Michelle Murphy
Dublin City University, School of Nursing and Human Sciences, Graduate Student
Head injuries are a common national health problem that result in behavioural, emotional and physical sequelae impacting the lives of many. Within an Irish context there are gaps in social science research, particularly counsellors’... more
Head injuries are a common national health problem that result in behavioural, emotional and physical sequelae impacting the lives of many. Within an Irish context there are gaps in social science research, particularly counsellors’ experiences of working with ABI Therefore, understanding counsellors’ experiences of working with this client group is a necessary stepping stone in the identification of long term service provision and requirements.
A qualitative approach is used to explore counsellors’ experiences. Nine participants are included in this study which encompasses face to face, semi-structured interviews.
The current study provides evidence for the development of a bio-psychosocial approach towards service delivery, involving consistent interagency communication. Reports from the counsellors suggest one of the overriding problems within the counselling services at present is the lack of family support. Another key finding is the participants’ requests for improved training in order to
work effectively with this population. These findings are particularly promising and could contribute to the development of clinical practice guidelines. Until that time, this report can be seen as contributory to future research and future service provision, thus improving the quality of care provided to those affected by acquired brain injury.
A qualitative approach is used to explore counsellors’ experiences. Nine participants are included in this study which encompasses face to face, semi-structured interviews.
The current study provides evidence for the development of a bio-psychosocial approach towards service delivery, involving consistent interagency communication. Reports from the counsellors suggest one of the overriding problems within the counselling services at present is the lack of family support. Another key finding is the participants’ requests for improved training in order to
work effectively with this population. These findings are particularly promising and could contribute to the development of clinical practice guidelines. Until that time, this report can be seen as contributory to future research and future service provision, thus improving the quality of care provided to those affected by acquired brain injury.
Research Interests:
Stroke is typically associated with the elderly population but can occur at any age. Worldwide, the absolute numbers of stroke are on the rise, with a notable increase in strokes among young adults. Despite its prevalence, there is a... more
Stroke is typically associated with the elderly population but can occur at any age. Worldwide, the absolute numbers of stroke are on the rise, with a notable increase in strokes among young adults. Despite its prevalence, there is a paucity of research specific to the experiences of young adult haemorrhagic stroke survivors. Typically, research has focused on older adults or on the experiences of those who have suffered an ischaemic stroke. Other research does not differentiate between stroke subtypes, despite the fact that risk factors and clinical recoveries differ between ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke. This study, therefore, aimed to gain a theoretical and a practical understanding of how haemorrhagic stroke impacts the lives of young adult stroke survivors who are living in the community. This study used a qualitative approach to address this issue and a Classic Grounded Theory methodology was adopted. Six semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were conducted with young adu...