational and existential crises. 

Crises: Definition and Management.
An Australian website that offers a good overview of crisis managment from a somewhat medically-oriented perspective.
 

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8. Cross-Cultural/Transcultural

Disparities in Mental  Health of Minority Americans
A draft of the strategic plan for reducing  mental health disparities in minority Americans: National Institute of Mental Health..

Best Practices in Multicultural Health
One group's synthesis of what it takes to provide state-of-the art care across cultural divides.

Mental Health Issues of Resettled Refugees
This is an essay by a nurse from the EthnoMed site at Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.  A good review of the special problems that refugees face when they come to a country like the United States. 

Transcultural Nursing Society
Site links include: regional organizations, education, bookstore.

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9. Depression
 

National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association
The mission of the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association is to educate patients, families,professionals, and the public concerning the nature of depressive and manic-depressive illnesses as treatable medical diseases; to foster self-help for patients and families; to eliminate discrimination and stigma; to improve access to care; and to advocate for research toward the elimination of these illnesses. Site links include: calendar of events, starting a support group, patient/consumer support, depression, bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, education, advocacy, suicide, adolescent depression, clinical trials, publications.

Online Depression Screening Test
This online questionnaire will give the visitor a quick online evaluation and let them know if they may have significant depressive symptoms. For those who show signs of depression, the site offers resources for learning more about this disorder and suggestions for getting a professional evaluation. Hosted by New York University Department of Psychiatry.

Women and Depression
This site provides links to a variety of publications from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

One Nurse's Personal Depression Story

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10. Diagnostic Systems
 

I
North American Nursing Diagnosis Association
Located here is a set of nursing diagnoses adopted by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association. As compared to ICD-9-CM codes, which describe a disease or injury, the Association nursing diagnoses describe a patient's reactions to the disease. .
 
 

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11. Elderly Psychiatric Disorders

Alzheimer's Association
This is a national voluntary organization dedicated to researching the prevention, cures, and treatments of Alzheimer's Disease. Links to: the facts, taking care, medical issues, progress

Geriatrics - Pharmacologic Therapies in Dementia
Topics include: drug therapy of cognitive impairment, psychiatric and behavioral disorders, problem behaviors in dementia, drug therapy of psychiatric and behavioral disorders (or symptoms).

GeroWeb Virtual Library on Aging
The web and gopher servers listed in the GeroWeb Virtual Library on Aging contain information which may be useful to those interested in gerontology, geriatrics, the process of aging, services for the elderly, or the concerns of senior citizens in general. 

Tips for Caregivers on Selecting a Nursing Home

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12. Epidemiology

Epidemiology of Mental Illness
A brief review of major epidemiologic studies.

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13. Ethical/Legal Issues

Mental Disability Rights International
Mental Disability Rights International is a non-governmental advocacy organization dedicated to the recognition and enforcement of the rights of people with mental disabilities. Links include: what's new, publications, international standards.

National Coalition for Patient Rights
This is a non-profit organization dedicated to the premise that patients have the right to privacy when they consult a health-care professional. The interests of employers, insurers, government agencies, police and others should not be allowed to supersede that basic right. 

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14. Family Therapy

Description of Family Therapy
"A day in the life" of a PhD family therapist. Along with psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers, family therapists are among the professionals with whom a nursing student may interact during their psychiatric mental health experience.  While family therapists focus on this form of psychotherapy, in many settings family therapy is performed by other practitioners - including psychiatric nurses.

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15. Group Therapy

Group Therapy
A brief discussion of this form of therapy. 

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16. Homelessness

Mental Illness and Homelessness
This site offers a fact sheet on homelessness and mental illness which provides a good description of the relationship between the two. Some experts would likely give more emphasis to  deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill (and especially the major cuts in community services during the Reagan years) as a cause of the increase in homelessness seen in the 1980s.

National Alliance to End Homelessness
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to solving the problems of homelessness and to preventing its continued growth. 

National Coalition for the Homeless
The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national advocacy network of homeless persons, activists, service providers, and others committed to ending homelessness through public education, policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and technical assistance. Additional features include: homeless voices, facts about homelessness and substance abuse/mental illness/domestic violence,  current legislative and policy issues, a directory of state and national homeless/housing advocacy organizations; a directory of local homeless organizations, Internet resources.

