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Accessible Summary: What is already known about this topic?: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have elevated risks for physical health problems and low screening rates.No previous studies have compared the physical health promotion needs of people with SMI using the same screening tool across different international settings. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: It appears feasible to use the HIP to profile and compare physical health‐related risks in people with SMI across different international settings.The HIP tool identified significant differences in areas of risk across the four countries. What are the implications for practice?: The HIP could be used to identify unique clusters of health promotion needs in different countries.Use of HIP health checks may support implementation of individualized interventions. Introduction: To date, no studies have contrasted physical health profiles of people with severe mental illness (SMI) in different countries. Aim: To evaluate feasibility of using the Health Improvement Profile (HIP) to compare and contrast physical health and health behaviours of people with SMI from four countries. Method: An observational feasibility study using secondary analysis of pooled health state and lifestyle data. Physical health checks using modified versions of HIP were administered in four countries. Results: Findings suggest feasibility of HIP screening to profile and compare physical health and health behaviours of people with SMI across international settings. High overall numbers of risk items (red flags) were identified in all but the Thailand sample. Despite some commonalities, there were important differences in health profiles across countries. Discussion: This is the first study to demonstrate feasibility of the HIP to compare health risks in individuals with SMI across countries. Future multi‐national HIP studies should recruit a fully powered stratified random sample of people with SMI that is representative of each setting. Implications for practice: It appears feasible to utilize the HIP to identify specific areas of health risk in different countries, which may help to better focus nursing interventions and use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Developing sex type is the process in which one develops behavioural attributes and personality characteristics socially defined as matching one's biological sex."Psychological androgyny" means that a person should not be judged in terms of his or her traditional sex role. "Androgynous" sex type means that a person could have both female and male characteristics, depending on the circumstances. "Androgynous" sex‐type individuals show higher capacity to deal with a variety of roles and a healthier and more adaptive behaviour than those with the same gender sex typingPrevious studies focused on caring behaviours while examining the difference between female and male nurses but there are no studies on differences between female and male nurses in the mental health field in relation with sex types. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: From a theoretical point of view, our study adds important information on specific associations between sex types and caring in mental health nurses.Nurses with different sex type perform caring behaviours at different levels. "Androgynous" sex‐type nurses perform caring behaviours at a higher level than others do. What are the implications for practice?: Our findings can contribute to raising awareness among head nurses and policy makers in the mental health field, of the differences between nurses, and among female and male nurses in mental health centres, regarding their caring behaviours.Understanding this association can assist in the recruitment and allocation of candidates in mental health nursing settings and later on, in developing appropriate instruction programs for these employees. Introduction: Understanding differences in caring behaviours by sex is crucial in light of the need to encourage men to join the nursing profession. Aims: To study the association between sex types and caring behaviours in female and male nurses in the mental health field. Methods: Cross‐sectional study including a convenience sample of 114 nurses in three mental health centres in Israel. Data were self‐reported in a structured form including validated scales for the assessment of sex types and caring behaviours. ANOVA and linear regression tests were used were performed with SPSS version 21. All the analyses were 2‐tailed, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Androgynous female and male nurses displayed higher levels of caring than other sex types. Higher levels of caring were observed in female compared with male nurses overall (p = 0.011) and in behaviours showing respect (p = 0.020) and attentiveness to patients' needs and safety (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Our results suggest that different sex‐typed female and male nurses in the mental health field display different levels of caring behaviours. Implications for Practice: Our findings can help head nurses and policy makers in recruitment and allocation of nurses in mental health settings, as well as in developing educational programs for employees and nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known about the subject?: Euthanasia because of unbearable mental suffering (UMS euthanasia) has been legal in Belgium since 2002 under strict conditions of careful practice. UMS euthanasia occurs fairly rarely in Belgium, but the frequency has increased substantially over the past few years. Although most mental health nurses play an important role and are supportive of euthanasia in general, their role, attitude and knowledge when it comes to UMS euthanasia were unknown until now. