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Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: One‐to‐one observation uses continuous staff observation to safeguard patients judged likely to harm themselves or others.Policies increasingly mandate that staff engage therapeutically with patients during one‐to‐one observation. Yet not enough is known about factors facilitating or impeding such therapeutic engagement. What does this paper add to existing knowledge?: This study enriches existing literature on one‐to‐one observation through integrating the perspectives of staff of different levels of qualification, and patients of different diagnostic and risk profiles.Whilst previous research has highlighted the occurrence of counter‐therapeutic staff‐patient interactions, integration of patient and staff perspectives in the current study has demonstrated that patient and staff often attribute the causes differently, with each apportioning blame to the other, leading both parties to feel misunderstood, and staff lack confidence to overcome these challenges.A novel finding was that rapport‐building via simple demonstrations of compassion and conversations about everyday things, was viewed as an essential prerequisite to encouraging patients to open up about their experiences of emotional distress, whilst implementation of techniques drawn from psychological interventions was viewed as less important than staff's core relational skills. What are the implications for practice?: Therapeutic engagement during observation can enhance its risk management aims, providing thought is given to understanding and negotiating complex dynamics between staff and patients. Supervision for staff conducting observations should focus on building rapport in preference to emphasizing psychological intervention (e.g. DBT), and should enable staff to reflect on better understanding and managing their own emotions towards "hard‐to‐engage" patients. Introduction: Policies increasingly focus on staff‐patient interactions during one‐to‐one psychiatric nursing observations as an opportunity for therapeutic engagement – yet if and how this is feasible is unknown. Aim: This study aimed to integrate staff and patient perspectives to determine what factors facilitate or impede therapeutic engagement during one‐to‐one observation. Method: Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 31 psychiatric inpatient staff at different levels of seniority and 28 inpatients spanning a range of diagnoses and risk profiles. Results: Negative experiences of observation were characterized by a reciprocal dynamic where both patients and staff withdrew from interactions, having felt the other did not want to engage with them. Staff and patients agreed that these difficulties could be overcome when staff showed patients that they cared, gradually building trust through simple demonstrations of compassion and 'normalizing' conversation about everyday things. This approach helped patients to feel safe enough to open up about their distress, which in turn helped staff to better understand their experiences and work with them to find solutions. Implications for practice: Engagement during observation could be facilitated if staff receive more supervision in understanding difficult dynamics that impede rapport‐building and in managing their emotions towards patients they experience as "hard‐to‐engage". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary What is known on the subject? UK health policy is clear that researchers should involve the public throughout the research process., The public, including patients, carers and/or local citizens can bring a different and valuable perspective to the research process and improve the quality of research undertaken., Conducting health research is demanding with tight deadlines and scarce resources. This can make involving the public in research very challenging., What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This is the first time the attitudes of researchers working in mental health and learning disability services towards PPI have been investigated., The principles of service user involvement in mental health and learning disability services may support PPI in research as a tool of collaboration and empowerment., This article extends our understanding of the cultural and attitudinal barriers to implementing PPI guidelines in mental health and learning disability services., What are the implications for practice? Researchers in mental health and learning disability services need to champion, share and publish effective involvement work., Structural barriers to PPI work should be addressed locally and successful strategies shared nationally and internationally., Where PPI guidelines are being developed, attention needs to be paid to cultural factors in the research community to win 'hearts and minds' and support the effective integration of PPI across the whole research process., Abstract Introduction Patient and public involvement ( PPI) is integral to UK health research guidance; however, implementation is inconsistent. There is little research into the attitudes of NHS health researchers towards PPI. Aim This study explored the attitude of researchers working in mental health and learning disability services in the UK towards PPI in health research. Method Using a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eight researchers. A framework approach was used in the analysis to generate themes and core concepts. Results Participants valued the perspective PPI could bring to research, but frustration with tokenistic approaches to involvement work was also evident. Some cultural and attitudinal barriers