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Why you should read this article: • To identify the importance of emergency nurses being able to provide appropriate care for patients who self-harm • To learn about the findings of a systematic review that examined the effects of educational interventions on emergency nurses' attitudes towards patients who self-harm • To recognise the need for improved training for emergency nurses on suicide and self-harm Negative nurse attitudes towards emergency department patients who self-harm may increase the risk of repeated self-harm and suicide. This article details a systematic review that aimed to examine the evidence on the efficacy of educational interventions to improve the attitudes of emergency nurses towards patients who self-harm. Eight articles describing six intervention studies, published between 2001 and 2018, met the criteria for inclusion. The review found that educational interventions for emergency nurses improved their attitudes to patients who self-harm, but there was a lack of consistency in the approaches used and a reliance on self-report measures. Further training for emergency nurses is needed because of their crucial role in self-harm and suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017 more than 2,000 unaccompanied children sought asylum in the UK. This article summarises the policy and research literature on the mental health needs and experiences of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in the UK, with the aim of suggesting how to enhance practice and improve outcomes for this vulnerable group. UASC have significant mental health needs with high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety; the asylum process greatly affects their well-being. Higher levels of distress in older adolescents who are seeking asylum suggests that lower levels of social support have detrimental outcomes for their mental health. Barriers to service use include mistrust, stigma and service providers' lack of cultural awareness which affect UASC's help-seeking behaviours and identification of their needs. This indicates that mental health services should be available in the spaces commonly used by UASC, such as schools and community centres, to provide psychoeducation, training to other agencies and to inform culturally sensitive interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this article is to present selected findings from a doctoral study on the subjective well-being and subjective experience of mental health problems in UK mental health nurses. Here the concept of 'nurses' well-being' is explored. Method Data were drawn from a survey of 237 mental health nurses about their mental health and well-being and from interviews with 27 mental health nurses with personal experience of mental health problems and high subjective well-being. Results While nurses' subjective well-being is relatively low, some use strategies to support their well-being in and outside the workplace. Activities outside work that improved their wellbeing were physical exercise, mindfulness practice, spending time in nature and listening to music. Well-being was associated with clear boundaries between home and work life, regular clinical supervision and translating learning from work with patients to nurses' own lives. Conclusion Healthcare employers' staff health and well-being strategies should be informed by nurses' insights into what works for them. This may mean offering opportunities to take part in well-being activities. There are also opportunities to improve staff well-being through shared initiatives open to nurses and patients, and through an inclusive and empowering approach to staff engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we discuss the Department of Health's Positive and Safe initiative in the context of one Inner London mental health trust. The goal of the initiative is to reduce the use of restrictive practice in mental healthcare settings and to eradicate the use of prone restraint. We discuss how we are addressing the recommendations of the guidance and the new Mental Health Act 1983: Code of Practice. Implementation of the core elements of the approach are considered: these are behavioural support planning, reducing the use of restraint and post-incident reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To discuss the use of Skype as a medium for undertaking semi-structured interviews. Background Internet-based research is becoming increasingly popular, as communication using the internet takes a bigger role in our working and personal lives. Technology such as Skype allows research encounters with people across geographical divides. The semi-structured interview is a social encounter with a set of norms and expectations for both parties (Doody and Noonan 2012). Proceedings must take account of the social context of both semi-structured interviews per se, and that of internet mediated communication. Data sources The findings of the qualitative phase of a mixed-methods study are compared with other reports comparing the use of Skype with face-to-face and telephone interviews. Review methods This paper is a methodological discussion of the use of Skype as an online research methodology. Discussion Choosing Skype as a means of interviewing may affect the characteristics of participants and decisions about consent. Rapport, sensitivity and collaboration may be addressed differently in Skype interviews compared with face-to-face interviews. Conclusion Skype offers researchers the opportunity to reach a geographical spread of participants more safely, cheaply and quickly than face-to-face meetings. Rapport, sensitivity and degrees of collaboration can be achieved using this medium. Implications for research/practice The use of Skype as a medium for semi-structured interview research is better understood. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on the use of the internet as a medium for research by nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explains the impact that professional regulation has on mental health nursing and the remit of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in providing this. The common reasons why nurses in this specialty come into contact with the council are identified. The role of the NMC as a regulatory body, as opposed to a professional one is discussed, along with its limitations, as set down in legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]