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Aims and Objectives: To explore nurses' and ward staff's perceptions and assessments of patient care while implementing mechanical restraints. Background: To prevent the risks associated with the use of restraints in psychiatry and ensure safe mental health care, it is necessary to know more about how the nursing staff experiences, comprehends and intervenes in managing patients subjected to coercive measures. Design: This study employed a qualitative descriptive design, in accordance with the COREQ guidelines. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 18 nurses and ward staff aged between 22 and 45 years old, who had experience implementing mechanical restraints. Data were digitally audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 12. Results: The participants believed that mechanical restraints should be used as a last resort and that safeguarding patients during implementation is important; however, their assessments of the patients' physical and mental conditions varied. A clear difference emerged in how management qualified professionals handled situations prior to and during the implementation of mechanical coercive measures. Conclusions: The findings emphasise the need to focus on the assessment of patients prior to and during restraint, ensure the quality of safe implementation in a risk‐of‐harm situation, prioritise competence in education, and practice, and improve management. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings highlight the importance of assessing the physical and mental condition of patients while implementing restraints, as well as aiding the management, nurses and ward staff in tailoring safety procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the perceptions of Norwegian nurses who have received assisted dying requests from terminally ill patients. Assisted dying is illegal in Norway, while in some countries, it is an option. Nurses caring for terminally ill patients may experience ethical challenges by receiving requests for euthanasia and assisted suicide. We applied a qualitative research design with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach using open individual interviews. A total of 15 registered nurses employed in pulmonary and oncology wards of three university hospitals and home care in one municipality were recruited. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) unprepared for the request; (2) meeting direct, indirect, and nonverbal requests; (3) working in a gray zone, and (4) feeling alone and powerless. The study found that nurses were unsure how to handle such requests due to professional uncertainty about assisted dying. Working in an environment where the topic is taboo made nurses morally uncertain, and some perceived this as moral distress. The hospital chaplain played a significant role in providing support to these nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure to recognize the deterioration of hospital patients has led to the implementation of a system known as the Rapid Response System. The aim was to explore nurses’ use of the afferent limb of the Rapid Response System to recognize and respond to deteriorating patients. Data were collected via video recordings with observations of 20 registered nurses (RNs) from general wards performing scenarios in a simulation laboratory with focus group interviews. Data were analyzed using systematic text condensation. COREQ were followed. In the first scenario, nurses did not apply ABCDE or ISBAR, and the use of NEWS was insufficient. Completing an education program led to evident improvement in the use of the tools during the second scenario. Nurses initially viewed their new competency as useful, but it was not sustained a year later. Customized education programs and fidelity-scale simulations are suited but not sufficient to change clinical competency without management anchoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has highlighted the importance of health and social care professionals' collaboration with family caregivers. In the field of mental healthcare, involvement of family members is perceived as beneficial to the recovery process of the care recipient. Furthermore, family care‐giving is an essential part of elderly care. It is well documented that family members need support to prevent negative consequences of care‐giving. Nevertheless, involvement of and support for family caregivers have not developed into a common practice, and research has identified professional barriers to collaboration with family caregivers in several areas. The aim of this study was to explore professionals' experiences of collaboration with family caregivers of older persons with mental health problems, and how they understood their responsibility towards families. We conducted three focus group interviews with 18 health and social care professionals working in community‐based services, in three rural municipalities in Western Norway. The thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke guided the analysis. The findings in relation to the professionals' role and responsibility towards family caregivers are presented in three themes: family caregivers – a resource that needs support; a responsibility with unclear boundaries; and balancing different needs. Professionals recognised family caregivers' need for support and acknowledged the importance of family relationships. However, they experienced dilemmas in performing their dual responsibility of caring for the older care recipient as well as the family member, which they described as having unclear guidelines. They also experienced that they had insufficient knowledge to take on this responsibility. We argue that the exercising of discretion is essential for the professionals' responsibility, and that clarification of their responsibility is needed. We recommend a stronger focus in education on developing competence in the family perspective. Furthermore, the apportionment of professionals' responsibility needs to be formalised, especially when several services are involved in providing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential benefits from day care attendance are reported in the literature for both people with dementia and caregivers, although the evidence-base is limited. The study aimed to explore and compare experiences of day care services for people with dementia as described by day care attendees and their caregivers in Norway and Scotland. Whereas day care receives prominence in Norway's national dementia plan, Scotland does not highlight day care in its national dementia strategy. A qualitative cross-national comparative study was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 people with dementia and 17 caregivers in Norway, and 19 people with dementia and 15 caregivers in Scotland. Data were analyzed thematically and comparatively to explore the experiences and outcomes of the participants. Findings indicate positive outcomes from day care for both people with dementia and caregivers. Satisfaction with services related to meaningful activities, getting out of the home, strengthening social connections and careful staff facilitation to create a positive and welcoming atmosphere. There were strong similarities in the content of services and experiences reported in the two countries. Some minor differences were noted, with caregiver support being an area of notable divergence in experiences. Specialist day care for people with dementia seems to provide important support and positive outcomes for people with dementia, and respite and reassurance for their caregivers. More research is needed to further explore the effect of day care designed for people with dementia both on the attendees and their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal mortality is unacceptably high in developing countries, and maternal health care service utilization is associated with improved maternal outcomes. We shed light on conditions that influence women's preferences for childbirth location. Based on a qualitative descriptive design, 25 interviews were conducted with women of childbearing age in Southern Ethiopia in 2015. Previous experience of complications was the most common reason for using skilled attendants at the next childbirth. In addition, women's limited decision-making authority and knowledge, as well as the quality of health care services and infrastructure, influenced childbirth location preferences. Home birth is still the norm, but there is growing interest in using health facilities and skilled attendants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]