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BACKGROUND: The life expectancy of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) is estimated to be 20 to 30 years shorter than in the general population due to avoidable physical illnesses. This gap is widening. Health care professionals' performance with regard to physical health and lifestyle appears to be suboptimal. AIMS: The purpose of this study is to formulate recommendations to enhance physical care for patients with an SMI. METHODS: A generic descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Fifteen mental health nurses (MHNs) working in community mental health care in the Netherlands were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the data was performed. RESULTS: Most MHNs perceived physical screening and lifestyle interventions to be an important part of their professional role. However, they recognize discrepancy between their perception and actual practice. Most MHNs focus in particular on the psychiatric illness and its consequences for daily living, and they defined the provision of physical health care as a secondary concern. Participants described building a therapeutic relationship as a crucial, however, difficult part of the process of working on physical health promotion. Many MHNs tend to formulate goals and necessary behavioral changes on behalf of their patients, rather than helping them formulate their own goals and activities for themselves. CONCLUSIONS: Building a good therapeutic relationship with patients and supporting patients in defining their own lifestyle goals can enhance nursing physical care. Support by other team members (such as NPs) and managers is needed. In training and education for professionals, the lessons learned in this study should be included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The clinical effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been confirmed for a majority of patients with several psychiatric disorders. ECT is mostly used in patients with severe depression.Choosing, persevering with and completing ECT depends on the patients' motivation for undergoing this therapy. However, the factors influencing patients' motivation for ECT have not yet been studied. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: Four important factors that influence the motivation of patients diagnosed with major depression to have ECT were identified: (1) psychological pain and distress; (2) perceived need for treatment; (3) perception of ECT as an effective treatment; (4) influence of the environment. The first factor, psychological pain and distress, was perceived as the primary motivator for starting and continuing ECT. What are the implications for practice?: Professionals should be aware of the factors that influence patients to have electroconvulsive therapy and their own role in the decision‐making process and during treatment.As patients are susceptible to emotional support and as the motivation of patients for starting and continuing ECT is positively influenced by the advice and support of mental health professionals, these professionals have a key role in motivating patients for ECT. When the patient has decided to start ECT, mental health professionals should explore the factors that influence their motivation and regularly assess these factors so that they can guide the patient in their process. The professional should have an overview of these factors and investigate how they can be positively influenced to help patients keep their motivation during the treatment process. This will contribute to person‐centred care and could lead to better treatment outcomes. Introduction: The factors influencing patients' motivation for undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have not yet been subjected to a thorough study. Knowledge of these factors could improve the quality of care for patients with depression recommended to have ECT. Aim: To identify the factors that influence the motivation of patients diagnosed with depression to have ECT. Method: This qualitative study followed a grounded theory approach in which semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 18 patients from four different psychiatric hospitals to study their perspectives on factors influencing their motivation to have ECT. Results: The explanatory framework of factors influencing motivation for ECT comprises four main categories, starting with the most important category, psychological pain and distress, and continuing with the following categories: perceived need for treatment; perception of ECT as an effective treatment; environmental influences. Discussion: In this study, we found that the psychological pain and distress of depression, and their consequences in daily life, had been the primary experiences that motivated patients to start and continue ECT. Implications for Practice: This is the first study that has examined motivational factors for patients with severe depression to participate in ECT. Professionals appear to have a key role in motivating patients for ECT. They should explore factors that influence motivation for ECT, regularly assess their motivation and intervene on influential factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the early intervention program Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting adapted to Autism (VIPP-AUTI) with 78 primary caregivers and their child (16-61 months) with Autism Spectrum Disorder. VIPP-AUTI is a brief attachment-based intervention program, focusing on improving parent-child interaction and reducing the child's individual Autism Spectrum Disorder-related symptomatology in five home visits. VIPP-AUTI, as compared with usual care, demonstrated efficacy in reducing parental intrusiveness. Moreover, parents who received VIPP-AUTI showed increased feelings of self-efficacy in child rearing. No significant group differences were found on other aspects of parent-child interaction or on child play behavior. At 3-months follow-up, intervention effects were found on child-initiated joint attention skills, not mediated by intervention effects on parenting. Implementation of VIPP-AUTI in clinical practice is facilitated by the use of a detailed manual and a relatively brief training of interveners.

