Job satisfaction among mental healthcare professionals: The respective contributions of professional characteristics, team attributes, team processes, and team emergent states

Developing Relational Coordination: A Qualitative Study of Outpatient Mental Health Teams

Previous studies have shown Relational Coordination improves team functioning in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to examine the relational factors needed to support team functioning in outpatient mental health care teams with low staffing ratios. We interviewed interdisciplinary mental health teams that had achieved high team functioning despite low staffing ratios in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. We conducted qualitative interviews with 21 interdisciplinary team members across three teams within two medical centers. We used directed content analysis to code the transcripts with a priori codes based on the Relational Coordination dimensions, while also being attentive to emergent themes. We found that all seven dimensions of Relational Coordination were relevant to improved team functioning: frequent communication, timely communication, accurate communication, problem-solving communication, shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect. Participants also described these dimensions as reciprocal processes that influenced each other. In conclusion, relational Coordination dimensions can play pivotal roles in improving team functioning both individually and in combination. Communication dimensions were a catalyst for developing relationship dimensions; once relationships were developed, there was a mutually reinforcing cycle between communication and relationship dimensions. Our results suggest that establishing high-functioning mental health care teams, even in low-staffed settings, requires encouraging frequent communication within teams. Moreover, attention should be given to ensuring appropriate representation of disciplines among leadership and defining roles of team members when teams are formed.

Burnout and job satisfaction among psychiatrists in the Mental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar

BACKGROUND

Job satisfaction is a critical concern among medical staff and directly affects patient safety and quality of health care services. Burnout has been reported to be correlated with job satisfaction.

AIMS

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and level of job satisfaction among psychiatrists working in the Mental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, and examine correlations among socio-demographic variables, burnout, and job satisfaction.

METHOD

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Job Descriptive Index (JDI).

RESULTS

One-third of psychiatrists reported high levels of emotional exhaustion, with a similar proportion describing low levels of personal accomplishment. Less than 20 % demonstrated high levels of depersonalization. Trainees were more burned out than senior psychiatrists. Opportunities for promotion was the only factor with which the majority of psychiatrists were not satisfied.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of high burnout in psychiatrists remains lower in Qatar than in other countries. Lower levels of satisfaction with co-workers, work, supervision, opportunities for promotion, and the job in general increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Interestingly, satisfaction with salary did not have a significant effect on burnout.

Clarity, confidence and complexity: Learning from mental health nurses' experiences of events involving physiological deterioration of consumers in acute inpatient mental health settings

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

To capture the experiences of nurses in relation to the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer.

BACKGROUND

Improving the physical health care of consumers with mental illness has been widely adopted as a priority for mental health nursing. Much of the effort thus far has focused on routine screening, prevention and treatment of common comorbidities including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer. There has been less focus on the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer in the mental health setting. Further study is warranted since this issue poses a set of highly complex challenges for nurses within the inpatient setting.

METHOD

An exploratory, descriptive study was employed using focus groups to gather narrative data, which was then subject to qualitative analysis. Eleven mental health inpatient wards within a local health district in Sydney, Australia, were studied, comprising ward-based nurses (n = 64) and nurse unit managers (n = 8). This paper follows the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative health research.

RESULTS

Qualitative data analysis revealed three themes central to the nurses' experience: (a) lack of clarity (subthemes: procedures and leadership accountability); (b) confidence in the workforce (subthemes: knowledge and skills, training needs, relevant experience, collaboration with emergency and medical teams, stigmatising attitudes); and (c) complexity (subthemes: complexity as the new norm and suitability of the mental health environment).

CONCLUSION

The themes found in this study can be used to guide and inform healthcare policy, protocols, education and processes around building a more confident nurse workforce for the acutely physiologically deteriorating consumer.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Findings provide a rich data set for the generation of measurement tools and protocols to guide physical health care and evaluate performance.

Initial Validation of the Suicide Competency Assessment Form among Behavioral Health Staff in the National Health Services Trust

The Suicide Competency Assessment Form (SCAF) provides a framework for suicide prevention skills training. This study assessed SCAF psychometric properties in a sample of behavioral health staff. A cross-sectional survey of National Health Services (NHS) staff from varying disciplines (N = 170) was conducted. The SCAF yielded a 1-factor structure with high internal consistency. Nursing assistants reported lower SCAF scores compared to other professionals. SCAF scores demonstrated positive associations with prior suicide prevention training, job enthusiasm, and several suicide/self-injury prevention outcome expectations (i.e., optimism working with self-harming patients and perceived ability to help self-harming patients). SCAF scores further demonstrated incremental validity in the form of multivariate model associations with suicide/self-injury prevention outcome expectations. Improved job satisfaction mediated the pathway from SCAF scores to perceived ability to help self-harming patients. The SCAF can be utilized in suicide prevention training and clinical supervision.

Évaluation du Plan d’action en santé mentale (2005-2015) : intégration et performance des réseaux de services

Cet article présente les résultats d’un programme de recherche visant à : 1) évaluer l’implantation de la réforme en santé mentale (SM) et ses facteurs favorisant ou entravant dans 11 réseaux locaux de services et la performance d’équipe en SM ; 2) cerner dans quatre réseaux les processus influençant la qualité des services d’équipe ; 3) analyser dans ces mêmes réseaux les effets des structures et des processus d’équipe sur les usagers. Les objectifs de la réforme en SM n’ont été que partiellement atteints dans les réseaux. Les résultats montrent qu’une plus grande utilisation d’outils et d’approches cliniques et des interactions fréquentes entre les équipes et les organisations améliorent la performance. De même, divers processus d’équipe comme l’autonomie, la participation aux processus décisionnels et le partage des connaissances incitent à la performance des professionnels et à la qualité des services. L’intensité des besoins des usagers réduit la capacité des services à répondre aux besoins. Enfin, le rétablissement et la qualité de vie sont fortement corrélés à la continuité et à la diversité des services offerts. Différentes recommandations sont formulées afin d’améliorer les services dont la promotion de cultures organisationnelles plus orientées sur les résultats et la collaboration, le soutien et la formation des professionnels sur l’intégration de pratiques basées sur les données probantes, l’augmentation de l’autonomie des professionnels et leur implication dans les décisions, ainsi que la formalisation de stratégies d’intégration. Enfin, un soutien biopsychosocial diversifié et continu d’intensité variable est recommandé pour améliorer le rétablissement et la qualité de vie des usagers.