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Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Stigma associated with care homes has been found to influence residents' lives, and it is a known risk factor for depression among older adults worldwide.Older residents in Asia and particularly, in Thai care homes commonly experience stigma due to being strongly influenced by a traditional cultural paradigm of filial piety.The understanding of how residents perceive and experience the stigma associated with residing in care homes, as well as its link to the development of depression, remains very limited. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: This research explains the dynamics of the process of the stigma associated with living care homes among Thai older residents.This research highlights the various ways in which stigma impacts residents, their families and care home staff.This study identifies mitigating stigma factors, including social support, coping strategies (karma, mindfulness and religious devotions) and activities that may mitigate perceived stigma associated with care home residency. What are the implications for practice?: There is a compelling need to improve the well‐being of older people living in care homes and to combat the cultural stigma associated with living in care homes through promoting positive attitudes and educational interventions in society, communities and care homes themselves and involving residents' families in the planning and delivery of care for residents. We advocate that the government promotes security and sustainable life for all Thai older adults. Introduction: Stigma associated with living in care homes is a known risk factor for depression among care home residents in Asia, including Thailand. However, little is understood about how such stigma is experienced among residents and care home staff. Aims: To examine older adults' perceptions of stigma and to understand how stigma associated with living in care homes causes or exacerbates depressive symptoms. Methods: A qualitative case study approach was used to gain an in‐depth view of stigma, from two public care homes in northeast Thailand. Data were collected by in‐depth interviews with 50 participants (30 older residents and 20 care home staff), and non‐participant observation was conducted over 1 month. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The study identified three major themes of stigma, comprising the causes of stigma, reactions toward stigma, and mitigating factors. Discussion: Negative beliefs about care homes and residents, contribute to stigma. Residents exhibited negative emotions and behaviours, including depressive symptoms. Residents reported using particular coping strategies that helped them cope with their perceptions of stigma. Implications for Practice: Future research should focus on strategies or research to combat stigma in order to prevent depression and reduce perceptions of stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Only 8.6% Asian Americans (AAs) report seeking mental health services compared to nearly 18% of the general population.There is a stigma against seeking mental health services among AAs.Mental illness is thought to be caused by a lack of harmony of emotions or evil spirits leading to delay in treatment among AAs. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Asian students are hesitant to use mental health services because they are balancing their desire to be part of the two cultures.Concepts used to define culture were found to have overlapping aspects of how researchers operationally define them, and few studies examined a combination of these concepts as a means of examining interactions between the concepts.AA emerging adults feel pressure through personal stigma from elders to 'save face' by keeping their problems to themselves or within the family to maintain a positive reputation for the family. What are the implications for practice?: The overlap of conceptual definitions to understand cultural beliefs and values affecting measurement have complicated the interpretation of the research.Future research should include a multidimensional operationalization of culture that includes acculturation, ethnic identity, personal stigma and their effect on mental health help‐seeking attitudes.Differences between South Asian and East Asian philosophical and cultural perspectives could influence access to mental health services; therefore, future studies should consider sampling that would allow for comparison of the groups.Understanding the factors that influence mental health help‐seeking behaviours can determine intervention strategies to improve AA emerging adult mental health. Introduction: Only 8.6% of Asian Americans (AA) sought mental health services compared to 18% of United States population. AA college students report higher levels of mental health concerns compared to White students. Aim: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the factors that influence AA students' mental health help‐seeking behaviours. Method: Employing a data‐based convergent synthesis design. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of the sample. Inclusion criteria were peer‐reviewed studies published in English, focused on AA college students' mental health seeking attitudes in United States. Results: The final sample was forty‐four studies. Four themes emerged: acculturation, ethnic identity, racism and stigma. There were discrepant findings regarding how acculturation affects mental health help‐seeking attitudes. Several studies included more than one theme in their analyses. The different concepts included across studies make it difficult to compare the findings. Discussion: There is some overlap between acculturation and ethnic identity that could affect the analysis in studies where both concepts are included. Personal stigma negatively influences mental health help‐seeking attitudes. Implications for Practice: Defining culture to include acculturation, ethnic identity, personal stigma can help in understanding their effect on mental health help‐seeking attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What Is Known about the Subject?: Immigrant, refugee and asylum seeker populations worldwide are at high risk of mental health issuesNational mental health policies call for recognising Australian society's multicultural characteristics to ensure adequate mental health services to CALD communitiesSeveral barriers exist for people from CALD communities in Victoria to access and utilise mental health servicesImproving mental health professionals' knowledge of mental health service provision and cultural responsiveness can enhance CALD community access to services. What Does this Paper Add to Existing Knowledge?: We analysed the perspectives of people from CALD communities in Victoria regarding their needs and experiences with mental health services. Participants reported diverse perceptions and understanding of mental health issues and servicesVarious challenges were identified regarding health service utilisation for the CALD community in Victoria, including language barriers, stigma towards mental health issues, mental health illiteracy, distrust and lack of familiarity with mainstream mental health services. These challenges were acknowledged by community members even after a long residence in AustraliaThe data generated on the beliefs about mental health issues and consequent help‐seeking behaviours highlight the importance of culturally sensitive targeted prevention and early intervention strategies and ongoing commitment to building mental health literacy in the wider community What Are the Implications for Practice?: The information from the study can be adapted for quality improvement and culturally responsive practicesThe strategies for effective service delivery drawn by this paper can be a comprehensive resource tool for mental health professionals, organisations and policymakersThe findings imply that CALD mental health service users and their families will likely benefit from improved service assessment and quality of mental health care and equity when MHNs undertake cultural competence training and bring that into their practice. Introduction: Victoria is one of the most multicultural states in Australia. Many CALD communities in Victoria may have encountered complicated migration journeys and complex life stressors during their initial settlement, leading to adverse mental health concerns. This diversity necessitates public policy settings to ensure equity and access in health services planning and delivery. While the MH policies and services take cultural diversity into account, there needs to be more implementation of those components of MH policies that relate to the particular needs of various CALD communities in Victoria. Even though mental health services prevent and address mental health issues, many barriers can impair CALD community access and utilisation of mental health services. Furthermore, the recent Royal Commission inquiry into the Victorian Mental Health system drives a renewed policy imperative to ensure meaningful engagement and cultural safety of all people accessing and utilising mental health services (Department of Health, 2023). Aim: This study focused on the perspectives of people from CALD communities in Victoria regarding their mental health service needs, understandings of and experiences with mental health services to prepare an education package for mental health nurses as part of a larger multi‐method research project. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was used to collect and analyse the perspectives of 21 participants in Victoria, using telephone interviews, followed by thematic analysis. Results: The themes and sub‐themes identified were: Settling issues; Perceptions of understanding of mental health issues (help‐seeking attitudes toward mental health issues; the need for CALD community education); perceived barriers to accessing and utilising mental health services in Victoria (socio‐cultural and language barriers; stigma, labelling and discrimination; knowledge and experience of accessing health facilities); experience with mental health services and professionals. Discussion: Community participation, mental health professional education and robust research regarding the mental health needs of CALD people are some of the recommended strategies to improve access and utilisation of mental health services in Victoria. Implications for practice: The current study can contribute to the existing knowledge, understanding, practice and quality improvement as it vividly portrays the issues of various CALD communities in Victoria. The findings of this study imply that CALD MH service users and their families are likely to benefit in terms of improved service assessment and quality of MH care and equity when MHNs undertake CC training and bring that into their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses culture-bound syndromes in mental health. Training emphasizes on recognition of signs and symptoms and behavioral presentation of the patient, closely aligned to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) or International Classification of Disease (ICD) diagnostic categories. The DSM's main purpose was to collate hospital patient statistics and later used for insurance health claims. It concluded that Western psychiatric diagnostic can no longer be the 'standard'.

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: PhotoVoice as a participatory methodology has been used within mental health to support marginalized communities in addressing the challenges they encounter.The PhotoVoice methodology aims to encourage and foster collaborative and equal partnerships. However, reports of previous projects highlight that not every stage of the process remains participant‐centric.There is limited reporting on participant involvement in the latter stages of projects, such as exhibition design. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: It provides a detailed description of the phases involved in planning and executing a mental health PhotoVoice project.It provides an illustration of how collaborative partnerships can extend into the design and construction of a photography exhibition and its narrative. What are the implications for practice?: PhotoVoice is an ideal methodology for use within the field of mental health nursing as it promotes service user inclusion in research, places value on lived experiences and provides a creative medium through which service users and family members can advocate for themselves and others.PhotoVoice is an effective and creative methodology for disseminating and communicating both the individual and collective outcomes to the general public.When implementing this methodology, clinicians and researchers need to be cognisant of the necessity to include participants as equal partners at every stage, including in the design of photography exhibitions and disseminating the findings to academic and public audiences. Introduction: PhotoVoice is a participatory methodology in which marginalized communities represent their lived experiences through photography. While the methodology aims to foster partnerships throughout all phases, the literature suggests that in the field of mental health, some phases are often completed without participant involvement. Aims: This paper elaborates on how the PhotoVoice method was used to engage service users and family members around their experience of involvement in a co‐produced and co‐facilitated mental health education intervention, in order to enhance public and policymakers knowledge of the project. Methods: Ten participants were recruited and trained in the PhotoVoice method. Participants documented, through photography, their experiences of involvement in the education intervention. Following this, participants came together to co‐produce and disseminate the photography exhibition to the public. Results: PhotoVoice proved to be a flexible and creative method by which to include marginalized groups. By adhering to the collaborative principles of the methodology, service users and family members can retain decision‐making power from the project's inception to its conclusion. Implications for Practice: PhotoVoice is ideal for use within mental health nursing as it coincides with the recovery principle of promoting collaborative partnership between service users, family members and clinicians. Mental health nurses work directly with service users and family members throughout their recovery journey. The PhotoVoice methodology is coherent with the recovery principles of empowerment, collaboration and prioritizing the lived experiences of the individual. As such, this methodology has the potential to enhance greatly what mental health nurses can know and understand about the lived experiences of service users and family members. In turn, engaging with the PhotoVoice methodology can provide a platform from which further collaborative engagement between service users, family members and clinicians can take place. [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: Comfort as a conceptual and lived experience is essential in psychiatric hospital contexts and for overall mental health wellbeing.Comfort is a valuable aspect when designing hospitals and built environments for psychiatric care. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: This article presents the results from a Design Anthropology study at four Psychiatric Units co‐located in a newly built regional hospital based on 126 ethnographic interviews with staff, within which 63 participants mentioned the importance of comfort in generating environments conducive to wellbeing.An in‐depth qualitative understanding of comforting practices, as emergent forms of everyday care. These may receive less attention within more established interventions from organisational models of care (e.g., Safewards) and might appear to be implicit gestures of courtesy. However, they contribute to meaningful encounters and contribute to individual and organisational wellbeing in psychiatric care. What are the implications for practice: This paper builds on comfort theories and demonstrates implications for practice through ethnographic examples. Comfort, often unnoticed until it is absent, needs to be maintained through continuous "small" but intentional acts of care. These constitute a finely tuned repertoire of everyday comforting practices of care at psychiatric contexts.Corridors and doors are presented as spaces where people have brief interactions that can contribute to everyday comforting experiences.Comfort is discussed in dialogue with existing literatures from psychiatric nursing, healthcare building design and design anthropology. Implicit and improvised practices of care that foster comforting environments have vital potential to support institutionally endorsed models of care (e.g., Safewards).The article proposes that design has a dual role for comforting environments in psychiatric care; (a) through the practice of architectural design and (b) through the practices of staff when creating everyday comforting interactions for wellbeing. Introduction: Creating a comforting environment is essential for delivering psychiatric care. While healthcare organisations explicitly implement care models and adapt the physical environment, attention to staff's implicit everyday practice is limited. Aim: Developing a design anthropology approach tailored specifically to the research site, we examine the social and physical environment to unpack how staff integrate both—implicit comforting interventions, and the explicit measures taken by the organisation—into their everyday practices of psychiatric care. Method: Design and sensory ethnography, using extended observations and "walking tours" were undertaken with 126 staff members. A thematic analysis was conducted on all visual and audio material. Results: Staff's everyday implicit care practices and situated design decisions provide a comforting environment for patients, visitors and staff. Discussion: Implicit practices combine with an explicit organisational model of care to achieve a comforting environment. The value of design anthropology to uncover these dynamics is emphasized. Comforting