Search

Why you should read this article: • To understand the complexity of the needs of people with delirium superimposed on dementia • To enhance your knowledge of second-generation activity theory • To recognise the consequences of the separation of physical health and mental healthcare. Background: Delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) affects the physical, mental and cognitive well-being of the person. The separation of physical health and mental health means that the care of people with DSD is at odds with the multifaceted aetiology and presentation of the condition. There is a lack of research on DSD from a mental health perspective. Aim: To explore UK mental health nurses’ experiences of providing care for people with DSD. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven mental health nurses from one NHS trust in England. Participants’ experiences were considered through the lens of second-generation activity theory. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Findings: Six themes were identified: awareness of guidance and tools; guidance or tools as ‘paper exercises’; knowing the patient; the multidisciplinary team; care burden; and mental health versus physical health. Conclusion: When providing care for people with DSD, mental health nurses use their skills in knowing patients as individuals. However, this aspect of ‘knowing’ cannot be readily translated into the use of a numerical scoring tool. An integrated approach is required to support the care of people with DSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the training needs of the home care workforce in supporting the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receiving aged care services through the Home Care Package (HCP) Program. Methods: A mixed-methods design including (1) a focus group and interview with coordinators of HCP Program services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across metropolitan and rural South Australia in April and June 2022, and (2) a desktop review of training, professional development opportunities and resources for existing and pre-entry workforce addressing the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care across the Vocational Education Training and higher education sectors in South Australia, the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, the Department of Health and Aged Care website and aged care email alerts between December 2021 and September 2022. Results: Five themes representing workforce training needs were identified: cultural safety, trauma-informed care, case management, compliance with funding rules and preferred formats for training. The desktop review identified a paucity of formal training, professional development and resources within the context of addressing the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ongoing practice-based professional development learning opportunities are needed within organisations to enhance peer-learning and support. These need to be available together with dedicated formal training programs and practical resources on meeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' SEWB in aged care. What is known about the topic? Supporting social and emotional wellbeing is an important aspect of delivering quality aged care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. What does this paper add? Insights into workforce training needs which support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in home-based aged care. What are the implications for practitioners? Ongoing practice-based learning opportunities, training and resources are needed to enhance peer-learning and support workforce in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' social and emotional wellbeing in aged care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Introducing new technologies in education sparks debates, disrupting traditional practices, and requiring teacher adaptation. ChatGPT is an example. Research explores its benefits and concerns in education, with recommendations for classroom use. Nevertheless, limited evidence supports ChatGPT as a tool for supporting English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' research competency. Moreover, while the literature primarily focuses on the perspectives of scholars and teachers, it is essential to incorporate students' viewpoints in order to maximize the potential of this technology. Objectives: The present study investigated EFL undergraduates' perceptions and practices of ChatGPT as a tool for promoting their research competency. Additionally, the study examined the potential influence of metacognitive awareness (MA) levels in this context. Methods: The study utilized a mixed‐method research design, collecting quantitative and qualitative data from 27 EFL undergraduates (12 with low MA and 15 with high MA) over one semester. Data sources included a self‐report questionnaire, self‐study log, and semi‐structured interviews. Results and conclusions: Quantitative analysis showed significant differences between low and high MA groups in their perceptions of ChatGPT (U = 37.500, Z = 2.570). Regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between MA scores and students' perceptions and practices of ChatGPT. Qualitative analysis revealed diverse perceptions and practices of ChatGPT between the high MA and low MA groups, showcasing behaviours ranging from replication to using ChatGPT as a thought‐stimulating and supportive tool, accessing supplementary information, and seeking guidance. Key factors for effective ChatGPT use included prompt formulation, systematic thinking, self‐regulation strategies, and trust in AI. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Research competency and metacognitive awareness are important for EFL undergraduates.Technology has been explored for promoting research competency.ChatGPT is used as a learning tool in EFL instruction contexts. What does this paper add: It provides a deeper understanding of the practical application of AI tools like ChatGPT for developing research competency among EFL students.It enhances understanding of metacognition's role in successful learning in digital environments by exploring MA's impact on using ChatGPT for research purposes. Implications for practice/policy: Provide explicit instructions and guidelines for EFL students to effectively use ChatGPT for research competency, emphasizing clear prompt design and fostering responsible use through critical thinking and awareness of biases and limitations.Enhance EFL students' metacognitive awareness through scaffolding, explicit instruction, and activities.Implement assessments and monitoring mechanisms to track metacognitive development and guide instructional interventions.Offer professional development opportunities for EFL teachers to enhance their understanding and skills in integrating AI tools into research instruction and other EFL aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crisis Resolution Teams (CRTs) offer home-based care for people in mental health crisis, as an alternative to hospital admission. The success of CRTs in England has been variable. In response to this, the CRT Optimization and RElapse prevention (CORE) study developed and trialled a 12-month Service Improvement Programme (SIP) based on a fidelity model. This paper describes a qualitative evaluation of the perspectives of CRT staff, managers, and programme facilitators. We identify barriers and facilitators to implementation, and mechanisms by which service improvements took place. Methods: Managers and staff from six purposively sampled CRTs were interviewed, as well as six facilitators who were employed to support the implementation of service improvement plans. Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: A majority of participants viewed all components of the SIP as helpful in improving practice, although online resources were under-used. Perceived barriers to implementation centred principally around lack of staff time and ownership. Support from both senior staff and facilitators was essential in enabling teams to undertake the work associated with the SIP. All participating stakeholder groups reported that using the fidelity model to benchmark their CRT work to best practice and feel part of a 'bigger whole' was valuable. Conclusion: CRT staff, managers and programme facilitators thought that a structured service improvement programme helped to increase fidelity to a best practice model. Flexibility (from all stakeholders) was key to enable service improvement actions to be manageable within time- and resource-poor teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID‐19 pandemic, Ireland implemented a series of stringent public health measures, including lockdowns and suspension of non‐urgent clinical services. Aims: To investigate the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the demand for and delivery of speech and language therapy (SLT) services in Ireland in 2020. Methods & Procedures: Two iterations of a cross‐sectional, mixed‐methods online survey were distributed to speech and language therapists (SLTs) and SLT students in Ireland in the spring and autumn of 2020 using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling. The spring survey yielded 407 responses (including 14 from SLT students), while 197 respondents took part in the autumn (13 students). Survey analysis focused on questions related to the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on delivery and demand for SLT services (student responses were excluded from analysis owing to low response rate). The largest group in respect of experience were senior SLTs (58% in both surveys). The work settings most strongly represented were HSE primary care (34.4%) and disability services (26.5%) in the spring, and HSE primary care (39.1%), acute hospitals (22.8%) and disability services (20.8%) in the autumn. We used descriptive statistics, including distribution analysis, to analyse the quantitative data. Free text data were interrogated through a variant of a conventional qualitative content analysis. Outcomes & Results: In the spring, cessation of face‐to‐face services featured prominently (reported by 65.6% versus 14.2% in the autumn), across SLTs' work settings, except acute hospitals. Lower demand was reported by 42.5% in the spring, while in the autumn, 48.7% indicated that demand was higher. SLTs experienced large‐scale redeployment (spring: 45.9%, autumn: 38.4%), with HSE primary care SLTs redeployed most (spring: 71.7%; autumn: 62.3%). The need to suddenly pivot to telehealth was a significant challenge in terms of training, technology and logistics. New ways of working emerged and gradually, telehealth became more embedded. SLTs also had to adapt to working with evolving public health measures, such as space restrictions and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. Across the two survey iterations, SLTs reported tensions between demands and capacity: while referrals and demand initially decreased in the spring, this led to increased backlog and longer waiting lists, ongoing and increasing pressure on clinicians and services, and negatively impacted clients and families. Conclusions & Implications: The COVID‐19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on SLT services in Ireland. Going forward, the SLT profession and its services will require sustained support to mitigate long‐term negative consequences, such as increased waiting lists. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: The negative impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on SLT services has been examined in several countries. Ireland imposed more stringent pandemic‐management measures than many other countries, and it was therefore warranted to investigate how SLT services in the country were affected. What this study adds to the existing knowledge: Face‐to‐face SLT services effectively ceased in most non‐urgent contexts in spring 2020. This coincided with large‐scale redeployment of SLTs to non‐SLT contexts. By autumn 2020, demand had increased again, but not all services had recommenced, and redeployment was still a factor. Although SLTs adapted to the ongoing changes imposed by the pandemic, they voiced concern about increasing backlogs and longer waiting lists, ongoing and increasing pressure on both SLTs and services, and negative impacts on clients and families. What are the actual and clinical implications of this work?: The COVID‐19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on SLT services in Ireland. Going forward, the SLT profession and its services will require sustained support to mitigate long‐term negative consequences, such as increased waiting lists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify culturally related stressors that influence self‐care in Chinese older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Background: Effective self‐care can improve health outcomes for chronic conditions, but implementing self‐care is challenging. Individuals with multiple chronic conditions face even more self‐care complexity than those with single chronic conditions, generating additional stressors. Although stressors have been found to negatively influence self‐care in multiple chronic conditions, the role of culture in generating stressors has been neglected. Design: This paper reports on the qualitative component of a larger mixed‐methods study. Two free‐response items in a survey were used to identify culturally related stressors that influence self‐care. This report adhered to the SRQR guideline checklist. Methods: Data were collected between January and April 2022. One hundred and thirty‐eight free text responses asking participants to