Factors affecting mental health nurses working with clients with first-episode psychosis: A qualitative study

The biological paradigm of psychosis in crisis: A Kuhnian analysis

The philosophy of Thomas Kuhn proposes that scientific progress involves periods of crisis and revolution in which previous paradigms are discarded and replaced. Revolutions in how mental health problems are conceptualised have had a substantial impact on the work of mental health nurses. However, despite numerous revolutions within the field of mental health, the biological paradigm has remained largely dominant within western healthcare, especially in orientating the understanding and treatment of psychosis. This paper utilises concepts drawn from the philosophy of Thomas Kuhn to explore the impact of what Kuhn terms 'anomalies' within the dominant biological paradigm: the anomaly of the meaningful utterance, the anomaly of complex aetiology and taxonomy and the anomaly of pharmacological inefficacy in recovery. The paper argues that the biological paradigm for understanding psychosis is in crisis and explores the implications for mental health nursing.

Towards an Understanding of Successes of the Psychiatric Nurses in Caring for Children with Mental Health Problems: An Appreciative Inquiry

INTRODUCTION

Psychiatric nurses have a specialized body of knowledge and skills in providing care to persons with mental health challenges. The literature provides scanty evidence on child psychiatric nursing practices. This paper explored the successes of psychiatric nurses in caring for children with mental health problems using appreciative inquiry (AI).

DESIGN

A qualitative exploratory and descriptive design was used to allow for new ideas that can fundamentally reshape the practice of child psychiatric nursing. Purposive sampling was used to select psychiatric nurses caring for children with mental health problems. Focus groups were used to generate data.

FINDINGS

The results indicate both positive and negative prospects for psychiatric nursing practice. The positive possibilities included commitment, passion and dedication of staff to the children. The negative aspects that need urgent attention include lack of specific, integrated child mental health within the mental health care services, shortage of resources and not-fit-for purpose infrastructure.

CONCLUSION

Appreciative inquiry verified the commitment of psychiatric nurses in caring for children with mental health problems and the potential for dedicated child psychiatric institutions in realizing the needs of such children. The needs of children with mental health problems must be addressed through positive care in the health system.

Nurses' leadership in psychiatric care-A qualitative interview study of nurses' experience of leadership in an adult psychiatric inpatient care setting

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Previous studies on leadership in psychiatric care have focussed on a diversity of staff and on different healthcare settings. Nurses in both Sweden and internationally, working with patients newly diagnosed with psychosis and addiction, describe an overwhelming workload. Existing research points out that experience and leadership training are the most important factors to exert a good nursing leadership. In Sweden, requirements for leadership exists already from the first day of a nurse's career. The relationship and communication between nurses in psychiatric care and members of the staff is decisive for whether the leadership will work. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE: The study adds knowledge regarding the challenges leading the nursing care for patients diagnosed with psychosis and addiction. Ambivalence in the leadership role is prominent among nurses in psychiatric care and feelings of responsibility and meaningfulness are mixed with feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty. Swedish psychiatric nurses lack mandate to lead psychiatric nursing care. This may increase the feelings of uncertainty in their leadership role. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: A mandate to lead as well as a leadership guidance in communication and teambuilding will enhance the leadership, especially among newly graduated nurses. Heightened awareness within the healthcare organization about nurse's experience of difficulties in leading the psychiatric nursing care of the most severe psychiatric illnesses could increase the right prerequisites for leadership. ABSTRACT: Introduction Research shows that psychiatric nursing care puts additional demands on the nurse as a leader due to the psychological complexity of care. Experience and leadership training are most important to exert leadership. In Sweden, demands for leadership exist already at the beginning of a nursing career, and in psychiatry, it may lead to an overwhelming workload. Aim/Question The aim of the present study is to highlight nurses' experiences of leading the psychiatric nursing care in an adult psychiatric context. Method A qualitative interview study of eleven registered nurses within psychiatric inpatient care. Content analysis was used for analysis. Results Leading with combined feelings of both meaningfulness and uncertainty were the theme arising from the result. Discussion Findings from Swedish and international studies stress special demands on leadership in psychiatric care. The result shows that nurses perceived an ambivalence of their leadership in terms of both meaningfulness and uncertainty. Implications for Practice An official mandate to lead as well as leadership guidance in communication and teambuilding will enhance leadership, especially among newly graduated nurses. Heightened awareness within healthcare organizations about difficulties in leading psychiatric nursing care could increase the possibility to create right prerequisites for leadership.