practice involving implicit gestures of courtesy, which are infrequently addressed within organisational models of care (e.g., Safewards), are foregrounded. Implications for practice: Explicit models of care have clear value in generating comfort; however, psychiatric hospital care also benefits from less visible modes of delivering comfort through everyday practices. By acknowledging both explicit and implicit modes of comfort, we can better understand how care models and psychiatric cultures of care are nurtured. Continuous "small" but intentional acts of care (e.g., brief interactions in corridors and at doors) constitute a finely tuned repertoire of everyday comforting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Only a small number of adolescents with suicidal behaviour receives any follow‐up treatment.The implementation of recurrent behaviour prevention strategies is crucial in the period following suicide attempts and should take into account adolescents' opinions to be effective and congruent. What does this paper add to existing knowledge?: This paper shows that the 33 adolescent participants in the study identified the following protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviour: family, friends and other trusted persons, as well as the self and newly learned strategies.The adolescents described their family as a constant presence and reported wishing that their parents maintain their current family support.Psychological support, health professionals and occupational activities are what the adolescents value most about hospitalization, and some criticisms are related to the environment, activities and health professionals.The adolescents also emphasize the need to maintain contact with the nurses after hospital discharge and make suggestions for service improvement related to the environment and the interventions implemented. What are the implications for practice?: Knowing the protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviours, perception of the impact of the intervention, the expectation of future support and healthcare follow‐up is crucial for adapting suicide prevention strategies to be put in place by health services for better quality care delivery.The results obtained allow us to define as specific implications the implementation of psychoeducational intervention directed at the adolescent's family with suicidal behaviour during hospitalization and the definition of strategies for maintaining contact and follow‐up with the adolescent after discharge.This study emphasizes the need to reinforce training in suicidology for all health professionals for the improvement of clinical practice. Introduction: The prevention of recurrent suicidal behaviours in adolescents should consider their perceptions, needs and expectations. Aim/question: To identify the protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviours in adolescents; To describe the family and the expectations for future involvement; To know the most important aspects of hospitalization and discuss expectations of nursing care follow‐up after hospital discharge. Method: A descriptive, qualitative and exploratory study was carried out in a sample of 33 adolescents with suicidal behaviours. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, and the data processing used the content analysis technique. Results: Findings arising from data allowed identifying the protective factors: family, friends and other trusted persons. During the hospitalization, the adolescents reinforce the knowledge about themselves and the newly learnt coping strategies. Psychological support and health professionals are what they value most about hospitalization and emphasize the need to maintain contact with the nurses after discharge. Discussion: Knowing the needs and expectations of adolescents with suicidal behaviour will make nursing psychotherapeutic interventions more effective and congruent in this vulnerable group. Implications for Practice: Ensuring psychoeducational intervention to the families of adolescents with suicidal behaviour and continuity of care after discharge, and reinforcing the training in suicidology for all health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: The potential benefits of introducing technological innovation into all types of health services are recognized internationally.There are few studies exploring the use of technology in inpatient mental health settings, or the views of staff and patients regarding such developments."Early warning systems" are increasingly used in inpatient mental health services to detect physical deterioration in patients and prompt staff to take appropriate action. We have identified no peer‐reviewed publications concerning this development. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Using a questionnaire survey, this project gathered views from staff and patients on a planned change from a paper‐based "early warning system" to one using handheld electronic devices (tablets).This study adds to the existing evidence by reporting specific staff and patient concerns about a technological development in an inpatient mental health setting. Some patients were concerned about confidentiality of data entered onto tablets. Whilst were either positive or neutral in attitude to the planned change some staff raised concerns that electronic devices could be used as weapons, and also that patients or visitors might misinterpret their use. What are the implications for practice?: Views of staff and patients must be considered when introducing new technology into clinical practice, in order to make the change successful and sustainable. Inadequate or unclear information about the use and purpose of electronic devices may lead to misunderstandings as to their purpose and the security of their data, particularly in mental health settings.Further exploration across a range of services and countries would be useful in determining whether attitudes towards implementing similar technological change in mental health practice are commonly shared. Introduction: Technological innovation offers opportunities to improve mental health care; however, little evidence exists regarding attitudes of inpatient staff and patients to such changes. We present a survey of staff and patients prior to introduction of a digital version of the National Early Warning Score (eNEWS) system for identifying physical deterioration. Aim: To collate views of staff and inpatients related to prospective use of eNEWS, to inform the plan for implementation. Method: Paper questionnaires were distributed to both groups in six wards prior to eNEWS implementation. Two discussion groups were then held. Results: Eighty‐two staff and 26 inpatients completed questionnaires. Some inpatients expressed concerns about data confidentiality. Most staff were neutral or positive about the planned change, but raised possible safety risks and the risk of electronic recording being misinterpreted by patients. The implementation plan was modified in response to this information, principally by improving communication processes with patients. Discussion: This study adds to the existing evidence by reporting specific staff and patient concerns towards a form of information technology. Further evaluations would help determine the transferability of these findings. Implications for practice: Listening to patient and staff views about planned technological innovation is essential for effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Family‐focused interventions in Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) address the needs of families where a parent is diagnosed with a mental illness. One of these interventions is the "Let's Talk about Children" programme (Let's Talk) (Solantaus & Toikka, 2006 International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 8(3), 37).There is limited implementation knowledge on family‐focused interventions.A body of research to better understand the transfer of evidence‐based interventions into everyday practice has identified multiple influencing elements. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) has combined these known elements from research into five domains of influence.Elements that influence the implementation of evidence‐based practice are inter‐related and need to be understood in combination.Understanding different stakeholder perspectives on implementation in real‐world settings helps to understand uptake, challenges and opportunities. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: As the first study to document leadership's perspectives of implementing Let's Talk, this paper contributes to the evidence base on their role in implementing family‐focused practice models in mental health.There are specific roles of leadership that need to be addressed to support implementing Let's Talk in changing environments.Leadership's knowledge of Let's Talk and approach to change influences implementation.Questions are raised about the role the readiness of the parent and the impact that the dynamic process between the practitioner and parent has on implementing Let's Talk. What are the implications for practice?: Engaging leadership needs to address the influence of their different organizational roles in shaping implementation for Let's Talk.Further research is needed to understand the dynamic process between parent and practitioner that influences readiness for trialling Let's Talk. Introduction: Different stakeholder's perspectives are needed to understand challenges and opportunities in implementing and sustaining evidence‐based practices (EBP) in real‐world settings. Aim/Question: To identify leadership perspectives on key elements influencing the process of implementation of Let's Talk about Children (Let's Talk), a family‐focused practice for practitioners working with parents diagnosed with a mental illness. Method: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 service managers and implementation leads, to establish their views on key elements influencing implementation of Let's Talk during a randomized controlled trial. A thematic analysis applied both inductive and deductive approaches, using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results: Impacts to effective translation to practice were grouped into three broad themes with eight subthemes: inner and outer setting impacting organization, leadership affecting readiness and parent and practitioner readiness. Discussion: The findings suggest that specific roles for leadership are vital to implementation within an environment of constant change, and more attention is needed to understand the dynamics of parent and practitioner readiness for delivering Let's Talk. Implications for practice: Different leadership roles need to be engaged to sustain Let's Talk in changing real‐world environments. The dynamic processes between parent and practitioner are suggested to influence readiness and need further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject: There is a move towards the use of new ways of delivering mental health care, particularly via an increased use of telephone therapies. Although some studies have noted the advantages of telephone‐delivered therapies (e.g., removing access barriers) and reported on equivalent therapeutic effects when compared to face‐to‐face, there are concerns about how telephone‐based therapy adversely affects the therapeutic relationship. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: It contributes new knowledge regarding psychological practitioners’ experience and views about using telephone‐based therapies and how this affects the therapeutic relationship. What are the implications for practice: This paper provides data about the new practitioner workforce (IAPT Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners) and adds to a growing area of research regarding their clinical role. It has relevance for mental health nursing, because health services internationally and across the professions are exploring how telehealth can improve health care. This paper suggests that mental health services need to focus on what type of therapeutic relationship their practice facilitates and on offering transparency to service users. It concludes that telephone work in IAPT can accommodate a working alliance, but not other types of therapeutic relationship, which practitioners and service users hoped for. Services need to focus on what facilitates and inhibits deeper therapeutic closeness and connection. Abstract: Introduction: Over‐the‐telephone (OTT)‐delivered psychological therapies as an alternative method to face‐to‐face (F2F) are becoming more prevalent in mental health care. Research suggests a range of benefits of OTT use in therapy, but there are growing concerns about its consequences for the therapeutic relationship. This paper presents new knowledge regarding psychological practitioners’ experience and views of OTT work and its potential effects on the therapeutic relationship in the context of the UK's Increasing Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) programme. Aim: This paper presents IAPT practitioners’ experiences and views of OTT work and its potential effects on the therapeutic relationship. Methods: Completed questionnaires (exploring OTT versus F2F work) which were distributed to IAPT practitioners revealed a concern about the therapeutic relationship in OTT. To explore this further, nine in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with PWPs were conducted and the findings from this qualitative study are reported here. Results: Practitioners noted OTT use facilitated access and flexibility for service users; however, they expressed some concern over the adverse effect of OTT on the therapeutic relationship. Discussion: Although a working alliance was possible OTT, this research suggests the type of therapeutic relationship formed OTT in a “low contact–high volume” service such as IAPT needs to be better defined. By addressing this, dissonance which might arise between practitioner aims and the aims of IAPT can be reduced. This research also contributes to wider debates regarding mental health care and its provision in the UK. Implications for practice: This paper concludes that mental health services need to focus on what type of therapeutic relationship their practice facilitates and to offer transparency to service users. The findings suggest that telephone work in IAPT can accommodate a working alliance, but not other types of therapeutic relationship, which practitioners and service users hoped for. Services need to offer a more nuanced understanding of the concept of a therapeutic relationship and focus on what facilitates and inhibits deeper therapeutic closeness and connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject: Existing qualitative research has found inpatient service users to experience seclusion as highly distressing, with feelings of vulnerability, abuse and neglect often featuring in participants' accounts.The physical environment of the seclusion room and the interaction with clinical staff shape service users' personal seclusion experience. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: The majority of research on this topic focuses on seclusion within other restrictive practices. This paper provides new knowledge on one specific component of seclusion, the experience of being in the room, and draws attention to the specific psychological needs of service users during that aspect of their experience.This research provides new knowledge by exclusively exploring forensic inpatients' experience of the seclusion room, an under researched and often stigmatized population. What are the implications to practice: The findings support the need for a caring and non‐threatening therapeutic interaction with a secluded service user for the duration of time they are in the seclusion room.The findings suggest that necessary nursing procedures, such as observations, should be carried out discretely and sensitively to avoid service users feeling abused and frightened. Introduction: Contemporary qualitative research has explored service users' experience of seclusion and has found it to be a highly distressing and potentially traumatizing experience for service users. The majority of the existing literature has researched seclusion within the context of other restrictive practices, resulting in findings that can only be considered an overview of the experience. The studies also rarely access participants with histories of considerable violence and imprisonment. Question: What is forensic psychiatric inpatients' experience of being in a seclusion room? Method: Seven inpatients in a medium secure hospital were interviewed, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data. Results: Four superordinate themes were identified: "intense fear," 'not getting the care I needed," 'I am being abused" and "power struggle." Discussion: While participants were in the seclusion room, they experienced extreme fear. Staff interaction played a considerable role in shaping the participants' experience. Staff actions were interpreted as neglectful and abusive. Participants experienced struggling for power with staff, seeking out power when left in a powerless position. Implications for practice: These findings suggested that a carefully tailored therapeutic interaction is required during seclusion in order to safeguard the mental health of forensic inpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Depression is the most common cause of mental illness amongst older people. As a result of the growth of the older population, it is expected that an increasing number of older people will need treatment. Depression can be effectively treated—but fewer than half of those who are affected receive treatment.Barriers to receiving treatment are lack of resources and trained healthcare providers, social stigma, incorrect diagnoses and long distances to treatment facilities. There is an increased need for alternative ways of treating patients with depression. The use of video consultations has shown to be a viable option for delivering mental health care to older patients. Use of video consultations allows patients to receive treatment in their own homes. None of the existing reviews have focused on satisfaction with the use of video consultations amongst older people with depression. This paper provides knowledge regarding the use of video consultations, especially for older people with depression. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: No previous review has sought to understand the use of video consultations in mental health care to older patients with depression. The results show that video consultations support mental health practice, especially as a useful alternative when face‐to‐face therapy is not possible. An initial scepticism from participants quickly disappeared when video consultations were experienced in action. The challenges associated with the use of video consultations seem to consist of technical problems and lack of support from staff. What are the implications for practice?: Mental health practitioners should consider the use of video consultations because it can support mental health practice, especially as a useful alternative when face‐to‐face therapy is not possible. Introduction: Depression is the leading cause of mental illness amongst an ageing population and fewer than half of those who are affected receive treatment. There is an increased need for alternative ways of treating patients; the use of video consultations has been shown to be a viable option for delivering mental health care. However, none of the existing reviews have focused on satisfaction with the use of video consultations amongst older people with depression and providers. Aim: To conduct a systematic review of the existing literature focusing on patients' and providers' experiences of video consultations for depression. Method: Eight scientific databases were searched. In all, 3,537 articles were identified and, of these, 21 peer‐reviewed articles were included in this review. Results: The results show that video consultations support mental health practice, especially as a useful alternative when face‐to‐face therapy is not possible. Any initial scepticism quickly disappeared when video consultations were experienced in action. The challenges seem to consist of technical problems and lack of support from staff. Discussion: The experiences and satisfaction of older people with depression seem to be positive, although methodological limitations and deficiencies of the reviewed articles should be considered. More qualitative research is needed, and future studies should focus on specific diagnoses and providers' experiences. Implications for practice: Video consultations support mental health practice, especially as a useful alternative when face‐to‐face therapy is not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Stigma involves connecting individuals with a particular label to negative characteristics; this is based not on the stigmatized condition itself, but cultural reactions to it., Stigma exists towards nurses with mental illness., What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This paper offers a first-person account of experiencing stigma as a nurse with a mental illness., This paper incorporates the existing literature to offer a broader cultural perspective on the experiences of a nurse with a mental illness., What are the implications for practice? Nurses are likely to encounter a nurse with a mental illness at some point in their practice., Nurses' reactions towards colleagues with mental illness can have significant implications for those colleague(s)' wellbeing., Nurses with mental illness will have to navigate their person and professional journey while giving consideration to the attitudes of their nursing peers and leaders., Abstract Limited research has been done on the stigma faced by nurses with mental illness from their nursing peers. Mental illness is not generally considered acceptable within the context of nursing culture, so when nurses do experience mental illness, their experiences in a professional context may be influenced by stereotypes, particularly those relating to dangerousness. Using autoethnography as a research method, the author examines her own subjective experiences of stigma as a nurse with a mental illness, and draws upon existing literature on stigma, deviance and the phenomenon of mental illness in nurses to analyse broader cultural implications for nursing. Assessment of suitability to return to work arises throughout the narratives, and consideration is given to the way that risk assessment by nursing leaders is impacted by negative stereotypes that surround mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: In recent years, some have suggested that palliative care approaches be considered for patients diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness.Palliative care aims to decrease the suffering related to illness rather than focusing on curing the illness.Palliative care approaches for patients diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness are controversial: Some argue palliative care would improve quality of life while others argue it would negatively affect patients' well‐being.A recent survey found that psychiatrists from Switzerland tended to support the idea of palliative care approaches for those diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness, but little is known about nurses' attitudes or beliefs regarding palliative psychiatry. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Participating nurses tended to agree that palliative care approaches may be appropriate and even important in caring for those diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness.Participating nurses tended to prioritize quality of life and respect for patient autonomy.Participating nurses tended to agree palliative sedation may be an appropriate intervention. What the implications are for practice?: For those diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness, care that aims to increase daily functioning and quality of life rather than care that looks to cure may be appropriate.Palliative psychiatry should be further explored and better defined. Introduction: In recent years, palliative care approaches for patients diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness have been proposed, but remain controversial. Aim/Question: The central research question of the present study was whether nurses consider palliative psychiatry appropriate in general and for certain patient types in particular. This pilot study is designed to inform future research. Method: A quantitative survey that explored attitudes and beliefs regarding palliative care for those with severe, persistent mental illness. Results: The responding 38 nurses tended to agree that palliative care approaches are suitable (73%, n = 24) and even important (62%, n = 21) in treating patients diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness, including interventions such as palliative sedation (73%, n = 24). Discussion: Widespread support among respondents regarding palliative care approaches for those diagnosed with severe, persistent mental illness might be an indication that palliative approaches are already implicitly understood and incorporated into patients' care. More research is needed to determine whether these findings represent nurses' views generally. Implications for practice: These finding suggest that palliative psychiatry should be further explored and developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Mental health support workers (MHSWs) are frequently employed in mental health services in order to augment and diversify the workforce and to promote recovery centred careResearch shows that while MHSWs positively support service user mental health recovery, these roles are often unclear or not well understood by MHSWs and other mental health practitioners What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Through arts‐based research methods, three MHSWs communicated their personal vulnerabilities and anxieties in supporting others with mental health issues; these insights are rarely presented in mental health research.MHSW experiences of not having recovery‐oriented expertise recognized or valued by healthcare team were powerfully conveyed through arts narrative. These findings promote recognition of the strengths and contributions of MHSWs to mental health practice.Arts‐based inquiry is a means of providing additional depth to what is already known and contributes novel insights regarding the occupational experiences and perceptions of MHSWs. What are the implications for practice?: Mental health nurses and healthcare teams need to engage fully with recovery‐oriented principles acknowledging the vulnerabilities of all practitioners and establishing adequate supervision and support.There needs to be greater clarity concerning roles/scope of practice for MHSWs to enable productive working partnerships in mental health teams. This can be achieved through open communication, education and planning among the wider mental healthcare team. Introduction: Mental health support workers (MHSWs) make positive contributions to mental health recovery practice yet their roles and support needs are often unclear. This research explored the occupational lived experiences of three MHSWs working in Irish mental healthcare services. Aim: The study examined the experiences and perceptions of MHSWs regarding their mental health recovery work. Method: A narrative design was used incorporating participatory art‐based inquiry as a collaborative means of engaging participants. This innovative methodology enabled exploration and evocative expression of participants' occupational experiences and stories. Results: Participants revealed feelings of vulnerability and anxiety regarding personal mental health and supporting the mental health of others; a finding not commonly explored in previous research. MHSW skills and knowledge were evident; however, this expertise and recovery focus was not valued in mental health services. Discussion: The strengths and challenges of MHSW engagement in service provision are discussed. Interdisciplinary team integration is explored in terms of contrasting recovery philosophies, practitioner vulnerability and professional demands and imperatives. Implications for practice: Mental health teams need to engage with recovery principles, acknowledging strengths and vulnerabilities of all practitioners and establishing adequate supervision and support. Greater clarity and education is required concerning roles/scope of practice for MHSWs to enable productive interdisciplinary partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Risk assessment and management in mental health services are contested and perceived as problematic by both professionals and service users.There is substantial emphasis on risk as a core component of professional practice. However, recovery for people with mental health problems emphasizes self‐determination which seems to conflict with risk management.A critique is emerging of risk assessment and management. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence which seeks to explore how professionals manage the conflicts between recovery orientated practice and risk management. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The paper reports on qualitative research which highlights people with mental health problems are objectified and frequently associated with the potential for harm.Risk dominates the work of mental health professionals and undermines individualized care.Service users are subject to increased surveillance and medication as a result. What are the implications for practice?: Service users' subjective experiences need to be prioritized in mental health care by renewed focus on the relationship between professionals and service users.Mental health professionals should question the centrality of risk to their practice. Introduction: The emergence of recovery, alongside significant focus on risk management, creates potential for conflicting influences in mental health care. Although evidence has critiqued risk assessment, there is a lack of research that seeks to explore how professionals make decisions within these apparently incompatible agendas. Aim: To explore how practitioners, experience potential tensions arising from delivering recovery‐orientated care and enforcing containment. Method: This paper reports on a case study inquiry, using interviews with mental health professionals and observations in an acute ward and an assertive outreach team. Results: Risk governed the practice of mental health professionals to such an extent it defined how service users were understood and treated. Service users were constructed as objects of risk, first by being objectified and secondly by creating a link between that object and harm. Discussion: Hilgartner's (1992, Organizations, uncertainties and risk (pp. 39–53). Boulder, CO: Westview Press) theory of risk explains how risk dominates the identity of people with mental health problems at the cost of recovery. This results in increased monitoring, surveillance and medication to enact control. Implications for practice: To undermine the dominance of risk, professionals should reconnect with the subjective experiences of people with mental health problems and challenge the acceptance of risk as central to their role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Nurses in mental health inpatient settings use a range of methods to try and help service users who self‐harmHarm‐reduction approaches are intended to help service users reduce the impact of their self‐harm rather than simply to prevent them self‐harmingHarm‐reduction techniques might be helpful for people who cut themselves because there are some clear ways harm can be minimized such as providing advice about cuttingNo one has previously tried to measure whether harm‐reduction techniques are more or less acceptable to mental health practitioners and service users than traditional methods. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The paper describes the development of the Attitudes to Self‐cutting Management scale. It met the criteria required of a good measurement tool.Each method of managing self‐cutting has a unique acceptability profileHarm‐reduction methods like advising on wound care and providing a first aid kit are endorsed by nurses and former service usersNurses providing sterile razors or remaining present during self‐cutting attract more divergent opinions but are preferred to seclusion and restraint. What are the implications for practice?: Nurses should talk through the approaches to management with service users and agree which techniques are preferred. Introduction: Harm‐reduction approaches for self‐harm in mental health settings have been under‐researched. Aim: To develop a measure of the acceptability of management approaches for self‐cutting in mental health inpatient settings. Methods: Stage one: scale items were generated from relevant literature and staff/service user consultation. Stage two: A cross‐sectional survey and statistical methods from classical test theory informed scale development. Results/Findings: At stage one, N = 27 staff and service users participated. At stage two, N = 215 people (n = 175 current mental health practitioners and n = 40 people with experience of self‐cutting as a UK mental health inpatient) completed surveys. Principal components analysis revealed a simple factor structure such that each method had a unique acceptability profile. Reliability, construct validity and internal consistency were acceptable. The harm‐reduction approaches "advising on wound care" and "providing a first aid kit" were broadly endorsed; "providing sterile razors" and "maintaining a supportive nursing presence during cutting" were less acceptable but more so than seclusion and restraint. Discussion: The Attitudes to Self‐cutting Management scale is a reliable and valid measure that could inform service design and development. Implications for practice: Nurses should discuss different options for management of self‐cutting with service users. Harm‐reduction approaches may be more acceptable than coercive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Aggression and violence are persistent problems in psychiatric inpatient units.Violence preventive factors have been identified from both staff's and patients' perspectives.Violent and aggressive inpatient incidents have not been adequately explained in research and reviews to date. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: This review is novel in that it provides a comparison of patients' and staff's perspectives and identified that these differ and were influenced by factors attributable to the inpatient culture.The one contributory factor both agreed upon was the role of staff's interpersonal skills in either exacerbating or de‐escalating aggression and violence.The inpatient culture was found to engender differing perceptions of most contributory factors to violence and aggression. What are the implications for practice?: While staff's interpersonal skills were identified as a primary influence on whether their interaction with patients contributed to aggression and violence, this was shaped by the inpatient environment's culture.Patient‐centred interactional skills need to focus on the patients' needs for respect and active participation rather than engendering feelings of disrespect or coercion.Patient‐centred communication skills that demonstrate an understanding of the patient's experience in the inpatient environment need to be core skills for mental health nurses. Introduction: High rates of aggression and violence are a persistent problem in inpatient mental health environments. A comparison of staff's and patients' perceptions of the causes may provide novel insights. Aim: This review aimed to compare patients' and staff's perspectives on the causes of aggression and violence in inpatient environments. Method: An integrative review of the literature was conducted with a search of Ovid (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO) databases and manual searching. Results: Thirty articles met criteria for inclusion. Interactions prior to aggressive or violent incidents were characterized by patients as disrespectful and coercive, and by staff as indicative of the patient's mental state or personality. Both groups identified the importance of patient‐centred communication skills. Discussion: The review identified that patients and staff have differing perspectives on the causes of violence and aggression. There was an interactional dynamic between staff and patients that was shaped by the culture of the inpatient setting. Implications for Practice: Understanding how the inpatient culture plays a role in shaping a dynamic between patients and staff and developing communication skills that acknowledge this may help reduce violence and aggression in inpatient settings. [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?: Pre‐ and postmenopausal women (PPW) experience changes in physical, psychological and social health. South‐East Asia's female suicide rate is the highest compared with other countries, and the suicide rate of PPW in these countries continues to increase.The most influential factor in Asian women's suicidal ideation is family conflict; specifically, if PPW in South Korea cannot express their anger, it results in a culture‐bound syndrome called "Hwa‐Byung." However, there is a lack of research on Asian PPW. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: This study found differences in individual‐ and community‐level factors affecting suicidal ideation between pre‐ and postmenopausal women.Individual factors that commonly affected suicidal ideation were experiencing violence, stress and depression. Individual factors that affected the suicidal ideation of premenopausal women more than postmenopausal women were religious beliefs, alcohol use and chronic disease.Community level factors affecting suicidal ideation were locational depression and locational counselling for stress in premenopausal women and locational counselling for depression in postmenopausal women. What are the implications for practice?: Mental health nurses could help prevent suicide by developing and applying community‐based programmes for PPW, considering the specific socio‐economic and cultural context and characteristics of Asian women.Mental health nurses could help PPW participate in programmes by preparing various interventions such as case management, personal counselling, physical activity, home‐based mental health services, cognitive behavioural therapy and digital interventions for self‐management.Mental health nurses need to prepare various methods such as online, offline, individual and group methods to work effectively in any social situation. Introduction: Pre‐ and postmenopausal women (PPW) experience physical and psychological changes with hormonal changes. Among Asian middle‐aged women, family and culture affect suicidal ideation, and the suicide rate among this population is increasing. There are few existing research on suicidal ideation among Asian PPW. Aim: We examined individual‐ and community‐level factors that predict suicidal ideation among PPW. Method: Large‐scale panel data from 5,154 South Korean PPW aged 35–64 years were used in a series of multilevel logistic regression analyses to examine factors associated with suicidal ideation at individual and community levels. Results: Among premenopausal women, religious beliefs, alcohol use, chronic disease, experience of violence, stress and depression were individual‐level factors. Locational depression and locational counselling for stress were community‐level factors. Among postmenopausal women, experience of violence, stress, depression and perceived health status were individual level factors, and locational counselling for depression was a community level factor. Discussion: Suicidal ideation among PPW is affected by both individual and community level factors. Nurses must comprehensively determine what risk factors affect suicidal ideation through various intervention methods—including online, offline, individual and group methods—while considering socio‐economic situations. Implications for Practice: Mental health nurses should provide targeted biopsychosocial interventions targeting psychosocial and physical problems and promoting the use of community resources to reduce PPW's suicidal ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Readiness to change has been documented as a factor affecting alcohol treatment attendance, engagement and outcome.Knowledge regarding readiness to change and its influencing factors in patients with alcoholic liver diseases will inform the development of relevant interventions to help these patients to successfully stop drinking. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: The scores in all three dimensions of readiness, recognition, ambivalence and taking steps, were low.For the recognition stage, age, drinking severity and stigma are important factors to be considered.For the ambivalence stage, age and drinking severity are important influencing factors.For the taking steps stage, drinking refusal self‐efficacy and depression should be the focus.Instead of negative associations, we found that age and drinking severity, self‐stigma and depression were positively associated with readiness to change.Patients who are younger and have higher drinking severity, higher self‐stigma, higher self‐efficacy and severe depression are more likely to change alcohol use. What are the implications for practice?: Age, drinking severity, self‐stigma, drinking refusal self‐efficacy and depression are important factors to be considered when mental health nurses try to increase psychological preparedness for changing alcohol use in patients with alcoholic liver diseases.Different factors must be considered for patients in different stages of readiness to change.Different alcohol treatments are needed for different patient populations. Introduction: Readiness to change (RC) refers to the willingness or psychological preparedness for changing alcohol use. Knowledge regarding factors influencing RC is crucial for developing alcohol treatment plans. Aims: The study's purpose was to investigate RC and its influencing factors in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The factors explored include demographics, disease characteristics, drinking severity, self‐stigma, depression, social support and self‐efficacy. Method: This is a cross‐sectional study using self‐reported questionnaires. Results: Eighty‐seven patients with ALD were recruited. Their scores in all three dimensions of readiness, recognition, ambivalence and taking steps, were low. Self‐stigma, age and drinking severity explained 32.3% variation in recognition. Drinking severity and age explained 21.5% variation in ambivalence. Self‐efficacy, depression and age explained 19.3% variation in taking steps. Discussion: Instead of negative associations, we found that age, drinking severity, self‐stigma and depression were positively associated with RC. Younger patients with higher drinking severity, higher self‐stigma, higher self‐efficacy and severe depression are more likely to change alcohol use. Implications for practice: Mental health nurses should consider factors such as age, drinking severity, self‐stigma, self‐efficacy and depression, while trying to increase patients' RC. More specifically, strategies to increase self‐efficacy and interventions to support coping are needed. Relevance statement: Many ALD patients needing treatment for problematic alcohol use can be effectively managed in primary care with appropriate specialist support. An experienced specialist mental health nurse can play this role. Mental health nurses are important members of alcohol addiction treatment teams. Traditionally, most nurses working in alcohol therapy services have been mental health specialists and work in a partnership model with physicians and other healthcare professionals. The influencing factors found in this study can further inform mental health nurses to recognize and work more effectively with ALD patients' alcohol problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Recovery‐oriented studies show that the quality of the professional relationship plays an essential role in the recovery from mental illness. Within mental health care in general, previous studies show that helpful professional relationships are characterized by several reciprocal aspects, such as friendship resemblance and self‐disclosure.The literature is scarce on in‐depth explorations of professional relationships within the often long‐lasting and intimate help context of institutional supportive housing. Explorations of staff members' experiences are absent. The scientific rationale of this study was to expand the current knowledge about professional relationships in mental health care by exploring staff members' descriptions of helpful professional relationships in supportive housing institutions. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The study shows that helpful relationships may involve staff experiences of reciprocity in terms of both a two‐way influence between staff and residents and a reciprocal gain from being part of the helpful relationships.A conceptualization of reciprocity that complements existing concepts is suggested and connected to a "good match" between staff and residents. What are the implications for practice?: When support and care are intended to be provided within a dyadic relationship, both parties' preferences should be considered when pairing service users and professionals.Practitioners should get involved in ways that open up for being influenced and inspired by the service user's characteristics, such as personality and attitude. Furthermore, they should dare to enjoy and make use of the company of the service user in ways that promote multifaceted reciprocity. Introduction: In the aftermath of the deinstitutionalization in western countries, new community‐based mental health services have been established. An essential object of studies in this new institutional landscape has been helpful professional relationships, but we still lack knowledge about helpful relationships in community‐based institutional supportive housing. Aim: To explore how staff members describe their relationships with residents who have identified them as helpful. Methods: Qualitative interviews with nine staff members were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: "Reciprocity" was identified as the main theme, and two subthemes were developed: "Something influential about the resident" and "Value for the staff member." Discussion: The findings are discussed and related to existing conceptualizations of reciprocity in professional relationships, and an additional conceptualization is suggested. Implications for practice: To promote reciprocity, managers should consider both parties' personal preferences when matching professionals and service users. Further, professionals should get involved in ways that open up for being influenced and inspired by several of the service user's characteristics. They should allow themselves to enjoy the company of the service user in ways that promote multifaceted reciprocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has existed worldwide for nearly 80 years. ECT is a fast‐working and potentially life‐saving treatment, but it is considered controversial. Although frequently mentioned, stigmatization in relation to ECT has not been systematically explored so far. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: This paper provides new insight into both recipient and expert perspectives on ECT. It identifies several issues of stigmatization related to ECT and suggests that full recovery following ECT might be jeopardized due to both stigmatization and self‐stigmatization. The study suggests that most of the stigmatizing behaviors can be ascribed to (a lack of) available knowledge of and experience with ECT. What are the implications for practice?: Being aware of and listening to the needs of former ECT‐recipients seems essential to increase their treatment options and support care as well as a will to prioritize this patient group. For example, by addressing the potential stigma issues in follow‐up groups and helping to distribute sober, factual information about ECT in society. Providing written information and psychoeducation for patients and relatives before, during, and after ECT, in addition to supporting active use of diaries, might be valuable remedies for helping patients feel adequately informed and able to accept the pros and cons of ECT during and after treatment period. Abstract: Introduction: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has existed worldwide for nearly 80 years. Although fast‐working and potentially life‐saving treatment, ECT is regarded as a strongly controversial treatment and stigmatization is frequently mentioned in relation to it. However, no systematic research in this area has taken place so far. Aim: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and attitudes of former recipients of ECT and of experts professionally involved with ECT to identify potential stigmatization. Method: Two focus groups, one comprising four recipients of ECT and the other seven professional experts, were conducted. Data from each focus group were analyzed separately using a framework‐analysis. Results: The analysis yielded three major themes for the first focus group interview: ambivalent attitudes, discrediting and exclusion, and survival strategies and three major themes for the second focus group interview: dramatic depictions of ECT, an overlooked and rare treatment, and anti‐stigmatization strategies. Discussion and implications for practice: Stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors in relation to ECT are closely related to one's personal and factual knowledge, and there is a great need for multi‐facetted approaches if social acceptance and recognition are to be achieved. This study provides new knowledge on a scarcely examined area while also introducing suitable methods for anti‐stigmatization and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: There are high rates of tobacco smoking in people living with mental illness, and rates are much higher than the general population. People living with mental illness experience high rates of cardiovascular disease and other physical health problems as a result of tobacco smoking. There is a lack of evidence on successful interventions for reducing the rates of smoking in people living with mental illness. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: A meta‐synthesis of data from a number of studies to support mental health nurses to access data quickly and support the translation of findings into practice. Studies found staff working in mental health services expressed they did not have the confidence to adequately address smoking cessation for people living with mental illness. People living with mental illness would like support and encouragement support to help them achieve successful smoking cessation. People living with mental illness want support from mental health service staff to increase their confidence in smoking cessation rather than mainstream smoking cessation services. What are the implications for practice?: Existing evidence‐based interventions for smoking cessation has had limited impact on the smoking rates of people living with mental illness. Research is needed into innovative smoking cessation interventions and the service delivery of these interventions for people living with mental illness. Interventions to support people living with mental illness in smoking cessation could be part of mainstream mental health service delivery. Opportunities for smoking cessation training for mental health service staff could be provided. Abstract: Introduction: People with mental illness are up to three times more likely to smoke and experience greater challenges and less success when trying to quit and therefore have higher risk of smoking‐related morbidity and mortality. There is a lack of evidence on successful interventions to reduce the smoking rates in people living with serve mental illness. A meta‐synthesis was undertaken to summarize the data from multiple studies to inform the development of future smoking cessation intervention studies. Methods: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and CINAHL were searched in March 2017. A total of 965 titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion with 29 papers reviewed in full and 15 studies that met inclusion criteria. Included studies were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Key data across studies were examined and compared, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Analysis and synthesis developed five analytical themes: environmental and social context, living with a mental health illness, health awareness, financial awareness and provision of smoking cessation support. Themes generated the interpretive construct: “Whose role is it anyway?” which highlights tensions between staff perspectives on their role and responsibilities to providing smoking cessation support and support service users would like to receive. Relevance to mental health nursing: Routine smoking cessation training for mental health professionals and research on innovative smoking cessation interventions to support people living with mental illness are needed. The Cochrane tobacco group has not found sufficient direct evidence of existing evidence‐based interventions that have beneficial effect on smoking in people living with mental illness. With this in mind, mental health professionals should be encouraged to engage in future research into the development of new interventions and consider innovative harm reduction strategies for smoking into their practice, to reduce the morbidity and mortality many people living with mental illness experience from tobacco smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Coercive interventions (CI) in emergency psychiatry face increasing criticism, as they can be an emotional, even traumatic event for all persons involved. They are thus considered the last resort.The use of coercive interventions differs widely with regard to type and frequency of measures across different countries and institutions.Individual staff characteristics, such as attitudes towards coercion, may play a vital role in the management of aggression.Little is known about the influence of emotions of staff members on CI, but they are likely to play an important role. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Most staff members surveyed had a rather critical view of coercion and considered it a "necessary evil."Staff members with the most work experience had a more critical view of coercion in comparison with less experienced staff. Nurses rated coercion more positively than did psychiatrists or psychologists.Emotions play an important role in decision‐making processes. The current study systematically asked for accompanying emotions during the application of CI and looked for individual differences. A majority of the participants experienced compassion; about half felt helplessness, grief or anxiety. Almost 20% stated that they felt a sense of power. Older staff members more often felt anger or guilt; women felt less power than men did. Nurses felt more desperation than other occupational groups.Staff members consider reflective interventions, such as team supervisions or post‐seclusion/restraint debriefings with the patient, as important. Nevertheless, only half reported that these interventions are carried out routinely.Staff members believe that certain risk factors (including stress, low staffing, a fully occupied ward and the presence of particular staff members) enhance the probability of CI. What are the implications for practice?: To reduce the use of coercive interventions, we recommend that psychiatric teams include highly experienced staff members as work experience has a positive effect on the attitudes towards coercive interventions.Structured post‐seclusion/restraint debriefings and team supervisions are considered helpful by staff members and are relatively easy to implement on acute wards. Enhancing staff members' ability to reflect on their own attitudes, emotions and actions is likely to reduce coercive interventions. Introduction: Little is known about staff attitudes towards coercive interventions (CI) and emotions accompanying these measures. Aim: The current study assessed attitudes, views on reflective interventions and accompanying emotions of different occupational groups towards CI, as well as factors, that increase the probability of CI. Method: Staff members (N = 138) of a large psychiatric hospital in Germany were assessed using the Staff Attitude to Coercion Scale (SACS) and newly developed items assessing staff members' emotions and views on coercion. Results: Experienced staff members were most critical of coercion. Nurses rated coercion significantly more positively than other staff. A majority experienced compassion; about half felt helplessness, grief or anxiety. Almost 20% felt a sense of power. Nurses felt the most desperation. Participants strongly desired reflective measures such as post‐seclusion/restraint debriefings with patients. According to staff members, stress on the wards and low staffing increases the probability of CI. Discussion: The study assessed accompanying emotions during the application of CI. Attitudes towards coercion and emotions are associated with individual staff characteristics (e.g. profession, work experience). Implications: The presence of experienced staff members may help prevent CI. Staff consider reflective interventions helpful in reducing CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Construct validity of 'mental illness' remains elusive and has been replaced by the more manageable problem of reliability. Health-care professionals may reliably diagnose similar clusters of symptoms but, realistically speaking, these conditions may not be mental disorders., Labelling individuals as mentally ill only accentuates the burden of disease by situating the problem within the person, rather than to engage in the difficult task of addressing the contextual elements that may be at the source of distress., Drawing on research findings in the field of HIV/AIDS nursing, we can see the impact of psychiatric pathologization of women who experience treatment-induced body changes and subsequently, must accept that their response to these changes become the target of psychiatric labelling and interventions., We believe that health-care providers first need to challenge the idea that distress associated with lipodystrophy should result in pathologization. We argue that nurses should be at the forefront of such an initiative because they have the professional responsibility to act as patient advocates., Abstract This paper is precisely aimed at exposing the limits of psychiatry's scientific claim-making and exploring how psychiatric diagnoses come to be utilized in practice and affect those who become pathologized. Drawing on research findings in the field of HIV/ AIDS nursing, we portray the impact of psychiatric pathologization of women who see their bodies transformed by antiretroviral therapy and subsequently, must accept that their response to these changes become the target of psychiatric labelling and interventions. In this paper, we therefore engage with the reader in a critical analysis that exposes the tensions that exist between individual experiences of distress and psychiatric pathologization. The first section of the paper is dedicated to the presentation of a theoretical framework in which we explore the medicalization process and the ontological issues regarding psychiatric diagnoses. The second section seeks to present the results from a qualitative research study in the field of HIV/ AIDS nursing and serves as a case example to foster discussions on the implications of psychiatric pathologization in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: There have been some studies on the experience and community life of mental health clients receiving integrated community mental health service (ICMHS).Evaluation of ICMHS suggests that the service could have positive clinical and social outcomes, but the results are inconclusive. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: Research studies have focused on clients and/or staff of the ICMHS, while in this study, the experiences and perspectives of family members are also explored. More comprehensive knowledge about the work for, and community life of, people previously under the services of ICMHS is added to the existing knowledge.This study found that with "timely support" and "family presence," people who had received the services of ICMHS continued to engage in more social activities ("expanding social networks"), had "better family relationships," were "letting go" of thinking too much and more able to relax, and had "better self‐efficacy and self‐caring" in the community.Professional contact after ICMHS through continuous conversations (e.g. home visits and follow‐up calls) and social activities are essential for both clients and their families to carry on living with the illness.Timely support, family presence, support to family members in the community and better social networks are key experiences of ICMHS clients. What are the implications for practice?: Although the ICMHS' resources are limited, better promotion is urgently needed for the public to realize the services and to support mental health clients.Mental health professionals may develop practice models through exploratory and confirmatory factors analyses of the themes identified from this study as the outcome measures. The cost‐effectiveness of services and relapse rates over time should also be evaluated for future practice development.Further studies for practice on the difference that family support can make to the community life of former ICMHS clients are warranted. This may be achieved through research designs that compare people with, and without, family members. Introduction: More comprehensive understanding, from the experiences and multiple perspectives of the clients, families and staff, about the community life of former clients of the integrated community mental health service (ICMHS) is scarce. Aim: To explore the community life experiences of people after their discharge from the ICMHS. Method: A qualitative approach with an interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilized for this study. Data were collected through individual semi‐structured interviews of 37 participants, including people discharged from an Integrated Community Centre of Mental Wellness, their family members and staff members. Results: Six themes emerged from the analysis: "timely support," "family presence," "better family relationships," "expanding social networks," "letting go" and "better self‐efficacy and self‐care," under the main theme of "walking with the illness and life." Discussion: Over and after the ICHMS, with timely support and family presence, there was a positive trend in the experiences of clients in expanding social networks, having better family relationships, letting go of thinking too much and being more able to relax, and improving self‐efficacy and self‐caring. Implications for practice: The study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences of clients, family and staff about the community life of people post‐ICMHS, providing insights and clearer directions for research and practice development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Mental health nurses provide care within an environment that is often threatening.The environment is often threatening because: (a) patients' needs are complex and highly emotional, (b) nurses often do not have the time and resources they would wish for and (c) caring for patients can be emotionally exhausting and distressing.Compassionate care involves providing a welcoming environment, promoting bidirectional compassion, providing training in compassion and creating supportive organizations.To date, there is no study evaluating compassion interventions for the high‐threat profession of mental health nursing and no study qualitatively evaluating compassion training and implementation. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: This study looked at what happens if compassion training delivered by the originator of Gilbert's model of compassion is given to mental health nurses.Nurses were interviewed 1 year later to see how relevant and useful the training was, and whether they had been able to use it in their daily work.Consistent with previous studies, the study found a reduction in professionals' self‐criticism and an increase in self‐compassion, which in this study extended to increased compassion and reduced criticism of colleagues and patients; and professionals applying the training directly to reduce patient self‐criticism. What are the implications for practice?: Nurses felt that more training and supervision was needed to build the confidence to use the training regularly at work.They felt it had been difficult to use the training because of the threatening environment in which they worked.Nurses recommended that the whole organization would need the training to make it part of their everyday work. Introduction: Compassionate care involves providing a welcoming environment, promoting bidirectional compassion, providing training in compassion and creating supportive organizations. To date, there has not been a study evaluating compassion interventions for the high‐threat profession of mental health nursing. Neither has there been a study providing an in‐depth qualitative evaluation of training and implementation. The current study aims to address these gaps in the literature. Aim: The aims were to evaluate Compassionate Mind Training‐CMT for mental health nurses and to assess implementation. Method: Focus groups were conducted (N = 28) 1 year later to evaluate CMT and implementation. Results: Content analysis revealed four training themes: (a) Useful framework; (b) Thought‐provoking and exciting; (c) Appreciation of person‐centred approach; and (d) Need for ongoing training and supervision. Three implementation themes emerged: (a) Applied approach with patients and staff themselves; (b) Environmental challenges to implementation; and (c) Attitudinal challenges to implementation. Discussion: Consistent with previous studies, professionals experienced reduced self‐criticism and an increased self‐compassion, which extended to increased compassion and reduced criticism of colleagues and patients; and professionals applying training directly to reduce patient self‐criticism. Implications: For successful implementation, formal adoption of compassion approaches is needed with strategic integration at all levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: AHDs in mental health are fundamental tools in advance care planning processes. It is an important method for involving mental healthcare users in clinical decisions and in providing effective healthcare based around user preferences.AHDs can be applied in situations in which the person may forfeit their legal capacity, according to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.However, the use of AHDs as described above is not yet a reality in Spain. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The present study surveys the knowledge and attitudes of mental healthcare providers towards AHDs in clinical practice.Although providers had a moderate–low level of knowledge about AHDs, they presented positive attitudes towards them. What are the implications for practice?: The use of AHDs in mental healthcare practice poses challenges to the Spanish mental healthcare system. Acquiring up‐to‐date data on the knowledge and attitudes of providers towards AHDs allows organizations to address aspects of their service that require reinforcement. This data could also be used by other countries just starting to use AHDs, as an initial step towards supporting the implementation of a multistage intervention process.More in‐depth training for providers would help improve their competence to implement or honour the statements set out in AHDs, the related legal and ethical issues, and liability issues related to their implementation.The Spanish mental healthcare system requires structural changes so that providers can embrace new ways of relating to users and to organize partnerships and a continuity of care centred on user preferences. Introduction: Advance healthcare directives (AHDs) in mental health offer important information regarding service users' preferences. However, whether AHDs are truly understood by providers is questionable. Aim: To survey the knowledge and attitudes of mental health professionals towards AHDs and examine any associations with sociodemographic and occupational variables. Method: We cross‐sectionally surveyed the knowledge and attitudes of 113 mental health professionals by using two validated questionnaires. Results: Participants showed very positive attitudes and high levels of knowledge about the conceptual definition and application of AHDs in clinical practice but their knowledge of the legalities, procedure and registration of AHDs was poor. Working in a community, having a career specializing in mental health or having personally signed an AHD was associated with enhanced knowledge about them. Moreover, female sex or employment as an auxiliary nursing‐care technician was associated with stronger positive attitudes. Discussion: Legal and structural changes will be needed to implement AHDs in Spain and to promote competence among healthcare providers in order to include AHDs in everyday practice. Implications for practice: The Spanish mental healthcare system requires legal and structural changes and must improve healthcare providers' competence in AHDs before they are implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The experience of hearing distressing voices is commonly reported by service users with a diagnosis of first‐episode psychosis, but their access to formal conversations about voices in the form of psychological therapies can be limited.Service users within Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services can benefit from informal opportunities to talk about their voice hearing experiences. However, they can be reluctant to engage with these conversations.Little is known about the experiences of EIP practitioners as they try to engage service users in conversations about their voices. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: Despite EIP Services specializing in the treatment of the symptoms of psychosis such as voice hearing, practitioners can still be reluctant to initiate and continue informal conversations about voices. What are the implications for practice?: EIP practitioners may benefit from the introduction of interview guides and brief interventions to assist them with the initiation and continuation of conversations about voices. Introduction: Hearing voices is a common and distressing symptom of first‐episode psychosis. Formal and informal conversations about voices are helpful, but service users within Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Services can be reluctant to discuss their voice hearing experiences. There is currently no literature that explores the experiences of EIP practitioners as they try to facilitate conversations about distressing voices. Aim/Question: A qualitative methodology was used to investigate how EIP practitioners work with service users who hear voices. Ten practitioners were interviewed, and interviews were analysed using template analysis. Results: Two themes that offer novel insights are presented: "starting a conversation about voices" and "continuing the conversation about voices." Discussion: Starting and continuing a conversation about voices was considered important but not all practitioners were confident in this respect. The initiation and continuation of these conversations may need to be systematically supported. Implications for practice: To support the initiation of informal conversations, a standardized interview guide for voice hearing could be introduced and systematically utilized. The continuation of these conversations could be supported by practitioners being given the opportunity to receive training in and the opportunity to deliver brief symptom‐specific therapies for distressing voices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper has been informed through systematic literature searches of research databases and core texts on the subject of self-harm., Despite the increase of self-harm, stigma and misunderstanding surround the issue, which often compound the sense of emotional pain felt by those people who are affected by self-harm., Gaining an understanding of the cultural, historical and religious origins of self-harm can illuminate the ways in which self-harm has evolved with us as part of our humanity., This paper aims to increase understanding of self-harm, and by doing so to question commonly held assumptions and foster more empathic responses to self-harm among practitioners., Abstract Self-harm is a widespread and controversial issue in contemporary society. Statistics are based on reported incidents and therefore do not accurately reveal prevalence, as self-harm is often a hidden behaviour. This highlights the essential need for practitioners and society to work towards reducing the stigma surrounding self-harm. This paper goes some way towards understanding the impact of self-harm on individuals and communities. It begins by exploring terminologies and definitions of self-harm and discusses the importance of sensitivity in language use relating to self-harm. It continues by examining types of self-harm and subsequently presents life experiences that may contribute to the onset of self-harm. The paper elucidates the cultural, historical and religious origins of self-harm, indicating the ways in which self-harm has evolved with us as part of our humanity. Moreover, literature relating to the significance of stigma and attitudes is examined, followed by issues around psychiatric diagnoses pertaining to self-harm. The paper concludes by synthesizing literature relevant to the relationship between self-harm and suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Medication does not always resolve a serious mood episode, and there is evidence that it needs to be combined with an evidence‐based psychotherapy to promote symptomatic and functional recovery.There is little known about what people with serious mood disorders want from mental health services to manage their mood. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Participants in this study wanted a framework other than the medical model for understanding and managing their mood.Their motivation to commence psychotherapy was based on a sense of having hit rock bottom and a need for understanding what was happening in order to better manage their mood. Introduction: There is little known about the motivations for people to participate in psychotherapy for depression. Aim: To explore why people, with a diagnosis of major depressive episode, chose to take part in a psychotherapy study and what they expected it to involve. Method: This was a qualitative study of participants' motivations and understandings of psychotherapy for depression. Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Eight females and eight males with an age range from 21 years to 55 years were recruited. Three themes were identified that described why participants chose to participate in psychotherapy: medication was not enough, a turning point and making sense of experience. The participants chose to participate in psychotherapy after finding that medication was insufficient and this combined with a sense of crisis motivated them to engage in psychotherapy in order to learn to manage their mood differently. Discussion: The participants recognized that they wanted a framework other than a medical model with its reliance on medication, in order to make sense of their experiences and develop new self‐management strategies. Implications for Practice: Our study suggests that some people experiencing a serious mood disorder access psychotherapy after "hitting rock bottom" and finding insufficient help from medications. Mental health nurses need to be aware people do not always want a medical model approach to treatment of serious mood disorders and they need to provide the opportunity of engaging in a psychotherapeutic framework in order to better understand and manage their mood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: To date, improvements on U.K. acute mental health wards have been difficult to sustain. The barriers to change may be context dependent. Mental health wards are volatile workplaces with service user violence/aggression, frequent staff and patient changes, and ongoing service improvements.The evidence suggests that burnout affects staff perceptions of barriers to change, and ward climate affects burnout. As two potentially important, independent predictors of staff perceptions of barriers to change, the impact of ward climate and burnout on how staff regard changes should be considered. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Elements of ward climate such as high numbers of incidents and temporary staff independently worsened mental health staff perceptions of barriers to change, in addition to negative impacts from burnout and occupational status.How staff perceived ward climate was also linked their perceptions of barriers to change; however, burnout was no longer a significant consideration with these variables.Staff with low job satisfaction and high interaction anxiety also had low confidence regarding changes. Staff with low job satisfaction were also demotivated towards changes. What are the implications for practice?: Ward climate is clearly an important factor in how nurses view organizational changes. In this study, nurses' perceptions of barriers to change were worse if they viewed ward climate negatively, or if temporary staff and incident numbers were high.Staff perceptions of ward climate and barriers to change should be assessed, ahead of service changes.Developing change strategies based on such information is likely to produce better implementation outcomes. Specifically, targeting staff confidence and motivation (which are barriers to change) may improve how staff regard their ward climate. Introduction: To create successful change programmes for mental health wards, it is necessary to understand which aspects of ward climate prevent change. Question: Does ward climate influence mental health nurse's perceptions of barriers to change? Method: Random‐effects models were used to test whether the following ward climate variables influenced the outcome measure "staff perceptions of barriers to change" (VOCALISE) and its subscales (powerlessness/confidence/demotivation): (a) Perceptions of ward climate (VOTE: subscales included work intensity/job satisfaction/interaction anxiety). (b) Ward climate indicators (incidents/detention under the Mental Health Act (2007)/staffing/bed pressure). As known predictors of VOCALISE, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory) and occupational status were included in the models. Results: Perceptions of ward climate (VOTE), incidents, temporary staff, occupational status and burnout significantly and negatively affected perceptions of barriers to change (VOCALISE). Staff with low job satisfaction (VOTE) and high interaction anxiety (VOTE) also had low confidence (VOCALISE). Staff with low job satisfaction (VOTE) were also demotivated (VOCALISE). Discussion: Ward climate is an important predictor of how staff regard service changes in mental health wards. Implications for practice: Staff perceptions of ward climate and barriers to change should be assessed ahead of service changes to identify pressures that impede progress and lower morale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The barriers and facilitators to incident reporting are becoming well known in general healthcare settings due to a large body of research in this area.At present, it is unknown if these factors also affect incident reporting in mental healthcare settings as the same amount of research has not been conducted in these settings. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: Some of the barriers and facilitators to incident reporting in mental healthcare settings are the same as general healthcare settings (i.e., learning and improvement, time and fear).Other factors appear to be specific to mental healthcare settings (i.e., the role of patient diagnosis and how incidents involving assault are dealt with). What are the implications for practice?: Interventions to improve incident reporting in mental healthcare settings may be adapted from general healthcare settings in some cases.Bespoke interventions for mental healthcare settings that focus specifically on violence and aggression should be co‐designed with patients and staff.Thresholds for incident reporting (i.e., what types of incidents will not be tolerated) need to be set, communicated and adopted Trust wide to ensure parity across staff groups and services. Introduction: Barriers and facilitators to incident reporting have been widely researched in general health care. However, it is unclear if the findings are applicable to mental health care where care is increasingly complex. Aim: To investigate if barriers and facilitators affecting incident reporting in mental health care are consistent with factors identified in other healthcare settings. Method: Data were collected from focus groups (n = 8) with 52 members of staff from across West London NHS Trust and analysed with thematic analysis. Results: Five themes were identified during the analysis. Three themes (a) learning and improvement, (b) time and (c) fear were consistent with the existing wider literature on barriers and facilitators to incident reporting. Two further themes (d) interaction between patient diagnosis and incidents and (e) aftermath of an incident—prosecution specifically linked to the provision of mental health care. Conclusions: Whilst some barriers and facilitators to incident reporting identified in other settings are also prevalent in the mental healthcare setting, the increased incidence of violent and aggressive behaviour within mental health care presents a unique challenge for incident reporting. Clinical implications: Although interventions to improve incident reporting may be adapted/adopted from other settings, there is a need to develop specific interventions to improve reporting of violent and aggressive incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject: The intersection of sexuality and psychosis has a long history, yet research in this area has been minimal over the past few decades.Mental health clinicians practice from within the confines of a mental health system that is founded on a conflict between containment and care and that positions the consumer as an object of care.At the same time, mental health services often have a Recovery approach to care. This presents a difficulty and tension in mental health clinical work because the Recovery approach is opposed to positioning the consumer as an object. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The findings suggest that sexuality and sexual needs are common to both clinicians and consumers, and via identification, make the two groups more similar than different.Sexuality can problematize and so open up questions about the objectification of consumers.Consideration of consumers' sexuality and sexual needs can therefore work as a resistance to the dominant mental health approach and, in doing so, produce a more Recovery‐oriented approach to treatment in terms of how the consumer is positioned.Other aspects of living that escape capture by the diagnostic system may also operate as organizing factors for a more subject‐to‐subject approach to treatment. The implications for practice: Focusing on sexuality and other aspects of living that escape capture by the diagnostic system can bring into question the way consumers are objectified by the psychiatric model of care. Introduction: The Recovery approach introduced a radical shift in the positioning of consumers as subjects rather than objects of mental health treatment. While this approach has been internationally adopted, the practice of Recovery has been under‐researched and a knowledge gap exists regarding the intersection of sexuality and psychosis. Aim: The study aim was to investigate how sexuality was governed in a long‐stay mental health rehabilitation facility that was Recovery‐oriented. Method: A case study methodology with a conceptual framework using Foucault's work on disciplinary power was used. Results: The findings illustrated how mental health clinicians were caught between two main and incompatible models of care: a psychiatric one and a Recovery one. Discussion: While the policy framework authorized a Recovery approach, clinicians practised surveillance, hierarchical observation and normalization, which are tenants of a psychiatric model of care. However, the study found that sexuality was an area that opened questions about the psychiatric model for clinicians. Consideration of consumers' sexual needs allowed the clinicians to think of consumers more as subjects like themselves than as objects to be treated. Implications for practice: Consideration of consumers' sexuality opens up possibilities for questioning the objectification of the consumer via the psychiatric model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Several studies describe barriers and facilitators for implementing shared decision‐making in mental care, yet a deeper understanding of the meaning of shared decision‐making in this context is lacking.Shared decision‐making is aimed at facilitating patients' active participation in their care.Mental care is intended to empower the patients by increasing their responsibility and self‐awareness and helping them to use their own resources.Too much focus on the patients' independence, responsibility and choice may hinder the patients getting the help they need. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: The meaning of SDM can be understood as a continuous relational process between the patients and MHCPs in search of dignified care.Practising shared decision‐making is a challenging process which requires the MHCPs to possess high professional competence. What are the implications for practice?: Mental healthcare professionals should be conscious of their own role in the asymmetrical power relationship in decision‐making and use their professional competence for their patients' benefit.Clinical supervision can be a tool for developing professional competence and is considered important when assisting mental healthcare professionals practising shared decision‐making for dignified care. Introduction: Several studies describe barriers and facilitators for implementing shared decision‐making in mental care. However, a deeper understanding of the meaning of shared decision‐making in this context is lacking. Shared decision‐making is aimed at facilitating patients' active participation in their care by placing them at the centre of care. Too much focus on the patients' autonomy may hinder them getting the help they need. A comprehensive understanding of shared decision‐making is needed for its implementation. Aim/research question: To interpret the meaning of shared decision‐making in mental care as perceived by patients and mental healthcare professionals. The research question was: What is the meaning of shared decision‐making in mental care? Method: A hermeneutic inductive design with a thematic interpretative analysis of data was performed from in‐depth interviews with 16 patients and multistage focus group interviews with eight mental healthcare professionals. Results: The overall theme being in a space of sharing decision‐making for dignified mental care was described by the three themes engaging in a mental room of values and knowledge, relating in a process of awareness and comprehension and responding anchored in acknowledgement. Discussion: Balancing the patients' need for assistance with autonomy, while safeguarding their dignity, is a challenging process requiring mental healthcare professionals to possess professional competence. Implications for practice: Organized professional development of the carers' professional competence is important to facilitate shared decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Advance care planning (ACP) in mental health is a useful tool to avoid human rights violations in mental health settings. However, ACP is not yet a reality in the Spanish context.The advance healthcare directive (AHD) is a document reflecting healthcare preferences, drafted within the framework of the ACP process, to be applied in situations in which an individual's legal capacity may be questionable.No study has explored the viewpoint of Spanish mental healthcare professionals towards AHDs in the mental health field. Considering their extensive use, further study of providers' knowledge and attitudes is warranted. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: The study adds knowledge about the viewpoint of Spanish mental healthcare professionals towards the implementation of AHDs in their clinical practices.This study illuminates the prevailing paternalistic provider–user relationship as the main barrier surrounding AHD management in terms of decision‐making.Our findings support the need for broader awareness, staff training regarding the documentation, the conversation process and communication skills, and personalized assistance in the mental health services to implement AHDs in everyday practice. What are the implications for practice?: Advance healthcare directives are a recovery tool that offers major information regarding mental health user preferences. Although they pose challenges for clinical practice, AHDs should be incorporated into interventional mental health care.Obtaining up‐to‐date perspectives held by mental healthcare professionals regarding AHDs allows the administration to determine the aspects requiring reinforcement.The implementation of AHDs in the Spanish mental health system requires macro‐ and micro‐changes, both ethically and structurally, so that mental healthcare professionals relinquish their paternalistic approach and embrace new ways of relating to users. Introduction: An advance healthcare directive (AHD) is a written document that contains a patient‐in‐care's will and preferences concerning the treatment options available to them, should they lack decision‐making capacity. AHDs are completed within a broader framework known as advance care planning. No study has explored the viewpoint of Spanish mental healthcare professionals towards AHDs. Aim: To explore the viewpoint of mental health professionals towards the implementation of AHDs in mental health. Method: A qualitative study was conducted using semi‐structured interviews that were thematically analysed. Findings: Three main themes were identified: care planning culture; barriers for the practical management of AHDs; and reasons to not honour patient‐in‐care AHDs. Discussion: Professionals find it pragmatically difficult to stop applying traditional paternalistic practices. To implement AHDs, improving the knowledge and awareness of AHDs and management of non‐technical skills through training is required. Such training should include users and families and allow for compliance with United Nations requirements. Implications for practice: Advance healthcare directives offer important information regarding user preferences, although they pose challenges for practices. Acquiring an up‐to‐date perspective on the attitudes of professionals towards AHDs allows organizations to attend to particular aspects that require reinforcement. Wider awareness, staff training and new ways of relating to users are necessary to implement AHDs in Spanish context. Relevance statement: A better understanding of the attitudes of Spanish mental health professionals towards AHDs was achieved. Despite the implementation of AHDs being an important and potentially beneficial initiative, mental health professionals find many pragmatic issues that need addressing before AHDs become a reality in their clinical practice. Wider awareness, staff training, personalized assistance and new ways of relating to users are required to implement AHDs in everyday practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? While smoking rates within the general population in Australia are dropping, 32% of Australians with a mental illness smoke, increasing to 73% among those with severe or chronic mental illness., In Australia and elsewhere, smoking bans within mental health facilities have been implemented., What this paper adds to existing knowledge? We surveyed 98 mental health professionals in Australia to gather information on attitudes toward smoke-free policies in mental health/psychiatric units within Australia., While previous research has sought information on agreement or disagreement with smoking-bans, very little research has been conducted focusing on attitudes held by mental health professionals towards smoke-free policies., This study utilized a mixed-methods approach in which the qualitative data provides a rich source of information to assist in developing programmes or interventions to influence attitudes and therefore change behaviours of mental health professionals., What are the implications for practice? This paper can be useful in providing a better understanding of the theories linking smoking and mental illness, and the common 'myths' which influence attitudes to smoking cessation in clinical populations., Results will influence the development of training and education resources for mental health practitioners, and particularly for nursing staff working within psychiatric facilities, in relation to smoking cessation., Importantly, this issue has implications in the areas of policy planning and development, education relating to smoking behaviour and smoking cessation programmes, together with holistic health care., Abstract Introduction Mental health units in Australia and internationally are increasingly implementing smoke-free policies. Due to the high prevalence of smoking among clinical populations, this has become an important research area. Purpose of study This study explored the attitudes of mental health professionals toward smoke-free policies in mental health units within Australia. Method Using an online survey design, 98 Australian mental health professionals participated in the study. Results Results indicated that only 25.5% agreed with a total smoking ban. Although supporting smoke-free initiatives within the wider community, participants commonly held attitudes that were unsupportive of smoking bans, and indicated beliefs inconsistent with a smoke-free policy for clinical populations. Discussion Results suggest the need for appropriate staff education and training regarding smoking behaviours and risks, and smoking cessation treatments for clinical populations if smoke-free policies are to be successfully implemented. Implications for practice Findings suggest important implications for holistic mental health care, staff education and training, as well as policy, planning and development, particularly in relation to this treatment group, who are likely to have entered a psychiatric unit in crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? There is evidence suggesting that exercise may be effective at reducing depression in adults and young people; however, there is no research exploring how adolescents with depression experience exercise interventions., What the paper adds to existing knowledge? This study presents the experiences of 26 adolescents with depression who undertook an innovative preferred intensity exercise programme. Important insights relating to benefits and aspects of the preferred intensity exercise emerged. Specifically, the adolescents experienced feelings of improved mood, achievement and enjoyment, alongside numerous benefits., What are the implications for practice? Given that mental health nurses are in key positions to promote physical exercise for this target group, this paper suggests that when promoting exercise they should consider that preferred intensity exercise may provide a series of valuable mental health benefits without the need for fixed intensity training., Abstract Introduction Despite systematic reviews demonstrating an association between exercise participation and reduced depressive symptoms in young people, there is no qualitative research exploring the experience of depressed adolescents who have engaged in an exercise intervention. Aims To explore the experience of depressed adolescents who had recently engaged in a preferred intensity exercise intervention. Method The participants ( n = 26) were recruited through health and social care services, were all in treatment for depression, and were purposefully sampled for interview following engagement in a preferred intensity exercise intervention, which was being evaluated via a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. A thematic approach was undertaken to analyse and organize the data. Results Numerous beneficial changes were reported by participants alongside specific aspects of the intervention that were valued. Discussion and implications The findings suggest that preferred intensity exercise can lead to feelings of improved mood, enjoyment and achievement, alongside benefits that transcend depressive symptom reduction. Considering mental health nurses are in key positions to promote exercise in this population, the current findings provide vital information for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Difficulties with the recruitment and retention of qualified nursing staff have resulted in nursing shortages worldwide with a consequential impact on the quality of care. It is increasingly recommended that evidence-based staffing levels are central to the development of workforce plans. Due to a paucity of empirical research in mental health and learning disability services the staffing needs and requirements for these settings are undefined and the availability of tools to aid staffing decisions is limited., What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This paper provides a valuable insight into the practical uses of these tools as perceived by staff members with day-to-day experience of the requirements of mental health and learning disability wards. It reveals that while workload measurement tools are considered a valuable aid for the development of workforce plans, they are limited in their ability to capture all aspects of care provision in these settings. It further emphasizes the inapplicability of a one-shoe-fits-all approach for determining nurse staffing levels and the need for individual and customized workforce plans., What are the implications for practice? This study demonstrates that the development of tools for use in mental health and learning disability services is in its infancy, yet no tool that has been validated as such. It highlights the potential for workload measurement tools to aid staffing decisions; however, a more holistic approach that considers additional factors is needed to ensure robust workforce planning models are developed for these services., Abstract Introduction The critical challenge of determining the correct level and skill mix of nursing staff required to deliver safe and effective health care has become an international concern. It is recommended that evidence-based staffing decisions are central to the development of future workforce plans. Workforce planning in mental health and learning disability nursing is largely under-researched with few tools available to aid the development of evidence-based staffing levels in these environments. Aim It was the aim of this study to explore the experience of staff using the Safer Nursing Care Tool and the Mental Health and Learning Disability Workload Tool in mental health and learning disability environments. Method Following a 4-week trial period of both tools, a survey was distributed via Qualtrics online survey software to staff members who used the tools during this time. Results The results of the survey revealed that the tools were considered a useful resource to aid staffing decisions; however, specific criticisms were highlighted regarding their suitability to psychiatric intensive care units and learning disability wards. Discussion This study highlights that further development of workload measurement tools is required to support the implementation of effective workforce planning strategies within mental health and learning disability services. Implications for Practice With increasing fiscal pressures, the need to provide cost-effective care is paramount within the services of the National Health Service. Evidence-based workforce planning is therefore necessary to ensure that appropriate levels of staff are determined. This is of particular importance within mental health and learning disability services due to the reduction in the number of available beds and an increasing focus on purposeful admission and discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Mental health nursing in the UK and other countries faces an acute workforce crisis.Safe staffing levels are called for, and in some jurisdictions have been legislated for.The evidence base linking staffing levels and patient outcomes is limited.Staffing levels are implicated in adverse experiences of service users and staff within mental health ward settings, and they might contribute to levels of violence and aggression and the application of restrictive practices, such as physical restraint but there is limited research evidence to support this.Programmes such as Safewards, No Force First, the Engagement Model and the Six Core Strategies can reduce the use of restrictive practices. What does this paper add to existing knowledge?: Staffing levels on acute mental health wards appeared crucial in the implementation of a restraint minimization project.Both staff and service users implicate insufficient staffing for deficiencies in the relational elements of care, such as lack of face‐to‐face contact between nurses and service users.Similarly, staffing levels are associated with perceived problems in the cause of violence and aggression and responses to it.Despite successes in minimizing restrictive practices in this project, difficulties implementing alternative forms of practice that would reduce use of physical restraint, such as de‐escalation, were also attributed to staffing levels.There is an irony that a project concerned with safety itself provoked concern over safe staffing levels. What are the implications for practice?: Efforts to reduce restrictive practices will be hampered without adequate staffing levels.Restrictive practices may justifyably be framed as an employment relations matter.Organisations and policy makers ought to address environmental, contextual and resourcing factors, rather than identify problems exclusively in terms of perceived aberrant behaviour of staff or service users. Introduction: Safe staffing and coercive practices are of pressing concern for mental health services. These are inter‐dependent, and the relationship is under‐researched. Aim: To explore views on staffing levels in a context of attempting to minimize physical restraint practices on mental health wards. Findings emerged from a wider data set with the broader aim of exploring experiences of a restraint reduction initiative. Methods: Thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews with staff (n = 130) and service users (n = 32). Results: Five themes were identified regarding how staffing levels impact experiences and complicate efforts to minimize physical restraint. We titled the themes—"insufficient staff to do the job"; "detriment to staff and service users"; "a paperwork exercise: the burden of non‐clinical tasks"; "false economies"; and, "you can't do these interventions." Discussion: Tendencies detracting from relational aspects of care are not independent of insufficiencies in staffing. The relational, communicative and organizational developments that would enable reductions in use of restraint are labour intensive and vulnerable to derailment by insufficient and poorly skilled staff. Implications for practice: Restrictive practices are unlikely to be minimized unless wards are adequately staffed. Inadequate staffing is not independent of restrictive practices and reduces access to alternative interventions for reducing individuals' distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on this subject?: There is a need to shed light on healthcare professionals' reactions to the use of the Guided Self‐Determination method in a mental health hospital to better understand and adjust the implementation process of evidence‐based practice.Healthcare professionals´ values and beliefs play an important role when implementing evidence‐based practice in real‐world healthcare settings. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: The study identifies opposite positions in mental healthcare professionals: being ready or resistant to change when implementing an evidence‐based intervention. The positions are elaborated in four thematic dynamic continuums describing reactions to using the intervention.In addition, this is the first study to explore mental healthcare professionals´ reactions to using the Guided Self‐Determination method in a mental health context. What are the implications for practice?: When preparing implementation of an evidence‐based intervention, it is important to consider adaptation of the intervention, the mental healthcare professionals' acceptability, support from management and participation in supervision.In future research, it is important to consider collecting data from mental healthcare professionals trained in using an evidence‐based intervention, however not using it in clinical practice, to understand barriers towards evidence‐based practice. Introduction: Evidence‐based interventions are required in mental health nursing to improve quality and outcome for patients. However, there is a need to shed light on professionals' reactions to the use of evidence‐based interventions to better understand and adjust the implementation process. Aim: To explore mental healthcare professionals´ reactions to using the evidence‐based intervention Guided Self‐Determination method in the care of inpatients with severe mental illness. Method: A qualitative study conducted in relation to an 8 months implementation program. Data collection: 9 qualitative interviews and field notes generated from supervision of the intervention. Results: Four themes emerged from a thematic analysis: "The expert becomes novice," "Theory used as a looking glass," "Guided Self‐Determination perceived as an interruption" and "Becoming an informer of the impact of GSD." Discussion: Using the themes may help leaders or researchers predict or discover the support needed by individual professionals. Implications for practice: When preparing implementation of an evidence‐based intervention, it is important to consider adaptation and acceptability, as well as support from management and participation in supervision. Finally, it is worth to consider collecting data from trained professionals, who did not use the intervention in practice to understand barriers towards evidence‐based practise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper adds a phenomenological hermeneutic perspective on meanings of caring for adult people who self-harm as disclosed in narratives of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)-trained professionals., This paper shows that providing DBT care for people who self-harm means embarking an unpredictable journey, sometimes lonely, but also often together with the person who self-harm and with the DBT team., This paper emphasizes professionals' benefits of the tools and structure offered by DBT; however, the text points to the importance of the genuine meeting, including confirmation, as a prerequisite to recovery., This paper suggests that further research might focus on the meanings of genuine meetings and their organizational prerequisites., Abstract In this paper, we aim to explore meanings of caring for adult people who self-harm as described in the narratives of professionals trained in dialectical behaviour therapy ( DBT). We conducted narrative interviews with nine professionals working in a DBT team and used a phenomenological hermeneutical method to analyse their narratives. Our comprehensive understanding cast the caring relationship as an unpredictable journey, in which the professionals were guides or companions who aimed to walk side-by-side with the person who self-harms, prove to be trustworthy, and keep on track. They sometimes saw the journey as lonely and sometimes as a joint endeavour. Our analysis was informed by Martin Buber's writings on the 'genuine meeting' and confirmation. The