Search

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Workplace violence is common in healthcare.Workplace violence remains a complex and serious occupational hazard in healthcare. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: Since there is no study examining detailed explanations of experiences and perspectives of workplace violence among psychiatric nurses, this study will act as a guide for psychiatric nurses.This study provides information about how psychiatric nurses evaluate the concept of workplace violence from their perspective, what it means to them and the effects of workplace violence. What are the implications for practice?: Considering the effects of workplace violence, a preventive, systematic and holistic approach should be used in psychiatry and community mental health centres.Supportive interventions should be used to improve the health and safety of psychiatric nurses and patients. Introduction: Workplace violence is common in healthcare and remains a complex and serious occupational hazard. Aim: This research was conducted to assess the workplace violence experiences and perspectives of psychiatric nurses. Method: This study was a qualitative study conducted using a grounded theory approach method. The study was conducted between November 2022 and January 2023. The purposeful sampling method was used, and 11 psychiatric nurses were interviewed. Data were collected with an information form and a semi‐structured interview form. The data were analysed using content analysis, and themes were created. Findings: The ages of the psychiatric nurses ranged from 38 to 57 years. Themes and sub‐themes related to the workplace violence experiences and perspectives of psychiatric nurses included the way of violence (rising tension, eruption of the volcano, unintentional violence and turning to ash) and empowerment (ash cloud and ring of fire). Conclusion: Psychiatric nurses stated that they were exposed to verbal and physical violence for many reasons, that this situation seriously affected their physical, mental and social health and that in addition to the devastating effects of violence, they became stronger by developing various skills to protect against violence. Implications for Practice: Supportive interventions should be used to improve the health and safety of psychiatric nurses and patients. Strategies can be developed to include psychiatric nurses in occupational health nursing courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Medicinal plants are a part of everyday life.Medicinal plants have many effects on the lives of individuals diagnosed with mental illness. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Since there is no qualitative study in which individuals diagnosed with mental illness provided a detailed explanation of their views about the use of medicinal plants, this study will fill a gap in the literature and guide mental health nurses.This study provides information for mental health nurses about how individuals diagnosed with mental illness evaluate medicinal plants, what it means to them and the effects of medicinal plants.It provides ideas about the use of medicinal plants as a tool to protect and improve mental health.In addition, since the majority of the studies on mental illnesses and medicinal plants are quantitative studies, it was thought that this study was different from the seminal studies in the literature and could offer new ideas for future studies. What are the implications for practice?: The results of this study show mental health nurses that the positive aspects of medicinal plants can be used to maintain and improve the mental health of individuals diagnosed with mental illness.Mental health nurses should evaluate the treatment and maintenance process in detail, considering that medicinal plants may interact with drug treatment or the risks of using medicinal plants in terms of adverse effects.Moreover, mental health nurses should fight against the negative aspects of medicinal plants.Mental health nurses and individuals diagnosed with mental illness should be made aware of the use of medicinal plants. Aim: There was no qualitative study found in which individuals diagnosed with mental illness explained their views in detail about the use of medicinal plants. It is therefore thought that this study will fill this gap in the literature and guide mental health nurses in the field. The research was carried out to determine the use of medicinal plants by individuals diagnosed with mental illness. Method: This research was a qualitative study conducted using the case study design. Ten individuals diagnosed with mental illness for at least 10 years, determined by the purposeful sampling method were interviewed. The data were collected between March and April 2022 with information form and semi‐structured interview form and analysed with the content analysis method. Findings: Four of the participants had depression, four had anxiety and two had mood disorders. Themes were determined to be a source of healing (ointment for the soul, body tonic and organic and nature's miracles) and cultural accumulation (faith and inheritance, counselling helpline). Conclusion: Participants described medicinal plants as a source of healing, stating that medicinal plants are good for bodily and mental health and provide purification. Individuals stated that the information about medicinal plants represents cultural accumulation as an inheritance, they applied them as a counselling helpline in case of illness. Implications for Practice: The positive effects of medicinal plant use can be supported by mental health nurses. Considering that medicinal plants may interact with the drug treatment, the use of medicinal plants should be evaluated in detail by mental health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) are, typically, non‐medical healthcare professionals, who possess advanced clinical skills, a master's level qualification and evidence of leadership, management and research abilities.Most ACPs are nurses and new ACP roles are increasingly being established around the world.The views of senior staff towards new mental health nursing roles in organizations are likely to influence their introduction and sustainabilityResearch on mental health nursing ACP roles is sparse. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The paper uniquely provides specific information as to factors perceived by senior staff as affecting the implementation of ACP roles in mental health services.A wide range of mental health services were perceived as potentially benefiting from ACPs.Establishing role clarity for MHN ACPs is perceived as being as essential to successful introduction of the role, as has been found for other specialities. What are the implications for practice?: Participants identified a need for early engagement with service users and professions about new ACP roles and for processes that can evaluate ACP roles once they established.Some mental health nurses may require long‐term developmental pathways to help prepare them to take on a master's level course and then the ACP role. Introduction: Advanced clinical practice (ACP) roles are increasingly being developed internationally. Identifying factors perceived as affecting the development of ACP can support effective implementation. Aim: To understand the views of senior health service staff as to factors influencing the development of ACP roles in mental health services. Method: Focus group and semi‐structured interviews. Participants were directors of nursing (n = 10) and other senior staff from roles important to workforce development (n = 10). Results: Content analysis suggested seven categories: understanding the role and national guidelines, attitudes to the role, learning from implementing other roles, understanding prerequisites for development, challenges, opportunities and future support/actions. Prerequisites for success would include early engagement with stakeholders. Medical attitudes towards ACP roles were perceived as generally more positive than previously. Discussion: The study provides unique information regarding perspectives of senior staff regarding the implementation of ACP roles in mental health services. A wide range of mental health services were perceived as potentially benefiting from ACPs, with the importance of role clarity being highlighted and long‐term developmental pathways for staff. Implications for practice: Successful Implementation of ACP roles may require clear role definition, early engagement with stakeholders and processes to evaluate role outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Nursing observations at night are conducted on psychiatric wards to ensure the safety and well‐being of patients as well as to reduce the risk of suicide or severe harm.To our knowledge, no studies have examined the lived experience of the psychiatric ward environment and of nursing observations at night. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: The main complaint from patients was the constant interruption of their sleep, as most of the patients in this study were observed 2–4 times an hour. Their sleep was interrupted by (a) the light from torches shone into their faces by staff checking on their safety, (b) the noises produced by the opening and closing of bedroom/ward doors, and/or (c) staff talking to each other during the observation. Patients also reported that they found having somebody enter the room in the middle of the night intimidating and unsettling. What are the implications for practice?: Poor sleep has been associated with an increase in suicide risk and mental health problems.Identifying practices that promote sleep hygiene is vital.The study could be used to develop a Quality Improvement Project to improve patients' sleep and perhaps reduce duration of stay. Introduction: A fundamental component of nursing care is observations at night to ensure the well‐being of patients. However, there is no literature on the lived experience by inpatients of such observations or of the general environment of a psychiatric ward at night. Aim/Question: This study aims (a) to understand the lived experience of being an inpatient on a psychiatric ward at night with a focus on intermittent observations and (b) contribute to developing a tool to monitor the psychiatric ward environment for use in quality improvement projects. Method: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with twelve inpatients from five psychiatric wards who had experienced intermittent observations at night. These interviews were subsequently transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Results: Environmental disturbances including light and noise, invasion of privacy and safety considerations on the ward all contributed to sleep disturbance. The unintended consequences of disturbances caused by intermittent night observations, and by staff in general and other patients formed the core of the inpatients' experience. We developed a clinical tool that could be used to identify the factors that are relevant on an individual ward. Discussion: Participants interviewed unanimously agreed that poor sleep quality had a significant negative impact on their psychological and social well‐being. These were discussed in relation to the environment and the experience of observations at night. Implications for nursing practice: Deprivation of inpatients' sleep is currently under‐reported, and the usefulness of intermittent observations at night in psychiatric wards is questioned. Much could be done to adjust the environment at night to support quality sleep and improve psychiatric symptoms. This paper aims to highlight the lived experience of patients to help bring improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject: Alcohol addiction is manifested by periods of abstinence and relapse in which the individual returns to previous problematic alcohol use. This may lead to unstable and stressful routines for the family and for women who live with a spouse diagnosed with an AUD.AUD may mentally and physically affect women living with a spouse diagnosed with AUD with respect to relapse. However, most studies have focused on the influence of AUD in general, and the way they cope with it; few have dealt with the experience of relapse as a distinctive stage. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: Women's experiences of their spouses' relapses are embedded within their broader life experience in the shadow of alcohol addiction.The pattern of transitions from closeness to distance in the ways women think, feel and actively respond to their spouses' relapses shows similarities with the ways in which individuals cope with repeated trauma. This helps relate these women's experiences of their spouses' repeated relapses to the potential complex trauma these women experience and leads to a better understanding of the internal emotional dynamics of these women's behavioural patterns. What are the implications for practice: These women need a therapeutic solution that can help them cope with longstanding emotional burdens.Therapists should be sensitive to the complexity of their experience. When relevant, therapy should be based on therapeutic strategies from trauma practice, along with Alcohol Behavioural Couples Therapy that can reinforce the couple's mutual efforts to achieve sobriety or reduce AUD severity Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is manifested by periods of remission and relapse which can serve as a source of continuous stressors on the individuals and family. Women living with a spouse diagnosed with AUD can be mentally and physically affected by this behaviour. Most studies have focused on the general influence of AUD on these women and their attempts to cope with AUD; there are scant data on the influences of relapse as a distinctive stage. Aim: To better understand how women whose spouses are diagnosed with AUD experience their relapses. Method: A qualitative‐naturalistic approach was implemented. Semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews were conducted with 12 women whose spouses were diagnosed with AUD. Results: Content analysis revealed three main categories representing the transitions from: a) ignorance to realization, b) emotional opposition to acceptance and c) activity to inactivity. Each category reflects one cognitive, emotional or behavioural dimension of this experience. The overarching theme emerged as shifts from closeness to distance in the way these women think, feel and actively respond to their spouse's relapses and addiction. Discussion: The shift from closeness to distance as manifested by the three transitions is argued to reflect the ways these women experience and cope with the chronic nature of AUD. It is suggested that this experience parallels the phenomenology of symptoms of complex trauma. Implications for practice: Nurses should be alert to the potential accumulative stressors experienced by these women and implement intervention strategies developed in the trauma field in addition to Alcohol Behavioural Couples Therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: There is body of knowledge available about the harms associated with restrictive interventions used in behaviour management, service users' perceptions of the use of restraints, and staff competence in behaviour management. The staff perspective has been studied in terms of staff exposure, responses to and prevention of aggression, staff‐related factors associated with service user aggression, and staff attitudes and perceptions towards violence.The definitions of competence in behaviour management provided in training interventions are fragmented and based on unilateral measurements.Training interventions with the purpose of enhancing staff competence in behaviour management are organized regularly, yet there is a lack of clarity on how effective these interventions are. Inadequate conceptual understanding of behaviour management can weaken the effectiveness of these interventions. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: Our study produced new knowledge by providing a preliminary conceptual framework that can be used to comprehensively describe and assess competence in managing challenging behaviour and to cover safely the whole care process. Humane care and ethical sensitivity should be the premises of interaction with people in distress. We also pointed out the needs for conceptual clarification of the concepts of confidence, support and restraint.We provide important new insight into the leadership and cultural issues of behaviour management that is relevant for patients, staff members and healthcare organizations. We found that staff members do not consider service user safety and workplace safety as opposing issues.Further, we provide new perspectives for prevention, the risk assessment process and effective communication in the context of behaviour management. What are the implications for practice?: A comprehensive understanding of the competences related to behaviour management will foster universal definitions for "support" and "restraint," which can then be used to ensure that the best practices are used for behaviour management.Organizational culture and participative leadership on behaviour management should be developed with a special focus on safety issues, common understanding of comprehensive competence, risk assessment and prevention, views regarding the use of restraints, and teamwork. Introduction: Previous research concerning staff views of behaviour management has not considered instructors' views. The definitions of competence in behaviour management are fragmented, which can undermine the effectiveness of training interventions. Aim/Question: This study aimed to describe Finnish and British Management of Actual or Potential Aggression instructors' perceptions of safety and behaviour management‐related competences and create a conceptual framework for comprehensive competence. Method: An explorative‐descriptive qualitative approach with purposive sampling (N = 22), semi‐structured interviews and abductive content analysis. Results: Conceptual framework of comprehensive competence in managing challenging behaviour includes five categories—knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and ethical sensitivity—and 21 subcategories. Competent staff and supportive leadership ensured safety, while inconsistent risk management culture, the health and behaviour of service users, and inadequate staff orientation endangered safety. Discussion: The study produced new knowledge of safety issues and competences from the perspective of the instructors who deliver behaviour management training. Implications for practice: Competence to manage challenging behaviour should be developed based on our conceptual framework to provide an effective and safe training. Prevention, the risk assessment process, alternative communication, and the definitions of "confidence," "support" and "restraint" should all be sufficiently addressed in future training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Many Western countries have abandoned the wearing of nurse uniforms on inpatient mental health wards. The adoption of a non‐uniform policy in Hong Kong was recently introduced in select rehabilitation units to align with the philosophy of the recovery model. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The findings suggest that nurses perceived wearing non‐uniform might help to reduce the self‐stigma of service users and develop better self‐esteem.The perceived potential benefits of the introduction of a non‐uniform policy seemed to outweigh the perceived drawbacks. What are the implications for practice?: The results further acknowledge the potential positive effects of nurses wearing non‐uniform on facilitating psychiatric service users' recovery process. However, further research on service users' perspectives is required.The wearing of non‐uniform may be considered to be extended to other psychiatric wards in Hong Kong and other similar Asian settings in order to potentially help promote patient's recovery and to reduce emotional distance between staff and service users. Introduction: A non‐uniform policy was recently adopted in selected Hong Kong rehabilitation wards to align with the philosophy of the recovery model. The change in policy is relatively novel in Asia, where no previous studies have reported how this may influence nursing care and service users' recovery. Aim: To explore Hong Kong Mental Health Nurses' views about wearing non‐uniform within an inpatient rehabilitation unit in regard to facilitating service users' recovery process. Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, utilizing individual in‐depth semi‐structured research interviews. Results: A total of 12 interviews were conducted with nurse participants. The analysis process identified 3 main themes and 9 subthemes. Main themes were "building up rapport with service users," "non‐uniform helps deinstitutionalization" and "different approaches to maximize the benefit and to minimize the risk." Discussion: Despite some concerns, the majority of nurse participants positively viewed the policy of wearing non‐uniform and felt it was potentially beneficial to service users' recovery process. Implications for practice: Nurses perceived that wearing non‐uniform may facilitate meaningful therapeutic engagement, and may help to reduce the self‐stigma and develop the self‐esteem of service users. Other inpatient units in Hong Kong and similar Asian settings might consider adopting the policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Caring for people with dementia and responsive behaviours is challenging; however, little is known of nurses' experiences of responsive behaviours., What does this paper add to existing knowledge? To demonstrate understanding nurses need to be aware of their own actions, thoughts, attitudes and reactions., Time, education and management support are essential in enabling a person-centred approach., A decision regarding the place of care is difficult to come to, and given the drive to a person-centred approach, there is a need to consider the views of people with dementia., What are the implications for practice? Nursing staff supporting people with dementia should engage more frequently in reflective practice, ongoing education and decision-making., Service providers/managers need to have an understanding of the complexities of caring for a person with dementia and responsive behaviours and provide their staff with relevant supports and education that is accessible to all staff., Abstract Introduction Caring for people with dementia and responsive behaviours can challenge nurses, and little is known of their experiences. Aims To explore nurses' views of supporting people with dementia and responsive behaviours in long-stay facilities. Methods A qualitative descriptive study utilizing in-depth audio-recorded interviews of nine nurses, recruited from private and public care facilities. Qualitative content analyses conducted involving iterative comparisons of transcripts, summaries and memos, where coding, key quotes and tables were developed to determine themes. Results Four themes emerged: recognizing and understanding responsive behaviour, resources and interventions to support people with dementia and responsive behaviour, the impact of education on nursing practice and the care environment. Discussion Availability of staff, adequate time and financial restraints hinder nurses' ability to provide care. Access to ongoing education and being able to provide one-to-one care was valued as dementia-specific education changed nursing practice. Implications for practice Place of care was seen as dependent on the type of responsive behaviour in question, the duration of the behaviour and the impact of the behaviour on the person, other residents and staff. Dementia education needs to be accessible to all staff, and a collaborative approach is necessary in order to develop management guidelines and support strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades interest in using auricular acupuncture for substance dependence care has increased. The specific auricular acupuncture protocol used follows the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) definition. This paper describes patients' experiences of receiving auricular acupuncture during protracted withdrawal. Interviews were conducted with 15 patients treated at an outpatient clinic for substance dependence. Content analysis was used to analyse the interviews. The analysis resulted in seven categories of positive experiences and seven categories of negative experiences. The positive experiences were: Relaxation and well-being, Peacefulness and harmony, New behaviours, Positive physical impact, Importance of context, Anxiety reduction and Reduced drug and alcohol consumption. The negative experiences were: Nothing negative, Disturbing context, Short-term effect, Depending on someone else, Time-consuming, Physical distractions and Remaining cravings. The conclusion of this study is that all respondents appreciated NADA treatment. This study supports further research on using NADA in addiction treatment to reduce suffering during protracted withdrawal and in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]