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People with mental ill health attend general emergency care more often than others for physical and psychiatric care needs. Staff in general emergency care report they lack knowledge and strategies to meet with and care for people with mental ill health. This study aimed to describe how people with mental ill health experience encounters with staff in general emergency care. We conducted individual semi‐structured interviews with 11 people with mental ill health about their experiences in general emergency care and subjected the interview data to qualitative content analysis. Our results show the importance to people with mental ill health of being acknowledged as capable persons, and how this relates to their experiences of being recognized, ignored, or dismissed by staff in general emergency care. Even small, ordinary aspects of staff/patient interactions can have major impacts on a person's recovery and well‐being. The study is reported according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: There is a lack of long‐term follow‐up studies focused on injured and uninjured survivors’ experiences of the recovery process after major traffic crashes. Aim: To explore all survivors’ experiences of long‐term physical and psychological consequences and recovery 5 years after a major bus crash. Methodological design and justification: A qualitative design was used to explore experiences in a 5‐year follow‐up study. Research methods: Participants were 54 survivors of a bus crash with 56 survivors and six fatalities. Telephone interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Results: The first category, ‘Being resilient or suffering in daily life’, has four subcategories covering quick recovery, suffering in daily life, distress in traffic situations and long‐term pain. Reasons for quick recovery among survivors were previous crisis experiences, travelling alone, being uninjured and not being exposed to traumatic impressions. For the other survivors, being reminded of the crash caused disturbing reactions, such as sweating, anxiety and flashbacks. Survivors avoided going by bus if they could. A group of the injured survivors was still suffering from limiting and painful injuries. The second category, ‘Reassessing oneself and social connections’, has three subcategories covering self‐awareness, impact on relationships and connectedness. Survivors either developed a stronger bond to their significant other or separated from their partner within the first couple of years. Friendships and a sense of connectedness among survivors were sources of long‐lasting comfort and support. The theme overarching the categories is ‘Visible and existential marks in everyday life’, representing the various ways in which the crash influence the survivors’ lives. Conclusion: There is a need for more information about disruptive long‐lasting consequences, such as travel anxiety, and available treatments. Initially, health‐promoting connectedness can be facilitated by treating survivors as a group of people who belong together, from the day of the crash and throughout the recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most patients in intensive care units suffer from critical diseases/injuries and are in need of life-saving medical treatment. Recovery after such diseases/injuries may be lengthy and may vary. Little is known about older patients' own assessment of recovery following intensive care. The aim of this study was to explore and describe older patients' experiences of recovery and need of care within 2 months following discharge from hospital after being cared for in an intensive care unit. Fifteen patients 65 years or older, who had received care in an intensive care unit, were telephone-interviewed 2 months following discharge. The interview texts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Six themes were identified: 'Discharge - a matter of physicians' and nurses' decisions', 'Wanted to go home', 'Feeling well and feeling better, but...', 'Recovered or not, that is the question', 'In need of help from others' and 'In need of care'. Patients trusted in the medical experts' assessment of their condition as regarded hospital discharge, but they also stated that they wanted to go home, as soon as possible, to their own familiar and private environment. Patients did not see the hospital as a place for recovery. Patients claimed that they were used to taking care of themselves within the limits of their strength and energy. If they need help, they first of all turn to family members or relatives. Patients who reported comorbidity did not assess themselves as recovered, while others stated that they had recovered but also suffered from a variety of discomforting symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sweden, the duration of treatment is increasing for patients admitted to forensic psychiatric care. To reduce the length of stay, it is important for the forensic rehabilitation and recovery process to be effective and safe. Not much is known about how the process of recovery and transition begins and how it is described by the forensic patients. The purpose of this study was to explore how forensic patients with a history of high risk for violence experienced the turn towards recovery. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse interviews with 10 patients who had decreased their assessed risk for violence on the risk assessment instrument HCR-20 and who were successfully managed a lower level of security. Three themes were identified: (i) the high-risk phase: facing intense negative emotions and feelings (ii) the turning point phase: reflecting on and approaching oneself and life in a new way (iii) the recovery phase: recognising, accepting and maturing. In the high-risk phase, chaotic and overwhelming feelings were experienced. The turning point phase was experienced as a sensitive stage, and it was marked by being forced to find a new, constructive way of being. The recovery phase was characterised by recognising personal circumstances in life, including accepting the need for structure, a feeling of maturity and a sense of responsibility for their own life. In order to ensure a successful recovery, the forensic nursing staff needs to recognise and support processes related to treatment motivation and turning points. Recommendations for best nursing practice are given accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2010; 24; 557–564 Recovery from severe mental illness, a gender perspective Background and research objectives: Recovery from mental illness is an individual process characterized by regaining a positive sense of self and developing a new meaning. Knowledge concerning differences between male and female recovery processes is, however, limited. The objective of this study was to determine gender diversity in what individuals described as decisive factors for their recovery. Subjects and methods: In this qualitative study based on grounded theory, 30 first-person accounts of recovery from mental illness are examined. After informed consent from the participants, data were collected through in-depth interviews with people in recovery from psychosis, bipolar disorders or personality disorders. Results: The results show that in spite of structural gender inequalities, female gender norms seem to be an advantage in the recovery process. The female participants were focused on making sense and meaning in their recovery process, while the male participants were focused on control over symptoms and reinforcement of traditional roles such as occupation and independence. Another result showed psychiatric hospitalization to mainly contribute to male recovery processes. Conclusion: These results provide new insights into gender as an important factor in understanding recovery processes and in providing care to facilitate these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body of knowledge regarding health and recovery as experienced by patients at risk of suicide is limited. More research is needed into the meaning of recovery and what strengthens the desire to live. The aim of this study was to describe the phenomenon of recovery in a context of nursing care as experienced by persons at risk of suicide. In line with a reflective lifeworld research approach, 14 patients from a psychiatric clinic in Sweden participated in phenomenon-oriented interviews. Data were analyzed to describe the essence of the phenomenon. The results reveal that the phenomenon of recovery means 'reconnecting with oneself while struggling between life and death'. Three meaning constituents emerged: being in an expressive space and giving voice to oneself, regaining dignity through nurturing connectedness, and finding a balance in the tension between life and death. In conclusion, the meaning of recovery is to experience the ability to manage one's own life. Professional caregivers need to acknowledge patients' lifeworlds, in a way that enable patients to experience themselves as capable of managing their own lives. Professional caregivers should also facilitate the involvement of supportive relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]