professionals emphasized the importance of the tools and structure offered by DBT; however, the text points to the importance of the genuine meeting, including confirmation, as a prerequisite to recovery. Mental health nurses need opportunities for continuous training and counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: One‐to‐one observation uses continuous staff observation to safeguard patients judged likely to harm themselves or others.Policies increasingly mandate that staff engage therapeutically with patients during one‐to‐one observation. Yet not enough is known about factors facilitating or impeding such therapeutic engagement. What does this paper add to existing knowledge?: This study enriches existing literature on one‐to‐one observation through integrating the perspectives of staff of different levels of qualification, and patients of different diagnostic and risk profiles.Whilst previous research has highlighted the occurrence of counter‐therapeutic staff‐patient interactions, integration of patient and staff perspectives in the current study has demonstrated that patient and staff often attribute the causes differently, with each apportioning blame to the other, leading both parties to feel misunderstood, and staff lack confidence to overcome these challenges.A novel finding was that rapport‐building via simple demonstrations of compassion and conversations about everyday things, was viewed as an essential prerequisite to encouraging patients to open up about their experiences of emotional distress, whilst implementation of techniques drawn from psychological interventions was viewed as less important than staff's core relational skills. What are the implications for practice?: Therapeutic engagement during observation can enhance its risk management aims, providing thought is given to understanding and negotiating complex dynamics between staff and patients. Supervision for staff conducting observations should focus on building rapport in preference to emphasizing psychological intervention (e.g. DBT), and should enable staff to reflect on better understanding and managing their own emotions towards "hard‐to‐engage" patients. Introduction: Policies increasingly focus on staff‐patient interactions during one‐to‐one psychiatric nursing observations as an opportunity for therapeutic engagement – yet if and how this is feasible is unknown. Aim: This study aimed to integrate staff and patient perspectives to determine what factors facilitate or impede therapeutic engagement during one‐to‐one observation. Method: Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 31 psychiatric inpatient staff at different levels of seniority and 28 inpatients spanning a range of diagnoses and risk profiles. Results: Negative experiences of observation were characterized by a reciprocal dynamic where both patients and staff withdrew from interactions, having felt the other did not want to engage with them. Staff and patients agreed that these difficulties could be overcome when staff showed patients that they cared, gradually building trust through simple demonstrations of compassion and 'normalizing' conversation about everyday things. This approach helped patients to feel safe enough to open up about their distress, which in turn helped staff to better understand their experiences and work with them to find solutions. Implications for practice: Engagement during observation could be facilitated if staff receive more supervision in understanding difficult dynamics that impede rapport‐building and in managing their emotions towards patients they experience as "hard‐to‐engage". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Stigma is well researched as a phenomenon within mental health services and has a number of theoretical concepts which attempt to explain it., It is clear that there is a degree of stigma demonstrated towards service users, whether consciously or unconsciously by healthcare professionals., This paper critically evaluates the nature and processes which underpin the perpetuation of stigma within the mental health system and those working in it., By doing this, it contributes to an improved understanding of the situation facing nurses who aim to reduce stigma and to encourage a new approach to reducing its impact upon the lives of people with mental health problems., Abstract This paper critically reviews the issues and questions surrounding the ways in which mental health nurses can best address stigma in the 21st century. It begins with a brief discussion of the nature and definition of the term stigma and explores some of the theoretical basis behind it before drawing out potential flaws in the theory and using this as the basis for an exploration of the way in which stigma is formed and shaped by public and professional attitudes. The discussion then turns to the underlying principles of contemporary mental health legislation and evaluates the tensions between various strands of UK legislation, the way in which risk is perceived and managed by practitioners, and whether risk-averse practice perpetuates stigma. This leads onto the question of how mental health law itself might contribute to the perpetuation of stigma by removing power and responsibility from the hands of service users. Finally, the discussion concludes with some suggestion about how a future change in the principles of mental health law might alter the way in which mental health problems are perceived and allow nurses to practice in a way that is less focussed on risk management and places more emphasis on recovery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject: Person‐centered care, as compared to standard approaches, is a widely accepted, evidence‐based approach for managing aggressive behaviour in persons with dementia. The attitudes, beliefs and values of long‐term care and mental health nursing employees are important prerequisites to implementing person‐centered practices. Research shows that nursing employees typically support person‐centered approaches; however, less is known about the attitudes of non‐nursing employee groups. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Nurse managers and administrators tended to agree with person‐centered approaches for managing aggression in dementia, suggesting some prerequisites are in place to support wider adoption of person‐centered frameworks. Employees with more resident contact tended to support person‐centered approaches the least, suggesting discipline‐specific trainings may not be adequate for preparing frontline staff to use person‐centered techniques. Attitudes towards aggressive behaviour may be especially varied and contradictory within certain employee groups, providing implications for facility‐wide initiatives. Implications for practice: Person‐centered values and practices should be monitored and reinforced across the organization. Person‐centered trainings should be interdisciplinary in nature and focused on care areas, such as mealtime or bathing. Long‐term care facilities should consider allowing nurse management and registered nurses to share the burden of direct resident care with frontline employees on a more regular basis. Abstract: Introduction: Implementing person‐centered care requires shared attitudes, beliefs and values among all care employees. Existing research has failed to examine the attitudes of non‐nursing employees. Aim: This study examined attitudes towards aggression among nursing and non‐nursing employees to address gaps in existing research and assess readiness for wider adoption of person‐centered frameworks. Method: The Management of Aggression in People with Dementia Attitude Questionnaire was used to survey attitudes of employees in Michigan‐based nursing homes. Results: Overall, employees preferred person‐centered over standard approaches. Job title was a significant predictor of paradigm support. Frontline employees were found to support person‐centered attitudes the least. Wide‐ranging responses were noted within employee groups. Discussion: Job title may influence the degree to which an employee supports and utilizes person‐centered approaches. Employees with the most contact with persons with dementia may be the least likely to implement person‐centered approaches. In contrast to prior studies, years of experience was not a significant predictor of attitude towards aggressive behaviour. Wide‐ranging responses indicate that employee attitudes are varied and complex. Implications: Person‐centered approaches should be trained within care areas rather than individual employee groups. Programs should be interdisciplinary and seek to establish a shared understanding of person‐centered beliefs and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: This study is a follow‐on study to a study into the experiences of disengagement from mental health services for men who described their ethnic identity as “black.” The aim of this study was to understand the same phenomenon from a clinician's perspective. What is known on the subject?: Literature highlights that people from ethnic minority backgrounds experience some difficulties engaging with mental health services; Disengagement from mental health services is a complex phenomenon that occurs for a variety of different reasons; Only one paper previously has investigated clinicians’ perspective on disengagement from mental health services; What the study adds to existing knowledge?: This study demonstrates that clinicians are aware that stigma and medication impact upon engagement with mental health services, which were also important components of the patients experience. A finding of the former study was that patients’ attitudes towards mental health services change over time, with patients engaging more as they get older, a finding was supported by wider literature. However, in this study, the participants were not certain that this was the case. What are the implications for practice?: The implications for practice from this study are that staff should persist with efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, carefully consider the significance and impact of medication and have an awareness of how patients’ attitudes towards mental illness and mental health services change and develop over time. Continued support for an AO approach to practice for people who find it difficult to engage with services, where a multidisciplinary “team” approach can focus on service user‐centred recovery goals and a positive space for collaboration. Abstract: Introduction: Engagement with services is often poor amongst people with severe mental health problems, yet key to improving clinical outcomes. Aims: This study explores the perception of clinicians on patients with severe mental health problems, in particular the experiences of black men, who disengage from mental health services. Method: Two focus groups consisting of a combined total of twelve, mainly white, experienced clinicians in the UK were recruited. Transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Clinicians understood that patients’ awareness of stigma impacted upon engagement with mental health services. Clinicians were aware that medication negatively impacted on engagement. The passage of time was perceived as impacting upon engagement. Discussion: The perspectives of the clinicians in this study and the experiences of the patients in a former study converged. The participants had an understanding of the complexities that black men faced when engaging with mental health services. Implications for practice: This is the first study to highlight that AOT staff need to be aware of the key role that stigma plays in engagement in treatment, continue to focus on efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, consider the significance medication and be aware of how patients’ attitudes towards mental health services develop over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary What is known on the subject? UK health policy is clear that researchers should involve the public throughout the research process., The public, including patients, carers and/or local citizens can bring a different and valuable perspective to the research process and improve the quality of research undertaken., Conducting health research is demanding with tight deadlines and scarce resources. This can make involving the public in research very challenging., What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This is the first time the attitudes of researchers working in mental health and learning disability services towards PPI have been investigated., The principles of service user involvement in mental health and learning disability services may support PPI in research as a tool of collaboration and empowerment., This article extends our understanding of the cultural and attitudinal barriers to implementing PPI guidelines in mental health and learning disability services., What are the implications for practice? Researchers in mental health and learning disability services need to champion, share and publish effective involvement work., Structural barriers to PPI work should be addressed locally and successful strategies shared nationally and internationally., Where PPI guidelines are being developed, attention needs to be paid to cultural factors in the research community to win 'hearts and minds' and support the effective integration of PPI across the whole research process., Abstract Introduction Patient and public involvement ( PPI) is integral to UK health research guidance; however, implementation is inconsistent. There is little research into the attitudes of NHS health researchers towards PPI. Aim This study explored the attitude of researchers working in mental health and learning disability services in the UK towards PPI in health research. Method Using a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eight researchers. A framework approach was used in the analysis to generate themes and core concepts. Results Participants valued the perspective PPI could bring to research, but frustration with tokenistic approaches to involvement work was also evident. Some cultural and attitudinal barriers to integrating PPI across the whole research process were identified. Discussion Despite clear guidelines and established service user involvement, challenges still exist in the integration of PPI in mental health and learning disability research in the UK. Implications for practice Guidelines on PPI may not be enough to prompt changes in research practice. Leaders and researchers need to support attitudinal and cultural changes where required, to ensure the full potential of PPI in mental health and learning disability services research is realized. Relevance statement Findings suggest that despite clear guidelines and a history of service user involvement, there are still challenges to the integration of PPI in mental health and learning disability research in the UK. For countries where PPI guidelines are being developed, attention needs to be paid to cultural factors in the research community to win 'hearts and minds' and support the effective integration of PPI across the whole research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary What Is Known on the Subject? Psychiatric day hospital (DH) treatment has been offered since the 1930s and is appropriate for individuals experiencing intense psychiatric symptoms without requiring 24-hour inpatient care., No empirical research has examined the specific purpose of DH treatment from the perspectives of healthcare providers within these programs., What This Paper Adds To Existing Knowledge? This study was the first to address the question of the purpose and function of DH treatment from the outlook of frontline workers within this setting, and confirmed anecdotal observations that DH treatment provides an alternative to intensive psychiatric care, and also operates as 'bridge' between these intensive services and purely outpatient treatment., Additional information emerged, such as the importance of the name of DH programs avoiding connotations of illness, the benefits and skills that draw patients to these programs, and challenges that staff and patients experience within DH programs (e.g. short length of treatment, barriers to treatment access)., What Are the Implications for Practice? This information can enhance curriculum development within these settings. For example, given the importance of skill building, it is essential to integrate the provision of skill building and coping strategies within these settings., In addition, given that the name of the setting can impact staff (and perhaps service users as well), ensuring that the name of such program highlight wellness and recovery may enable a different type of therapeutic community to develop within these settings., Abstract Introduction Despite the benefits of psychiatric day hospitals ( DH), research has not addressed staff perspectives of these programs' effectiveness and barriers. Aim To elucidate staff perceptions of Adult Mental Health DH programs at two hospitals in Canada, allowing for improved programming, enhanced structure and increased understanding of DH settings within the continuum of care. Method Twenty-five DH staff members completed semi-structured qualitative interviews. Two independent coders applied content analysis to achieve data saturation. Results Four major themes emerged: (1) program purpose and function, (2) what is in a name, (3) perceived patient motivation, and (4) room for improvement. Discussion Findings highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary team delivering education and skill-focused interventions. Services were cited as 'bridging' different mental health settings. Challenges included barriers to treatment access and inadequate length of treatment. Implications for Practice Understanding the function and purpose of this treatment service may enhance service delivery by enabling programs to integrate identified key ingredients. Providers can also note treatment duration and consider how to best use that time. Finally, language used within a DH setting appears to impact staff delivering services, and may also alter patients' understanding of the services they will receive and purpose of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]