Search

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore psychiatric nurses' experiences of developing therapeutic relationships with adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Design and Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six registered psychiatric nurses. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings: Although participants were able to develop therapeutic relationships with survivors and cited the importance of interpersonal skills, they felt uncomfortable discussing CSA. Practice Implications: Given the importance of developing trusting relationships, more support needs to be provided for nurses so they can build stronger alliances with survivors of CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying can have a severe effect on the physical and mental health of young people. This qualitative descriptive research aimed to develop an understanding of young peoples' experiences of an educational, interactive theatre-based workshop (the Bullying Prevention Session) which focused on developing strategies to address school bullying. Focus group interviews were conducted with students from six schools. Students reported that the workshop improved their understanding of the complexities of bullying, including appreciating the situation from the perspectives of both bullies and bystanders. Students noted their dissatisfaction with the schools' efforts to implement bullying reduction strategies that they suggested at the workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Forensic psychiatry is an area of priority for the Danish Government. As the field expands, this calls for increased knowledge about mental health nursing practice, as this is part of the forensic psychiatry treatment offered. However, only sparse research exists in this area. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of forensic mental health nursing staff interaction with forensic mental health inpatients and to explore how staff give meaning to these interactions. The project included 32 forensic mental health staff members, with over 307 hours of participant observations, 48 informal interviews, and seven semistructured interviews. The findings show that staff interaction is typified by the use of trust and relationship-enabling care, which is characterized by the establishment and maintenance of an informal, trusting relationship through a repeated reconstruction of normality. The intention is to establish a trusting relationship to form behaviour and perceptual-corrective care, which is characterized by staff's endeavours to change, halt, or support the patient's behaviour or perception in relation to staff's perception of normality. The intention is to support and teach the patient normal behaviour by correcting their behaviour, and at the same time, maintaining control and security by staying abreast of potential conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRADLEY SK and CARTER B. Nursing Inquiry 2011; 18: 303-312 Deconstructing child and adolescent mental health: questioning the 'taken-for-granted'... We present a critical deconstructive reading, seeking to problematise 'taken-for-granted' assumptions in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH). The start point for this critical reading is conventional 'history-telling' within CAMH. The aim is not to take issue with the detail in such histories but to critically examine the texts, so as to highlight constructions that structure the presentation of conventional histories and possible purposes that such constructions may serve. The argument is that such conventional histories leave key questions not just unanswered, but unconsidered - a tendency that can be seen throughout the CAMH literature more generally. Therefore, we then pursue critical discussion of how 'taken-for-granted' constructions of CAMH enabled psychiatry to successfully expand its power and influence to establish hegemony over 'problem children'. We do not claim any closure to this critical reading; that is, we do not claim that our critical deconstructive reading is the only reading possible. Similarly, it is not presented in any sense as 'final word'. Rather our hope for this work is that it might stimulate readers to question the 'taken-for-granteds' that we present, and indeed others that they might identify themselves. In so doing, it is our hope that creative dialogue might ensue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within this paper we report on a study undertaken to identify resilient services for young people requiring mental health services in the United Kingdom. Whilst undertaking the study we faced issues related to determining what constitutes mental health services, and issues related to different disciplinary perspectives and discourses. These were set within an environment that was changing rapidly as new ways of working were being implemented. Data were collected via interviews and surveys. Nearly every participant felt that young people were not served well. However, the study focused on things that were working well and were being achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the use and duration of mechanical restraint in forensic settings and ensure evidence‐based patient care, we need more knowledge about patients' subjective experiences and perceptions. The aim was to investigate forensic psychiatric patients' perceptions of situations associated with the use of mechanical restraint and what they perceive as factors impacting the use and duration of mechanical restraint. Twenty participants were interviewed. Four themes were identified through a thematic analysis: 'overt protest reactions', 'silent protest reactions', 'illness‐related behaviour', and 'genuinely calm', which together characterize patients' perceptions of their ways of acting and reacting during mechanical restraint episodes. These themes are linked together in two patterns in the process of mechanical restraint: 'pattern of protest' and 'pattern of illness'. Further research is needed to illuminate the associations between patients' perceptions of being subjected to mechanical restraint and ways of acting and reacting through the process of mechanical restraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject: Expert by Experience (EBE) involvement in mental health nursing education has demonstrated benefits, including enhancing understanding of holistic and recovery‐focused practice and enhanced application of interpersonal skills.Structure and support for EBE involvement is lacking; often resulting in inadequate preparation and debriefing and tokenistic involvement.Service user involvement in mental health nursing education should be underpinned by lived experience perspectives. