Dr Nicola Evans
Reader: Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Psychosocial Care
- evansng@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44(0) 29 206 87298
- 2nd floor, Cardigan House, Heath Campus, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
- Available for postgraduate supervision
I currently work as a Reader in Mental Health Nursing. My main area of interest that spans my teaching, research and engagement activity is how services operate to support the mental health of children and young people. I found during my clinical work with children and young people that they responded very quickly to support, so I believe that if we can provide the right type of support to the child or young person and their family in a timely fashion, they recover quicker and manage to quickly resume to their normal life.
My PhD was an action research study with a local children's mental health service where we worked together to reduce their unsatisfactory waiting list for their service, using a bespoke triage model (http://www.fons.org/library/journal/volume4-issue1/article7) .
I enjoy teaching and supervising students at undergraduate and post graduate levels, and am happy to supervise doctoral students interested in mental health and/or using qualitative methods.
Prior to working at Cardiff University, I worked in clinical practice in an outpatient service for children and young people with mental health needs. I also worked in forensic mental health care, both inpatient and community services, as well as a mental health adnmission unit. Having trained in CBT for Children and Adolescents and in systemic family therapy, I worked collaboratvely and therapeutically with children, parents, adults and families.
2019
- Evans, N., Edwards, D. J. and Carrier, J. 2019. Admission and discharge criteria for adolescents requiring inpatient or residential mental health care. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports (10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-004020)
2018
- Evans, N. and Edwards, D. 2018. Admission and discharge criteria for adolescents requiring inpatient or residential mental health care: A scoping review protocol. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports 16(10), pp. 1906–1911. (10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003790)
- Evans, N. and Stringfellow, A. 2018. Working with families and carers. In: Norman, I. and Ryrie, I. eds. The Art and Science of Mental Health Nursing: Principles and Practice. Open University Press, pp. 543-554.
- Stringfellow, A., Evans, N. and Evans, A. 2018. Understanding the impact of eating disorders: using the reflecting team as a learning strategy for students. British Journal of Nursing 27(3) (10.12968/bjon.2018.27.3.117)
2017
- Evans, N.et al. 2017. Using the nominal group technique to involve young people in an evidence synthesis which explored 'risk' in inpatient mental healthcare. Research Involvement and Engagement 3, article number: 16.
- Evans, N. 2017. Experiences of a child and adolescent mental health service. Nursing Children and Young People 29(5), pp. 41-45. (10.7748/ncyp.2017.e832)
2016
- Evans, N. and Hopkinson, J. B. 2016. How action researchers use anxiety to facilitate change in health care. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 25(11-12), pp. 1674-1682. (10.1111/jocn.13186)
- Evans, N. and Whitcombe, S. 2016. Using circular questions in qualitative research. Nurse Researcher 23(3), pp. 26-29. (10.7748/nr.23.3.26.s6)
- Evans, N. and Hannigan, B. eds. 2016. Therapeutic skills for mental health nurses. Open University Press.
2015
- Edwards, D. J.et al. 2015. What do we know about the risks for young people moving into, through and out of inpatient mental health care? Findings from an evidence synthesis. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 9, article number: 55. (10.1186/s13034-015-0087-y)
- Hannigan, B.et al. 2015. An evidence synthesis of risk identification, assessment and management for young people using tier 4 inpatient child and adolescent mental health services. Health Services and Delivery Research 3(22) (10.3310/hsdr03220)
2014
- Evans, N. 2014. Improving the timeliness of mental health assessment for children and adolescents in a multidisciplinary team. International Practice Development Journal 4(1), article number: 7.
- Evans, N. 2014. Exploring the contribution of safe uncertainty in facilitating change. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2013
- Evans, N. and Evans, A. 2013. Introducing nursing students to solution focused therapy. British Journal of Nursing 22(12), pp. 1222-1227.
- Hannigan, B. and Evans, N. 2013. Critical junctures in health and social care: Service user experiences, work and system connections. Social Theory & Health 11(4), pp. 428-444. (10.1057/sth.2013.16)
2012
- Young, N., Evans, N. and Bowring-Lossock, F. 2012. The practice engagement framework: a framework that assists the identification and development of the clinical role for lecturers in mental health nursing. Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice 7(1), pp. 42-46., article number: 10.1108/17556221211230589.
2006
- Evans, N. G. and Edmunds, L. 2006. Selecting a topic. In: Allen, D. and Lyne, P. eds. The reality of nursing research: politics, practices and processes. Abingdon: Routledge
2005
- Evans, N. 2005. Domestic violence: recognising the signs. Paediatric Nursing 17(2), pp. 14-16. (10.7748/paed2005.02.17.1.14.c958)
2004
- Evans, N. and Potter, R. 2004. Treating PTSD in adolescents. Mental Health Nursing 24(6), pp. 14-18.
- Potter, R. and Evans, N. 2004. Child psychiatry, mental disorder and the law. Is a more specific statutory framework necessary?. British Journal of Psychiatry 184, pp. 1-2. (10.1192/bjp.184.1.1)
2000
- Evans, N. G. 2000. Working with families of forensic patients. Nursing Times 96(38), pp. 40-41.
- Evans, N. G. 2000. Measuring the value of a lecturer practitioner in forensic nursing. Nursing Management -Harrow- 6(10), pp. 14-18.
1999
- Evans, N. G. 1999. Preparing nurses to work effectively in the prison environment. British Journal of Nursing 8(19), pp. 1324-1329.
- Evans, N. G. and Clarke, J. 1999. Addressing issues of sexuality. In: Chaloner, C. and Coffey, M. eds. Forensic Mental Health Nursing: Current Approaches. UK: Blackwell Science, pp. 252-268.
1996
- Evans, N. G. 1996. Defining the role of the forensic community mental health nurse. Nursing Standard 10(49), pp. 35-37.
I contribute to the undergraduate nursing programme, specifically teaching children's mental health issues, psychotherapeutic approaches, use of evidence in health and research methods. I also supervise dissertations. I enjoy small group teaching and facilitating experiential learning sessions for mental health nursing students to acquire and rehearse their much needed skills for clinical practice.
At post graduate level, I supervise MSc dissertations: systematic reviews and work based projects. This can be across topic area. I also lead a professional doctorate module: Systems thinking: working and leading in complex organisations.
I am a qualitative researcher, interested and experienced in case study design, action research ad ethnographic methods. I also am interested in systematic reviews, an trained in Joanna Briggs institute reviews and have a scoping project commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiattrists in process https://journals.lww.com/jbisrir/Fulltext/2018/10000/Admission_and_discharge_criteria_for_adolescents.2.aspx
I am currently co-investigator on an NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme project which is developing a service model for children and young people with common mental health problems: https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/hsdr/170908
Another funded NIHR study I have been involved in examined the evidence of how 'risk' is assessed and managed in inpatient services for young people with mental health issues http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hsdr/11102408