to integrating PPI across the whole research process were identified. Discussion Despite clear guidelines and established service user involvement, challenges still exist in the integration of PPI in mental health and learning disability research in the UK. Implications for practice Guidelines on PPI may not be enough to prompt changes in research practice. Leaders and researchers need to support attitudinal and cultural changes where required, to ensure the full potential of PPI in mental health and learning disability services research is realized. Relevance statement Findings suggest that despite clear guidelines and a history of service user involvement, there are still challenges to the integration of PPI in mental health and learning disability research in the UK. For countries where PPI guidelines are being developed, attention needs to be paid to cultural factors in the research community to win 'hearts and minds' and support the effective integration of PPI across the whole research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

sanders c., carter b. & goodacre l. (2011) Searching for harmony: parents' narratives about their child's genital ambiguity and reconstructive genital surgeries in childhood. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(9), 2220-2230. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a narrative study of parents' experiences of their child's genital ambiguity and the place reconstructive surgeries have in their lives. Background. Increasingly, the use of early reconstructive genital surgery has come under criticism. Few studies have explored parents' inclusion in the surgical decision-making process, their experiences of their child's surgeries or of parenting a child born with ambiguous genitalia. Method. Narrative interviews about parents' experiences of having and caring for a child of uncertain gender and their rationale for reconstructive surgeries were conducted with 15 parents between October 2004 and February 2006. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed in a narrative analysis framework. Results. Narrative analysis resulted in three increasingly contextual and conceptual levels of stories. Connections between stories gave the basis for the synthesis of the data; interpretation identified three elements of shock, protection and anxiety, which influenced the parents. The parents identified the need for early and ongoing support from healthcare professionals. The parents expected professionals to be knowledgeable about the dilemmas surround disorders of sex development and have experience in managing care for themselves and their child. Conclusion. For the parents seeking a sense of harmony between their child's genital ambiguity and gender during childhood was important. Searching for this harmony became a dynamic and evolving process, which was built on their knowledge and increasing willingness to engage with professionals, negotiate their social worlds, emotional responses and belief systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

kwong e.w.-y., pang s.m.-c., choi p.-p. & wong t.k.-s. (2010) Influenza vaccine preference and uptake among older people in nine countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(10), 2297–2308. Aim. This paper is a report of a study delineating factors that influence older people’s preferences and uptake of the influenza vaccine in nine countries. Background. Vaccination uptake for the aging population in many countries still remains below the World Health Organization recommended rate. Older people who perceive higher susceptibility to and severity of influenza, and more benefits from vaccination and action cues prompting vaccination, tend to accept the vaccine, but those with more perceived barriers to vaccination are less likely to accept it. Method. A total of 208 older people from China, Indonesia, Turkey, Korea, Greece, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Nigeria were recruited to 14 vaccinated and 12 unvaccinated focus groups. They shared their experiences of influenza, and influenza vaccination, and promotion of influenza vaccination in focus groups. The data were collected in 2007. Findings. We identified five themes and generated a hypothetical framework for in-depth understanding of vaccination behaviour among older people. Participants’ vaccine preferences were determined by their behavioural beliefs in vaccination, which were based on their probability calculation of susceptibility to and severity of influenza and vaccine effectiveness, and their utility calculation of vaccine, healthcare and social costs. Action cues prompting vaccination and vaccine access further affected the vaccine uptake of participants with vaccine preferences. Vaccination coverage was likely to be higher in the countries where normative beliefs in favour of vaccination had formed. Conclusion. The hypothetical framework can be used to guide healthcare providers in developing strategies to foster normative beliefs of older people in vaccination, provide effective action cues and promote vaccine access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To report the findings from interviews conducted as part of a wider study on interventions to support dignified care in older people in acute hospital care. The data in this study present the interview data. Background Dignity is a complex concept. Despite a plethora of recommendations on how to achieve dignified care, it remains unclear how to attain this in practice and what the priorities of patients and staff are in relation to dignity. Design A purposive sample of older patients and staff took part in semi-structured interviews and gave their insight on