Sensory-based approaches in psychiatric care: A systematic mixed-methods review

AIMS

Sensory-based approaches, including sensory room, sensory cart and specific sensory integration programs, feature various sensory stimulations to focus on a particular space or program. This systematic mixed-methods review describes the impact of sensory-based approaches in psychiatric care and summarizes the important components of sensory interventions.

DESIGN

Systematic mixed-methods review was based on the guidelines by Pluye and Hong for comprehensively searching, appraising and synthesizing research evidence.

DATA SOURCES

Data were collected from five databases: CINAHL, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science and Cochrane before March 9, 2020.

REVIEW METHODS

Qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods and original studies published in English on sensory-based approaches in psychiatric care were included. The studies were selected by screening titles, abstracts and full texts, and the quality of each study was assessed by two researchers independently. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were chosen for review. Through data integration, four subthemes with positive effects were formed: (1) calming of the patient's mood; (2) calming of the patient's body; (3) improvement of self-care ability; and (4) improvement of the nurse-patient relationship. The sensory-based approach may also lead to negative effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Several important components play important roles in the sensory-based approaches: (1) rich, culture-based, personalized sensory stimulation; (2) a quiet, safe, home-based physical environment; (3) a good one-to-one nurse-patient relationship; (4) and the cultivation of patient autonomy and self-management. Sensory-based approaches in a multicultural environment and home environment will be important topics of psychiatric care in the future.

IMPACT

There is a lack of synthesis of studies on results of sensory-based approaches in psychiatric care. Four components are important to sensory interventions. It is necessary for mental health service centres and home care for the patients with psychotic disorders to use sensory-based approaches for reference.

Borderline personality disorder in a community setting: service users' experiences of the therapeutic relationship with mental health nurses

People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from severe symptoms and crises that put their lives at risk. BPD's symptoms make it difficult for nurses to establish good therapeutic relationships with people who suffer from it, thus hindering their recovery and contributing to stigma. We explored the experiences of people with BPD who were under the care of mental health nurses at a community mental health centre and who reported a reduction in distress. Our goal was to identify the actions and psychotherapeutic factors of the therapeutic relationship that people with BPD considered to be useful in their recovery. Our qualitative approach made it possible for us to learn about individual experiences and meanings and describe the perception of participants. Our sample included 12 participants. Data consisted of qualitative interviews with all participants and nursing records for six of the participants. We conducted an inductive thematic content analysis, resulting in a hierarchical system of subthemes and themes. We found that participants considered the following psychotherapeutic actions to be useful in recovery: learning about the disorder, building trust, and being empowered through validation.

The Lived Experience of First-Episode Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Metasynthesis of Qualitative Studies

Both research and care have focused on first episodes of psychosis (FEPs) as a way to address the issue of early stages of schizophrenia and to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis. The objective of this study was to explore specifically the lived experience of FEP from the point of view of patients and their families by applying a metasynthetic approach, including a systematic review of the literature and analyses of qualitative studies on the subject. This metasynthesis follows thematic synthesis procedures. Four databases were systematically searched for qualitative studies reporting FEP from the patient or family's perspective. Article quality was assessed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and synthesize them. Thirty-eight articles were included, covering data from 554 participants (378 patients and 176 relatives). Three themes emerged from the analyses: (1) When and how does a FEP start? (2) What are its negative and positive aspects? (3) How do patients and families recount FEPs? Our results found important discrepancies between the experiences of patients and those of their families, especially regarding positive aspects. In light of the confusion reported by patients and notable in our results, we also discuss the gap between the name, FEP, and the lived experience of patients and family members in order to explore its practical implications.

The experiences of inpatient nursing staff caring for young people with early psychosis

BACKGROUND

Early intervention services aim to improve outcomes for people with first episode psychosis and, where possible, to prevent psychiatric hospital admission. When hospitalisation does occur, inpatient staff are required to support patients and families who may be less familiar with services, uncertain about possible outcomes, and may be experiencing a psychiatric hospital for the first time.

AIMS

Our study aimed to understand the process of hospitalisation in early psychosis, from the perspective of inpatient nursing staff. We were particularly interested in their experiences of working with younger people in the context of adult psychiatric wards.

METHODS

Nine inpatient nursing staff took part in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and then analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

RESULTS

Five themes are outlined: 'it's all new and it's all learning'; the threatening, unpredictable environment; care and conflict within the intergenerational relationship; motivation and hope; and coping and self-preservation.

CONCLUSIONS

The phenomenological focus of our approach throws the relational component of psychiatric nursing into sharp relief. We reflect on the implications for organisations, staff, families and young people. We suggest that the conventional mode of delivering acute psychiatric inpatient care is not likely to support the best relational and therapeutic outcomes.