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: Most mental health nurses in Belgium appear to be supportive towards UMS euthanasia and where UMS euthanasia is carried out, mental health nurses are often involved in the preceding decision‐making process. Mental health nurses critically reflect on the interpretation and application of the legal euthanasia criteria as experienced in their daily work with their patients, and identify several problems. After a rather quiet period in Belgium, the public ethical debate regarding UMS euthanasia has recently been reopened and intensified. What are the implications for practice?: Sufficient attention must be paid to how mental health nurses can be involved in the process of UMS euthanasia. This applies at several levels: legal, healthcare policy, bedside care and education. Specific attention must be paid within the UMS euthanasia process to ensure adequate cooperation between physicians, nurses and patients. There is a need for proper training in: knowledge of psychiatric pathologies and remaining treatment options; communication skills; the legal framework and all its difficulties; transdisciplinary and multicultural approaches; ethical reflection and how nurses handle their own emotions. Abstract: Introduction: Euthanasia because of unbearable mental suffering (UMS euthanasia) has been legal in Belgium since 2002, under certain circumstances that govern careful practice. Despite the legal framework, there are specific difficulties and concerns regarding UMS euthanasia. Mental health nurses are often involved in the process, but little is known about their attitudes towards UMS euthanasia, their role and their knowledge. Aim: To determine the attitudes, role and knowledge of mental health nurses regarding UMS euthanasia. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was performed at a convenience sample of four psychiatric hospitals in Belgium (n = 133) as a pilot study. Self‐administered questionnaires were provided to mental health nurses. Results: Half the nurses in our sample had been involved at least once in the process of UMS euthanasia. A large majority of mental health nurses were supportive of UMS euthanasia. Nurses show differences in attitudes related to the different psychiatric pathologies of the patients, and in whether or not minors are involved. In some cases, they believed that the mental suffering of psychiatric patients can be unbearable and irreversible and that psychiatric patients can be competent to voluntarily request UMS euthanasia. Nurses stated that they have an important role in the UMS euthanasia process, but also demanded more knowledge and clear guidelines to implement the procedure. Discussion: Nurses have a key role regarding UMS euthanasia but face several challenges: the recent process, resistance to a multidisciplinary approach by psychiatrists and an unclear role defined by the legal framework. Nurses do not appear to have a common voice on the topic and the development of clear guidelines appears to be essential. Social recovery can offer a way out of an UMS euthanasia request, but it will not always offer a solution. Implications for Practice: Sufficient attention must be paid to how mental health nurses can be involved in the process of UMS euthanasia at various levels: bedside practice, healthcare management, education and policy. A form of systematic cooperation between nurses, physicians and patients can contribute to the utmost careful decision‐making process needed in these cases. There is a need for proper training in: knowledge of psychiatric pathologies and remaining treatment options; communication skills; the legal framework and all its difficulties; transdisciplinary and multicultural approaches; ethical reflection and how nurses handle their own emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? People admitted to psychiatric facilities have high rates of tobacco use and hospitalizations present an opportunity for patients to have conversations about tobacco use treatment., Clinicians may believe that people with mental illnesses are not interested in quitting or that they do not understand the importance of treatment., Positive attitudes towards tobacco treatment, viewing that participating in treatment is normal care, and feeling that one is quite able to participate in such treatment predicts intentions to participate in treatment, which, in turn, predicts actual participation., What does this paper add to existing knowledge? Psychiatric patients who use tobacco use report poor prior involvement with tobacco treatment., Positive attitudes towards, encouraging opinions of other people about, and having a sense of control over taking part in tobacco treatment increases plans to engage in treatment., Having a sense of control in taking part in tobacco treatment is strongly associated with prior experiences with evidence-based treatment., What are the implications for practice? Because psychiatric hospitalizations are an opportunity for addressing tobacco use and treatment, clinicians should be prepared to support willing patients, especially those with prior substance use histories., Support should include providing them with information regarding tobacco treatment options during their hospital stay and ways that they can continue to receive care after discharge., Clinicians should be promoters of pro-tobacco treatment attitudes and supporting patients' sense of control over participating in treatment during hospitalization., Abstract Introduction Hospitalized tobacco users with mental illnesses ( MI) may face several barriers to stopping smoking. However, motivational factors that affect the intention to engage in tobacco treatment have been shown to predict actual engagement. Aim To use the Theory of Planned Behavior to assess intentions to and prior experiences of engaging in evidence-based tobacco treatment among hospitalized individuals with MI. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 115 patients in a state psychiatric hospital. Multivariate analyses were used to examine associations with the intentions and prior experiences of engaging in tobacco treatment. Results After controlling for demographic and smoking history, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control towards engaging in tobacco treatment were significantly associated with intentions towards treatment engagement. Only higher scores on perceived behavioural control and lower education levels were associated with reported prior experiences of tobacco treatment. Discussion The low prior treatment engagement scores, but relatively higher intention to engage scores among participants suggests the need for deliberate support for evidence-based tobacco treatment during psychiatric hospitalizations. Implications for practice Clinician training in tobacco treatment can promote self-efficacy to engage patients while supporting patients' control so that tobacco treatment is an expected component of psychiatric care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]