the meaning of dignity and examples of what sustains and breaches a patient's dignity in acute hospital care. Method Thirteen patients and 38 healthcare professionals in a single metropolitan hospital in the UK interviewed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and underwent a thematic analysis. Results The meaning of dignity was broadly agreed on by patients and staff. Three broad themes were identified: the meaning of dignity, staffing level and its impact on dignity, and organisational culture and dignity. Registered staff of all healthcare discipline and student nurses report very little training on dignity or care of the older person. Conclusion There remain inconsistencies in the application of dignified care. Staff behaviour, a lack of training and the organisational processes continue to result in breaches to dignity of older people. Clinical nurses have a major role in ensuring dignified care for older people in hospital. Relevance to clinical practice There needs to be systematic dignity-related training with regular refreshers. This education coupled with measures to change the cultural attitudes in an organisation towards older peoples' care should result in long-term improvements in the level of dignified care. Hospital managers have an important role in changing system to ensure that staff deliver the levels of care they aspire to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To explore the views of student nurses' and stakeholders of what is important for student nurses to know about cancer treatment and care. Background Worldwide, the number of people living with cancer is increasing because the population is ageing and effective cancer treatments are prolonging survival. All nurses need knowledge, skills, confidence and competence to support people living with cancer. Education is an important tool in preparing a nursing workforce that can support people affected by cancer. Design A descriptive, explorative qualitative design. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 12 student nurses and seven stakeholders were conducted in 2014 (a subgroup of participants in a mixed-methods study investigating an innovation in undergraduate cancer education and reported elsewhere). The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Results Two key findings emerged: the benefits of learning from people affected by cancer and knowledge deficits. Students valued the opportunity to meet people affected by cancer away from a clinical environment. It gave them the opportunity to gain skills and confidence, in providing information and psycho-educational support, in a safe and facilitated context. Students and stakeholders reported blended learning (lectures and engaging with both cancer clinicians and people affected by cancer) important for developing confidence and competence in cancer care. However, at the end of their education students identified knowledge deficits in relation to cancer screening, common cancers, treatment side effects and supporting people who have been given 'bad news'. Conclusions Collaborative working with people affected by cancer and educationalists has allowed the patient and carer experience to be placed at the centre of the undergraduate cancer education. Relevance to clinical practice This research reveals the potential importance of the coproduction of undergraduate nurse cancer education, if nurses are to understand and improve the experience of people living with cancer and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To provide an insight into the views of healthcare professionals on the presence of family members during brainstem death testing. Background Brainstem death presents families with a paradoxical death that can be difficult to define. International research suggests families should be given the choice to be present at brainstem death testing, yet it appears few units offer families the choice to be present and little attention has been paid to developing practice to enable effective facilitation of choice. Design A qualitative, exploratory design was adopted to understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals. Individual semi-structured interviews were audio-taped and carried out over two months. Methods A purposive sample of 10 nurses and 10 doctors from two tertiary intensive care units in the United Kingdom was interviewed, and transcripts were analysed using content analysis to identify emergent categories and themes. Results Healthcare professionals indicated different perceptions of death in the context of catastrophic brainstem injury. The majority of participants favoured offering families the choice to be present while acknowledging the influence of organisational culture. Identified benefits included acceptance, closure and better understanding. Suggested challenges involved the assumption of trauma or disruption and sense of obligation for families to accept if choice was offered. Key issues involved improving knowledge and communication skills to individually tailor support for families involved. Conclusions If families are to be offered the choice of witnessing brainstem death testing, considering that needs and conventions will differ according to global cultural backgrounds, then key needs must be met to ensure that effective care and support is provided to families and clinicians. Relevance to clinical practice A proactive approach to facilitating family choice to be present at testing requires the development of guidelines that accommodate cultural and professional variations to provide excellence in end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To explore the experiences of patients with advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer, their carers and healthcare professionals following emergency admission to acute care hospital. Background Emergency admissions of people with lung cancer and COPD have increased and there is global concern about the number of patients who die in hospital. The experience of patients with advanced lung cancer and COPD admitted to hospital as an emergency when nearing the end of life has not previously been investigated. Design Qualitative critical incident case study. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 39 patients (15 with COPD and 24 with lung cancer), 20 informal carers and 50 healthcare professionals, exploring patients' experiences of emergency hospital admission. Interviews took place after admission and following discharge. Participants nominated relatives and healthcare professionals for interview. Data were analysed thematically. Results Patients were satisfied with their 'emergency' care but not the care they received once their initial symptoms had been stabilised. The poorer quality care they experienced was characterised by a lack of attention to their fundamental needs, lack of involvement of the family, poor communication about care plans and a lack of continuity between primary and secondary care. A conceptual model of 'spectacular' and 'subtacular' trajectories of care was used to relate the findings to the wider context of health care provision. Conclusion The complex nature of illness for patients with advanced respiratory disease makes emergency hospital admissions likely. Whilst patients (with COPD and lung cancer) were satisfied with care in the acute 'spectacular' phase of their admission, more attention needs to be given to the continuing care needs of patients in the 'subtacular' phase. Relevance to Clinical Practice This is the first study to explore the patient experience of acute care following an emergency admission and identifies where there is potential for care to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To explore the effects of type 2 diabetes on British-Pakistani women's identity and its relationship with self-management. Background Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent and has worse outcomes among some ethnic minority groups. This may be due to poorer self-management and an inadequate match of health services to patient needs. The influence that type 2 diabetes has on British-Pakistani women's identity and subsequent self-management has received limited attention. Design An explorative qualitative study. Methods Face-to-face semi-structured English and Urdu language interviews were conducted with a purposively selected heterogeneous sample of 15 British-Pakistani women with type 2 diabetes. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Results Four themes emerged: Perceived change in self emphasised how British-Pakistani women underwent a conscious adaptation of identity following diagnosis; Familiarity with ill health reflected women's adjustment to their changed identity over time; Diagnosis improves social support enabled women to accept changes within themselves and Supporting family is a barrier to self-management demonstrated how family roles were an aspect of women's identities that was resilient to change. The over-arching theme Role re-alignment enables successful self-management encapsulated how self-management was a continuous process where achievements needed to be sustained. Inter-generational differences were also noted: first generation women talked about challenges associated with ageing and co-morbidities; second generation women talked about familial and work roles competing with self-management. Conclusions The complex nature of British-Pakistani women's self-identification requires consideration when planning and delivering healthcare. Relevance to clinical practice Culturally competent practice should recognise how generational status influences self-identity and diabetes self-management in ethnically diverse women. Health professionals should remain mindful of effective self-management occurring alongside, and being influenced by, other aspects of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives The aim of this exploratory research was to understand how men experience their advanced cancer in relation to their perceptions of masculinity. Background There are differences in the way men and women experience illness and health care. There are inequalities in incidence and morbidities of many diseases as well as differences in rates of help-seeking behaviours. Theories on masculinity offer some explanation towards this. Men's experiences of advanced cancer in relation to masculinity are under reported, published literature suggests that there are certain issues or men dealing with advanced disease that justify investigation. Design A Qualitative approach using a Husserlian Phenomenological design was conducted. Sample Eight men (aged 26-68) all with advanced cancer, defined as advanced or metastatic disease for which the patient had exhausted all standard therapeutic options. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted to capture narratives of the experiences of men. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven stage framework. Results Themes included thwarted ambition, changing expectations, protection and provision, stoicism and coping, images of illness versus images of masculinity, importance of being a fighter and loss. Conclusion Findings showed that the experiences of these men were complex and should be handled sensitively. Ideas for gender-specific interventions and further research were developed from the findings in relation to current literature. Relevance to clinical practice A better understanding and awareness of this in this context will help nurses to consider more subtle challenges that these patients may be dealing with that in turn could affect how they cope with the burden of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To generate a grounded theory about female adolescent behaviour in the sun. Background Nurses have key roles in health promotion and skin cancer prevention. Adolescents' resistance to sun safety messages and their vulnerability to sunburn are of concern internationally. Understanding why young women do as they do in the sun may enhance skin cancer prevention, but their behaviour has not been explained before in the UK. Design The study incorporated a qualitative grounded theory design using the approach of Glaser. Methods Qualitative data were gleaned from group and one-to-one, semi-structured interviews with 20 female participants aged 14-17, research memos and literature. Sampling was purposive and theoretical. Data collection, analysis and theory generation occurred concurrently. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method. Data collection ended when a substantive theory had been generated. Results Data analysis revealed five categories of findings: fitting in, being myself, being physically comfortable, slipping up and being comfortable (the core category). The theory generated around the core explains how young women direct their sun-related activities towards meeting their physical and psychosocial comfort needs. Conclusions A contribution of this research is the grounded theory explaining the behaviour of young women in the sun. Further, the theory challenges assumptions that female adolescents necessarily take risks; it explains their sun-related activities in terms of comfort. The theory extends findings from other researchers' descriptive qualitative studies and also appears to apply to young people in countries other than the UK. Relevance to clinical practice Understanding the sun-related activity of young women in terms of physical and psychosocial comfort may help nurses to develop new approaches to skin cancer prevention. These could complement existing messages and humanise health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To understand the knowledge and perceptions of type 2 diabetes and to explore preferable educational strategies in the non-diabetic offspring of patients with the disease. Background Type 2 diabetes is an increasingly prevalent disease with significant long-term consequences. Offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing the disease compared with the general population. Previous studies have shown that offspring have a poor perception of their own risk. Design A qualitative study was carried out using semi-structured one-to-one interviews. Analysis was completed using a structured framework approach. Methods Research was carried out during January-March 2011 in the north east of UK. Six offspring of patients diagnosed with the disease were interviewed. Results Participants balanced positive and negative aspects of their lifestyle behaviours to estimate their own risk. They had adequate knowledge of healthy lifestyle behaviours, but were uncertain about the long-term effects and seriousness of the disease and the role of inheritance. Behavioural changes at an individual level would only be motivated by an event, which would impact on their own health. Participants believed that 'fear'-based strategies to health promotion would be most effective to encourage behaviour change. Conclusion Knowledge of individual risk and why diabetes was serious was limited and variable. The health behaviours of this at-risk group were complex. Nurses engaged in the care of at-risk individuals must take this complexity into account when developing and implementing multi-faceted strategies to improve awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

baker j. (2011) Multi-disciplinary perceptions of patient group directions as a replacement for the pro re nata prescribing of antipsychotic medications in acute mental health settings. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(9), 2191-2199. Abstract Background. Patient group directions have been used in the NHS for 10 years. Despite high levels of reported use, few studies have examined staff perceptions or evaluated them in practice. In mental health services, pro re nata prescriptions continue to contribute to high doses and polypharmacy of antipsychotics. Replacing pro re nata with patient group directions might improve the quality and safety of care associated with this practice. Aims. This study aimed to explore the acceptability of patient group directions in acute mental health services. Method. Qualitative methods were used. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Twenty-six members of the multi-disciplinary team (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) participated in either focus groups or individual interviews in 2009. Results. A broad range of benefits were suggested, including improved safety and access to treatments, and the professional development of nurses. However, concerns also emerged about the need for a culture shift in thinking, and the danger of multiple systems for the supply of medicines. Conclusion. Despite the widespread use of patient group directions in clinical settings in the last 10 years, limited research has examined their development and potential. Patient group directions can potentially give a rigorous means of supplying or administering medicines. However, their development requires careful consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]