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This study addresses research gaps regarding the impact of professional bereavement photography for perinatal loss. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, 504 parents completed an online survey measuring their attitudes toward bereavement photography and its impact. Thirty-one parents participated in semi-structured interviews. The results indicate a high level of acceptability and satisfaction for professional bereavement photography by parents (including those from more diverse backgrounds). Data triangulation confirmed that photos are valuable in enfranchising grief, validating parental and babies' identities and facilitating connections with others. Significant correlations were found for sharing of photos with both positive attitudes toward photography and for continuing bonds. The expression of continuing bonds in public social media spaces suggests increased social acceptance and validation for grieving perinatal losses. The findings from this study further inform practice guidelines for supporting perinatal loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into the use of bereavement photography is limited and the experiences of volunteer photographers remains understudied. For families with perinatal loss, bereavement photography allows for lasting mementos of a child and facilitates the maintenance of continuing bonds. This study investigated bereavement photographers' reasons for volunteering, factors predicting their compassion satisfaction, and the support and retention of volunteer photographers. Utilizing a mixed methods design, 141 Australian and New Zealand volunteer bereavement photographers completed the Volunteer Motivation Inventory. The strongest motivators for volunteering related to Values, Reciprocity and Recognition. The results concur with other research showing altruistic motivation has the greatest influence on becoming a volunteer in end of life services. Moderate to high levels of Compassion Satisfaction were found on the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5. Support from the volunteering organization and a higher number of photography sessions with families predicted higher Compassion Satisfaction. Additionally, 31 photographers participated in semi-structured interviews. Motivators for volunteering identified by the thematic analysis were: Giving Back, Being Appreciated, Healing Past Grief, and Satisfaction with the Organization. Overall, the findings suggested that providing sensitive supportive care, experiencing positive interactions with families, feeling supported, and having a sense of purpose led to higher levels of CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bereavement photography has been recognized as an important tool to create memories and as a support service for parents experiencing perinatal loss. This paper explores the impact of volunteering on posttraumatic growth among photographers working with parents impacted by stillbirth. Using a mixed-methods design, 141 Australian and New Zealand volunteer bereavement photographers were recruited. Higher number of losses experienced by photographers were correlated with a higher level of posttraumatic growth. Volunteering was associated with an enhanced understanding of loss, increased empathy for bereaved parents, developing effective coping skills and a renewed appreciation of photography. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Having a mental illness may undermine men's self‐image as a father while having children may facilitate their recovery.Many fathers who experience mental health issues experience stigma and are reluctant to seek support in their parental role.Most studies in this field focus on fathers from Western countries. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: Similar to Western fathers, Chinese fathers reported both negative parenting (parenting disengagement, harsh parenting and inconsistent discipline) and positive father–child interactions when ill.Unlike their Western counterparts, Chinese fathers relied on extended family support in their parenting role, though this support was problematic at times. What are the implications for practice?: This research helps mental health nurses understand the experiences of Chinese fathers with mental illness.Findings suggest that specific cultural adaptions to family‐focused interventions are needed for the Chinese context including considering extended family members (e.g. grandparents). Introduction: Parenting roles are important for those with a mental illness. While research on mothers is well established there is scant focus on fathers with mental illness, especially in non‐Anglophone countries. Aim: To better understand the parenting and family experiences of fathers, who have a mental illness, from the People's Republic of China. Method: Qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nine Chinese fathers with mental illness, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Seven superordinate themes were identified: (i) mental illness undermines idealized images of fatherhood; (ii) parenting in the context of mental illness; (iii) concerns about the negative impact of their illness on children; (iv) children as a burden and a source of hope; (v) stigma; (vi) relying on family support; and (vii) unmet professional and peer support needs. Discussion: Chinese fathers held a gendered image of fatherhood, and experienced self‐stigma for not living up to their ideal sense of fatherhood, which resulted in a reluctance to seek support. This study adds to the existing literature by focusing on Chinese fathers. Although many of their experiences are similar to fathers from Western countries, some differences were found, notably around a reliance on extended family support. Implications for practice: Nurses and other mental health professionals need to adopt a family‐focused, culturally informed approach to supporting Chinese fathers with mental illness and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Addressing the complex needs of callers who use helplines frequently has proved challenging for counselling helplines around the world. This paper examines the feasibility and acceptability of a telephone intervention called the Wellbeing Support Program (WSP), designed to address the needs of this group. Methods: A mixed methods approach involving quantitative clinical data and thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with frequent callers was used to evaluate the Wellbeing Support Program (WSP). Three counsellors from SANE Australia delivered the program and collected non-identifying telephone counselling data between June 2017 and February 2018. Researchers from Monash University undertook 20 semi-structured interviews with 15 participants and conducted analysis of the data. Results: The complex and diverse needs of frequent callers posed challenges for the feasibility of the WSP. However, callers expressed a high level of acceptability with the key features of the WSP including the continuity of care; the opportunity to explore things in greater depth; regularity; reliability; safety; trust; professional competence; and empathy and human connection. Discussion: This research provides valuable insights into the ongoing support needs of people who have experienced early childhood adversity and social disadvantage, highlighting the importance of being person centred and trauma informed. The results identify gaps in a fragmented mental health system and highlight a need to design an advanced model of care that sees General Medical Practitioners, mental health professionals and crisis helplines collaborating to provide an integrated approach to improving outcomes for those in most need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Very little has been articulated in the literature about strategies for managing frequent callers to helplines. This study aims to explore and clarify the current model of care for callers using helplines frequently due to their complex mental, physical and social needs. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 senior clinical supervisors at four national helplines in Australia. The study took place between April and October, 2017. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify the main strategies used for the management of frequent caller cases. Results: The raw data themes emerging from the semi-structured interview transcripts were combined into four overarching main themes (i) undertaking case review; (ii) developing case coordination/management plans; (iii) staff supervision and support and (iv) outcomes of case coordination. Discussion: These results indicate that helplines use a systematic model of care for managing frequent callers that has not appeared in the previous research. Better integration between helplines and face-to-face services is required for the mental healthcare of clients with complex needs. This study provides the foundation to develop best practice guidelines for supporting frequent callers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Goals of care (GOC) is a communication and decision-making process that occurs between a clinician and a patient (or surrogate decision-maker) during an episode of care to facilitate a plan of care that is consistent with the patient's preferences and values. Little is known about patients' experiences of these discussions. Objective: This study explored patients' perspectives of the GOC discussion in the hospital setting. Design: An explorative qualitative design was used within a social constructionist framework. Participants: Adult patients were recruited from six Australian hospitals across two states. Eligible patients had had a GOC discussion and they were identified by the senior nurse or their doctor for informed consent and interview. Approach: Semi-structured individual or dyadic interviews (with the carer/family member present) were conducted at the bedside or at the patient's home (for recently discharged patients). Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed for themes. Key Results: Thirty-eight patient interviews were completed. The key themes identified were (1) values and expectations, and (2) communication (sub-themes: (i) facilitators of the conversation, (ii) barriers to the conversation, and (iii) influence of the environment). Most patients viewed the conversation as necessary and valued having their preferences heard. Effective communication strategies and a safe, private setting were facilitators of the GOC discussion. Deficits in any of these key elements functioned as a barrier to the process. Conclusions: Effective communication, and patients' values and expectations set the stage for goals of care discussions; however, the environment plays a significant role. Communication skills training and education designed to equip clinicians to negotiate GOC interactions effectively are essential. These interventions must also be accompanied by systemic changes including building a culture supportive of GOC, clear policies and guidelines, and champions who facilitate uptake of GOC discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research exploring fathers’ experiences of using bereavement photography after perinatal loss is lacking. Using continuing bonds theory, this study aims to investigate fathers’experiences of bereavement photography and predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG). Mixed methodology was employed with participants (n = 29). A hierarchical regression showed that there were no significant associations between continuing bonds and PTG, but time since death predicted PTG in bereaved fathers. Further, a t test indicated that there was no significant difference in PTG for mothers and fathers. A thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data from an open-ended survey question (n = 23) and semi-structured interviews (n = 3) with fathers. The qualitative analysis of fathers' responses showed themes relating to bonding/connection, capturing memories, recommendations to receive photography help with grieving, validation, memory-making and continuing bonds, and engagement with photos. Fathers valued bereavement photographs as it enabled them to integrate grief over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Goals of care (GOC) is a communication and decision-making process that occurs between a clinician and a patient (or surrogate decision-maker) during an episode of care to facilitate a plan of care that is consistent with the patient's preferences and values. Little is known about patients' experiences of these discussions., Objective: This study explored patients' perspectives of the GOC discussion in the hospital setting., Design: An explorative qualitative design was used within a social constructionist framework., Participants: Adult patients were recruited from six Australian hospitals across two states. Eligible patients had had a GOC discussion and they were identified by the senior nurse or their doctor for informed consent and interview., Approach: Semi-structured individual or dyadic interviews (with the carer/family member present) were conducted at the bedside or at the patient's home (for recently discharged patients). Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed for themes., Key Results: Thirty-eight patient interviews were completed. The key themes identified were (1) values and expectations, and (2) communication (sub-themes: (i) facilitators of the conversation, (ii) barriers to the conversation, and (iii) influence of the environment). Most patients viewed the conversation as necessary and valued having their preferences heard. Effective communication strategies and a safe, private setting were facilitators of the GOC discussion. Deficits in any of these key elements functioned as a barrier to the process., Conclusions: Effective communication, and patients' values and expectations set the stage for goals of care discussions; however, the environment plays a significant role. Communication skills training and education designed to equip clinicians to negotiate GOC interactions effectively are essential. These interventions must also be accompanied by systemic changes including building a culture supportive of GOC, clear policies and guidelines, and champions who facilitate uptake of GOC discussions.