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17. Incarceration

Mental Illness and Incarceration: The Link
A brief discussion of the statistics, explanations, and potential interventions around the link between mental illness and the criminal justic system.

National Prison Hospice Association
The National Prison Hospice Association exists to promote hospice care for terminally ill inmates and those facing the prospect of dying in prison.
 
 

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18. Individual Psychotherapy

CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) Web Site
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is comprised of both cognitive and behavioral techniques. The premise underlying a cognitive-behavioral orientation is that difficulties in living, relationships, general health, etc., have their origin in (and are maintained by) both cognitive and behavioral factors. Written by a psychologist "advertising" his own institute, this is a lucid explanation of a form of individual psychotherapy which has been shown in careful clinical trials to be effective for the treatment of a number of disorders.

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychoanalytic Therapy
Psychoanalysis was for many years the most prominent form of individual psychotherapy and is still of interest to many clients and therapists.  This site offers particularly good brief answers to questions that students (and prospective clients) may have about psychoanalysis.
 

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19. Mania

National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association - Fact Sheet on Bipolar Disorder
The mission of the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association is to educate patients, families, professionals, and the public concerning the nature of depressive and manic-depressive illnesses as treatable medical diseases; to foster self-help for patients and families; to eliminate discrimination and stigma; to improve access to care; and to advocate for research toward the elimination of these illnesses. Links to: calendar of events, starting a support group, support groups, patient/consumer support, education, advocacy, ask the doctors, clinical trials underway, bookstore catalog.

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20. Nursing History and Psychiatric Nursing

American Association for the History of Nursing
American Association for the History of Nursing is a professional organization open to everyone interested in the history of nursing. This page is a collection of internet links on nursing history.   The focus is on American nursing, but there are a number of Canadian and European references.

Scope and Standards of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice - Draft 2000

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21. Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder
Site links include: description (American/European), diagnosis, treatment, research, booklets, magazine articles, Internet links.

Avoidant Personality Disorder
A  nice site with several lengthy first person accounts by persons who believe they have avoidant personality disorder.

BPD Central
This site offers a collection of resources about Borderline Personality Disorder. Links offered include: basics of BPD, abuse, programs and therapists, Internet resources.

Narcisism
Recognizing narcissism and living with a narcissist: both can be challenges. 

Passive Aggressivity
While not strictly a personality disorder with DSM IV, passive aggressivity is a human trait that psychiatric nurses should understand.

Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire
The questionnaire is a user-friendly interactive program that determines the presence of personality disorders consistent with the DSM--IV, Axis II. It can be used by psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors and other mental health professionals to aid in the diagnosis or screening of patients. Personality disorders evaluated include: schizoid, depressive, histrionic, borderline, antisocial, dependent, obsessive compulsive.
 

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22. Physical Conditions and Emotional Distress

Treating the Whole Patient
A brief summary of what some term consultation-liaison psychiatry: addressing the psychiatric needs of clients with physical illness.  While this article is "doctor-oriented", many nurses practice consultation-liaison psychiatric nursing.

Psycho-Oncology
World-wide list of programs providing team-oriented psychological assistance to clients with cancer.

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23. Psychopharmacology
 

Comprehensive Psychotropic Drug Listings
An excellent listing of most psychotropic medications with discussions of clinical pharmacology, indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, adverse reactions, and dosage.  The extraordinary power of  this site is that each drug has a "research information" link which does automatically formatted Medline searches on 19 topics specifically related to that drug.  The searches are rapid and effective.  The site is Canadian, and some of the drug names (and probably information given) may differ from that in US sources.

Psychopharmacology Seminar
A series of 45 essays on major topics in psychopharmacology presented by academic pharmacists and pharmacologists at the University of Iowa.  Most are regularly updated. 

Psychotropic Medications During Pregnancy
A good review, though data reported only to 1998.

Psychotropic Medication for Children
A brief commentary from the US National Institutes of Health about an important 1999 series of articles about the safety of medications for children. Useful comments and a good reference to these articles.

Appropriate Use of Psychotropic Medications in the Elderly
A 2000 review article authored by a pharmacist and a geriatrician emphasizing  federal regulations affecting psychopharmacology of nursing home residents.

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24. Psychosomatic Illness

Center for the Advancement of Health
The Center for the Advancement of Health has as its central focus the integration of behavioral counseling and change into clinical care.
 