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: An exploration of EBE involvement in nursing education from the perspective of those with lived experience.The development of standards designed to provide structure to better support future EBEs involved in higher education.An exemplar for co‐production of standards between EBE and nurse academics which has applicability for other contexts. What are the implications for practice?: The standards could potentially strengthen EBE involvement in mental health nursing education, enhance their confidence and increase the retention of EBEs by creating an inclusive working culture.By increasing support for EBEs, the benefits to mental health nursing practice are likely to be maximized. Introduction: Involving people with lived experience of mental distress in mental health nursing education has gained considerable traction yet broader implementation remains ad hoc and tokenistic. Effective involvement requires curricula be informed by lived experience of service use. Aim: To develop standards to underpin expert by experience involvement in mental health nursing education based on lived experience of service use. Methods: Phase one used qualitative descriptive methods, involving focus groups with service users (n = 50) from six countries to explore perceptions of service user involvement in mental health nursing education. Phase two utilized these findings through consensus building to co‐produce standards to support Experts by Experience involvement in mental health nursing education. Results: Three themes emerged in Phase one: enablers and barriers, practical and informational support, and emotional and appraisal support. These themes underpinned development of the standards, which reflect nine processes: induction and orientation, external supervision, supportive teamwork, preparation for teaching and assessing, "intervision," mutual mentorship, pre‐ and post‐debriefing, role clarity and equitable payment. Conclusions: These standards form the framework entitled; Standards for Co‐production of Education (Mental Health Nursing) (SCo‐PE [MHN]). Implications for Practice: The standards aim to support implementation of Expert by Experience roles in mental health nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Increasingly, experts as deemed by personal experience or mental health service use, are involved in the education of nurses; however, accompanying research is limited and focuses primarily on opinions of nurse educators and students. The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of the potential contribution to mental health nursing education by those with experience of mental health service use. The research was part of the international COMMUNE (Co‐production of Mental Health Nursing Education) project, established to develop and evaluate co‐produced mental health content for undergraduate nursing students. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted with data collected through focus group interviews in seven sites across Europe and Australia. Experts by experience (people with experience of distress, service use, and recovery) co‐produced the project in partnership with nursing academics. Co‐production enriched the process of data collection and facilitated the analysis of data from multiple perspectives. Two themes are presented in this paper. The first focuses on how experts by experience can enhance students’ understanding of recovery by seeing the strengths inherent in the ‘human’ behind the diagnostic label. The second highlights the importance of communication and self‐reflection on personal values, where students can explore their own thoughts and feelings about mental distress alongside those with lived experience. Interacting with experts by experience in the classroom can assist in challenging stigmatizing attitudes prior to nursing placements. These findings can be used to inform international nursing curricula by increasing the focus on nursing skills valued by those who use the services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In Greenland, the incidence of cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) is 25 per 100,000 women; 2.5 times the Danish rate. In Greenland, the disease is most frequent among women aged 30-40. Systematic screening can identify women with cervical cell changes, which if untreated may cause cervical cancer. In 2007, less than 40% of eligible women in Greenland participated in screening. Objective. To examine Greenlandic women's perception of disease, their understanding of the connection between HPV and cervical cancer, and the knowledge that they deem necessary to decide whether to participate in cervical cancer screening. Study design. The methods used to perform this research were 2 focus-group interviews with 5 Danishspeaking women and 2 individual interviews with Greenlandic-speaking women. The analysis involved a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach with 3 levels of analysis: naive reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation. Results. These revealed that women were unprepared for screening results showing cervical cell changes, since they had no symptoms. When diagnosed, participants believed that they had early-stage cancer, leading to feelings of vulnerability and an increased need to care for themselves. Later on, an understanding of HPV as the basis for diagnosis and the realization that disease might not be accompanied by symptoms developed. The outcome for participants was a life experience, which they used to encourage others to participate in screening and to suggest ways that information about screening and HPV might reach a wider Greenlandic population. Conclusion. Women living through the process of cervical disease, treatment and follow-up develop knowledge about HPV, cervical cell changes, cervical disease and their connection, which, if used to inform cervical screening programmes, will improve the quality of information about HPV, cervical cancer and screening participation. This includes that verbal and written information given at the point of screening and diagnosis needs to be complemented by visual imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]