identify stressors that influenced their self‐care effectiveness were analysed sequentially using deductive content analysis and thematic analysis. Results: Findings from deductive content analysis largely confirmed published work in Western literature on stressors complicating self‐care, including symptom burdens, financial strains, social disconnection, caregiving responsibilities and major life events. Findings from reflexive thematic analysis extended current literature by identifying three culturally relevant stressors: intergenerational obligations and commitments, ambivalence about receiving care and worries about potential problems. Conclusion: Chinese older adults with multiple chronic conditions identified a wide range of stressors that impacted their day‐to‐day self‐care. This study provided valuable insights into culturally related stressors in older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Findings deepened our knowledge of cultural influences on the success of self‐care in older adults with multiple chronic conditions, suggesting the potential for reaching populations across different cultures and regions. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Stressors that might influence self‐care ability are important for nurses to assess in people with multiple chronic conditions. The design of self‐care interventions should take a culturally tailored intergenerational family‐centred approach to help mitigate the impact of stressors and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Impact: What problem did the study address?Stressors documented in older adults with MCCs have all been generated from research with Western populations. China is now home to the largest population of older people in the world. Understanding the influence of culturally relevant stressors on self‐care in Chinese older adults with MCCs is lacking.What were the main findings?Findings from deductive content analysis largely confirmed published work in Western literature on stressors that complicated self‐care, including symptom burdens, financial strains, social disconnection, caregiving responsibilities and major life events. Findings from reflexive thematic analysis extended current literature by identifying three culturally relevant stressors in older adults with MCCs in China: intergenerational obligations and commitments, ambivalence about receiving care and worries about potential problems.Where and on whom will the research have an impact?The research will have an impact on guiding nurses' assessment of culturally relevant stressors' impact on self‐care for older adults with MCCs. In addition, findings could inform research and policy development to aim at mitigating the impact of culturally based stressors on self‐care. Reporting Method: This study adhered to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guideline checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: During the member‐checking process, the validation of findings for accuracy was carried out by 10 participants, who also found resonance between these findings and their own experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how social workers integrate personal spirituality within nursing homes, where a highly regulated, stressful environment marginalizes professional identity and challenges retention. Researchers offer new evidence of how spirituality informs professional identity, ethical practice, and continuation in the role. Twenty BSW/MSW licensed nursing home social workers (NHSWs) reported how they daily navigate the personal spirituality-at-work opportunity and challenge. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews resulted in three primary codes and related subcodes: Spirituality-Integrated Professional Identity (Vocational Affirmation and Value Alignment), Spirituality-Informed Practice (Intervention Asset, Relational Affinity, and Ambiguous Boundaries), and Spiritually-Sustained Career Resilience. Respondents reported how spirituality animated professional identity, informed daily role enactment, and sustained role involvement. Recommendations are provided for normalizing ethical spirituality-at-work through social work education and practical guidance in navigating the spirituality and practice space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, it is estimated that one in three adults live with two or more long‐term conditions (multiple long‐term conditions, MLTCs), that require self‐management. People who experience socioeconomic deprivation face significant health inequalities due to a range of interrelated characteristics that lead to a lack of resources and opportunities. Previous research with underserved populations indicate low levels of trust towards primary care providers and potential barriers for developing patient‐healthcare professional relationships. The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers and facilitators to self‐managing MLTCs, amongst people who experience socioeconomic deprivation. Methods: Semistructured one‐to‐one interviews with adults (n = 28) living in London and Sheffield, United Kingdom with MLTCs who are experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Participants were recruited through general practices, community channels and social media. Data were analysed in NVivo using reflexive thematic analysis methods. Findings: Four analytical themes were developed: (1) challenges in accessing healthcare services, financial assistance, and cultural awareness; (2) empowerment and disempowerment through technology, including digital exclusion, and use of technology; (3) impact and causes of exclusion on self‐management, including social isolation, area‐based and economic exclusion, and health‐related stigma and (4) adapting self‐management strategies, including cost‐effective, and culturally/lifestyle appropriate strategies. Conclusions: Future health interventions and services need to be developed with consideration of the combined complexities of managing MLTCs while experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Increased awareness in practitioners and commissioners of the complexities surrounding the lives of people experiencing socioeconomic deprivation, and the need for targeted strategies to promote self‐management of MLTCs are of great importance. Patient or Public Contribution: A patient advisory group contributed to all stages of the study, including providing important feedback on study documents (topic guides and recruitment materials), as well as providing critical insights surrounding the interpretation of interview data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) do not always access specialist outpatient services in a timely manner in Ireland. The perspectives of people living with PD, relating to service access, are largely absent in the existing literature. Aim: To explore experiences of PD service access for people living with PD, using a qualitative approach. Methods: Purposive maximum variation sampling was used. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with 25 service users, including people with PD (n = 22) and supporting carers (n = 3). Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Interviews ranged in duration from 30 to 90 min. Data were managed in NVivo 12 and interpreted inductively using thematic analysis. The researchers were reflexive throughout the research process. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was employed to maximise transparency. Results: The findings highlight several key barriers to and facilitators of equitable and timely service access. Three key themes were identified comprising experiences of PD service access including 'geographical inequity', 'discriminatory practices', and 'public and private system deficits'. Together, these themes illustrate how a two‐tiered and under‐resourced health system lacks capacity, in terms of infrastructure and workforce, to meet PD needs for both public and private patients in Ireland. Conclusions: These findings point to problems for PD care, relating to (i) how the health system is structured, (ii) the under‐provision and under‐resourcing of specialist outpatient PD services, including medical, nursing, and multidisciplinary posts, and (iii) insufficient PD awareness education and training across health settings. The findings also show that telemedicine can provide opportunities for making access to certain aspects of PD care more flexible and equitable, but the feasibility and acceptability of technology‐enabled care must be assessed on an individual basis. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed. Patient or Public Contribution: The design and conduct of this study were supported by an expert advisory group (EAG) of 10 co‐researchers living with PD. The EAG reviewed the interview schedule and the protocol for this study and provided detailed feedback from their perspective, to improve the methods, including the interview approach. The group also reviewed the findings of the study and contributed their insights on the meaning of the findings, which fed into this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on maternal mental health. We explored the lived experiences of women with perinatal depression and anxiety to elucidate their perceptions of how the pandemic influenced their mental health and access to care. Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews. From March to October 2021, purposive sampling was used to recruit a socio-demographically diverse sample of women with self-reported perinatal depression or anxiety who were pregnant or within one year postpartum between March 2020 and October 2021. Interviews were conducted remotely and thematically analyzed. Results: Fourteen women were interviewed. Three major themes arose. Theme 1, Negative impacts of COVID-19 on symptoms of depression and anxiety, described how the pandemic magnified underlying symptoms of depression and anxiety, increased social isolation, generated anxiety due to fears of COVID-19 infection, and caused economic stress. In theme 2, Negative impacts of COVID-19 on access to and quality of health care, women described stressful and isolating delivery experiences, negative psychological impact of partners not being able to participate in their perinatal health care, interruptions and barriers to mental health treatment, and challenges in using telehealth services for mental health care. Theme 3, Positive impacts of COVID-19 on mental health, identified advantages of increased telehealth access and ability to work and study from home. Conclusions for Practice: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected women with perinatal depression and anxiety by magnifying underlying symptoms, increasing stress and social isolation, and disrupting access to mental health care. Findings provide support for policies and interventions to prevent and address social isolation, as well as optimization of telehealth services to prevent and address gaps in perinatal mental health treatment. Significance: What is Already Known on this Subject? Quantitative data suggest that the pandemic increased rates of perinatal mental illness. Yet the perspectives of women with perinatal depression and anxiety on how the pandemic affected their mental health and access to care remain underreported. What this Study adds? This paper offers new insight from the lived experience of women with perinatal depression and anxiety on ways the pandemic negatively and positively affected their mental health and access to mental health care. Implications for interventions, policies, and clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was first to gain an in-depth understanding of the barriers and facilitators to implementing the BPS model and pain neuroscience education in the current Lebanese physical therapy health care approach and explore its acceptability. A qualitative semi-structured interview using purposive sampling was conducted with eight Lebanese physical therapists practising in different governorates. The transcribed text from the interviews was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Two topics were generated and constructed by the researchers: (1) "barriers to the implementation of pain neuroscience education, with subthemes including (a) "current health care approach," (b) "basic curriculum and continuing education," (c) "patients' barriers"; (2) "facilitators to the implementation of pain neuroscience education," with subthemes containing (a) "interest in the BPS model, (b) "therapeutic alliance," and (c) "motivation for future training on BPS approach." The analysis of the results showed that Lebanese physical therapists currently hold a strong biomedical view of chronic pain, assessment, and treatment. However, despite the presence of barriers and challenges, they are aware and open to consider the implementation and future training about the BPS model and pain neuroscience education in their approach. The exploration of potential barriers and facilitators to the bio-psychosocial model and pain neuroscience education implementation may provide an opportunity for better development and design of a culturally sensitive pain neuroscience education material for Arab-speaking and Lebanese physical therapists. The exploration of barriers and facilitators to the implementation of pain neuroscience education will help to improve pain education and ensure better clinical pain management. The most important barriers were the dominant characteristic of the Lebanese physical therapist's health approach, which is focused on a biomechanically oriented model, and their lack of knowledge to approach chronic pain from a biopsychosocial perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]