 

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25. Research

Sourcebook on Mental Health Nursing Research
This link is to a book published in 2001 which summarizes nursing research relevant to setting best clinical practice.

National Institute of Nursing Research
The National Institute of Nursing Research supports research on the biological and behavioral aspects of critical health problems that confront the Nation. Particular emphasis is placed on subsets of the population who have special health problems and needs, such as older people, women and minorities, and residents of rural areas. Site links to: organization/staff; news/events; documents/publications; extramural/intramural research. 

26. Schizophrenia

Doctor's Guide to Schizophrenia Information and Resources
This site claims to offer the latest medical news and information for patients or friends/parents of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related disorders. Current content includes: medical news and alerts, schizophrenia information, discussion groups and newsgroups, related sites.

I Have Schizophrenia
A Canadian perspective on illness, treatment, and community services by a person living with  schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia and Life Stresses
Does stress increase the probability that a susceptible person will develop symptoms of schizophrenia?
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27. Self-Care Modalities

Sleep - a Cartoon Movie
Pretty simple because it's for kids, but explains the basics of sleep including REM and NREM cycles. Cute!! Also has films on "brain" and ADHD.

Sleep and Sleep Disorders
An authoritative medically-oriented essay with good discussion on "sleep hygiene" for sel-improvement of sleep

Exercise and Mental Health.
Focuses on anxiety and depression for which the most evidence exists.

Stress and Stress Reduction.
One Nursing professor's thoughts on reducing stress.

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28. Self-Regulation Disorders

"Something Fishy"
Eating Disorders: A comprehensive site with much information.

Gender Identity Disorders
A useful set of "standards of care" for counseling, medical, and surgical treatments of individuals whose gender identity is in conflict with their genetic makeup.

Sexual Paraphilias
Also contains links to information on sex and sexual dysfunction. 

Sleep Disorders
Information offered at this page include: insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep forums.

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29. Stress

Stress and Stress Reduction.
One Nursing professor's thoughts on reducing stress.

Plain Talk About... Handling Stress
From the Plain Talk Series National Institute of Mental Health.

Schizophrenia and Stress

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30. Substance Use/Abuse

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
"Alcohol and  Drug Facts"

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
The Council provides education, information, and help in the fight against the chronic, often fatal disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions. Site information includes: advocacy information, affiliates, awareness activities, health information, on-line communication center, parents information, prevention programs, publications, resource & referral guide, youth information.

Web of Addictions Fact Sheets
Multiple fact sheets on drug and alcohol topics.

National Institute of Drug Abuse
Large federal site with a variety of information.

Treatment Protocols
This site lists over two dozen substance abuse "TIPs"  (treatment protocols and other guidelines) available for downloading.  

The "War on Drugs" - Keeping Drugs Out vs. Treating those On Drugs

Binge Drinking Among College Students - Preliminary Report of On-Going Study
An audio file for listening rather than reading.

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31. Suicide Prevention

American Association of Suicidology
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. The site contains statistics and links to information about Federal and other national efforts at prevention. There is also a useful discussion of suicide warning signs.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to advancing knowledge of suicide and the ability to prevent it. Links offered include: research, depression and suicide, suicide support, neurobiology and suicide, suicide facts, assisted suicide, youth suicide, suicide and AIDS.

Suicide Prevention Triangle
This site includes online self assessment scales and downloadable text. Many relevant links.
 
 

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32. Theory

American Psychoanalytic Association
Site links offered include: public information, literature search, meetings, bookshop, programs, links. This site also includes the Psychoanalytic Virtual Bookshop which offers quick access to books on various psychoanalytic topics including: psychoanalysis, transference, resistance, object relations, subjectivity, Kohut, theory, sexuality, Winnicott, Bowlby, A. Freud, confidentiality, M. Klein, child developmetn adolescents, ethics.

Nursing Theories
This site is a working space that is developing a collection of resources about various nursing theories.

Parse Page
Found here are resources for those interested in the nursing theory, Parse's Theory of Human Becoming.

Modeling and Role Modeling
A Nursing Theory developed by Helen Erickson at the University of Texas and highly relevant to Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing.

Unitary Health Care - Rogerian Theory

Pelpau's Theory - Comments in Passing

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