Oxytocin seems associated with parenting style, and experimental work showed positive effects of intranasally administered oxytocin on parenting style of fathers. Here, the first double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject experiment with intranasal oxytocin administration to fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is presented. Fathers with their typically developing toddler (n = 18), and fathers of toddlers diagnosed with ASD (n = 14), were observed in two play sessions of 15 min each with an intervening period of 1 week. In all fathers oxytocin elevated the quality of paternal sensitive play: fathers stimulated their child in a more optimal way, and they showed less hostility which suggests the positive effects of oxytocin on paternal sensitive play irrespective of clinical status of their child.

Oxytocin seems associated with parenting style, and experimental work showed positive effects of intranasally administered oxytocin on parenting style of fathers. Here, the first double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject experiment with intranasal oxytocin administration to fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is presented. Fathers with their typically developing toddler (n = 18), and fathers of toddlers diagnosed with ASD (n = 14), were observed in two play sessions of 15 min each with an intervening period of 1 week. In all fathers oxytocin elevated the quality of paternal sensitive play: fathers stimulated their child in a more optimal way, and they showed less hostility which suggests the positive effects of oxytocin on paternal sensitive play irrespective of clinical status of their child. Keywords Autism * Oxytocin * Fathers * Sensitive parenting, Introduction The neuropeptide oxytocin creates warm feelings for offspring (Carter 1998; Feldman et al. 2007; Galbally et al. 2011; Insel 1992) and support empathic concern for conspecifics (MacDonald and MacDonald [...]

Purpose: To describe the experiences of patients with nursing care they had received when hospitalized for mania. Design and Methods: Multicenter qualitative study using open interviews. Data were analyzed using the Stevick‐Colaizzi‐Keen method. Findings: Sense of security is vital for the recovery of these patients, nurses can support and hinder this. Feelings of security are related to clear and calm communication, respect, recognizability of nurses, and daily structure. Practice Implications: Nurses should make sure that the patient recognizes them as nurses. Nurses should spend as much time as possible in the living room. Clear communication about treatment goals is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the early intervention program Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting adapted to Autism (VIPP-AUTI) with 78 primary caregivers and their child (16–61 months) with Autism Spectrum Disorder. VIPP-AUTI is a brief attachment-based intervention program, focusing on improving parent–child interaction and reducing the child’s individual Autism Spectrum Disorder–related symptomatology in five home visits. VIPP-AUTI, as compared with usual care, demonstrated efficacy in reducing parental intrusiveness. Moreover, parents who received VIPP-AUTI showed increased feelings of self-efficacy in child rearing. No significant group differences were found on other aspects of parent–child interaction or on child play behavior. At 3-months follow-up, intervention effects were found on child-initiated joint attention skills, not mediated by intervention effects on parenting. Implementation of VIPP-AUTI in clinical practice is facilitated by the use of a detailed manual and a relatively brief training of interveners. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: To describe the experiences of patients with nursing care they had received when hospitalized for mania., Design and Methods: Multicenter qualitative study using open interviews. Data were analyzed using the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method., Findings: Sense of security is vital for the recovery of these patients, nurses can support and hinder this. Feelings of security are related to clear and calm communication, respect, recognizability of nurses, and daily structure., Practice Implications: Nurses should make sure that the patient recognizes them as nurses. Nurses should spend as much time as possible in the living room. Clear communication about treatment goals is important., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of Dutch postdoctoral nurses working in research with leadership and career development., Methods and Design: A generic explorative qualitative design with semistructured in-depth interviews was used. A criterion sample of 13 postdoctoral nurses working in research in the Netherlands was included. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis., Findings: Three themes were identified: (a) developing leadership and identity as a PhD nurse, (b) becoming a valuable member in the scientific world of academe, and (c) continuous search for progression while balancing worlds and tasks. Postdoctoral nurses experienced their leadership and professional development as a serious and conscious process. Their vision of nursing, health care, and research was an important motive regarding future career choices. Although the scientific world of academe was perceived as honorable, the nurses experienced it as a complex work environment. All the postdoctoral nurses had to deal with the demands and pressures of the scientific world. Coping with the tension between enjoying work and handling high workloads and academic achievements was described as challenging. Searching for balance was important, especially because of the different part-time employment or working activities with various commitments., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that postdoctoral nurses do show considerable progression in their leadership and career development; however, they experience the scientific working environment as challenging. The findings of this study indicate the need for more academic positions, the strengthening of the infrastructure for nursing research, and the development of supportive leadership and mentoring programs for postdoctoral nurses to provide optimal evidence-based and high-quality care for patients., Clinical Relevance: Postdoctoral nurses need to develop strong leadership competencies to strengthen research, education, and evidence-based practice in clinical care to improve patient and healthcare outcomes., (© 2019 Sigma Theta Tau International.)