The importance of communication for clinical leaders in mental health nursing: the perspective of nurses working in mental health

The development of a research-based interprofessional communication behaviors repository in healthcare education: A systematic review

Interprofessional communication is crucial for patient care, yet there is a dearth of comprehensive assessment tools essential to train and assess healthcare students. While the Interprofessional Educational Collaborative framework (IPEC) outlines eight sub-competencies, it lacks detailed behavioral indicators. This study aimed to create a repository of interprofessional communication behaviors to complement the IPEC sub-competencies. From 12,448 articles, 55 were selected and thematically analyzed with NVivo18®. We identified 230 interprofessional communication behaviors, organized into 10 themes and 61 sub-themes, aligning with the IPEC sub-competencies. This comprehensive repository could be foundational for developing interprofessional communication assessment tools in healthcare education and aiding healthcare institutions in improving interprofessional communication practices.

The Core Elements of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: Time, Honest Engagement, Therapeutic Relations, Professional Nursing and Lifetime-Perspective

Defining psychiatric and mental health nursing has been a challenge for decades, and it is still difficult to find a comprehensive definition. We have identified a possibility to clarify psychiatric and mental health nursing based on humanistic philosophy in a general psychiatric care context. The aim was therefore to identify and synthesize the theoretical frameworks from which psychiatric and mental health nursing models are developed. We systematically collected and evaluated articles based on Grounded Theory (GT) methodology regarding psychiatric or mental health nursing. The PRISMA statement for systematic reviews was used and the formal process of synthesis, as a three-step process of identifying first -, second - and third-order themes following the examples of Howell Major and Savin-Baden. The synthesis resulted in a model describing five core elements of psychiatric and mental health nursing: 'professional nursing', 'therapeutic relationships' and 'honest engagement', with time as the all-encompassing theme, including the patients' 'lifetime perspective'. Psychiatric and mental health nursing is a caring support towards recovery, where the patient's lifetime perspective must be in focus during the caring process with a relationship built on an honest engagement. Time is therefore essential for psychiatric and mental health nursing.

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.

The Impact of Work Environment on Job Satisfaction: Pre-COVID Research to Inform the Future

Nursing is challenging work. Burnout, dissatisfaction, disengagement, as well as exodus from the profession are rampant, and COVID-19 has amplified these issues. Although nurse leaders cannot change the work, they can create work environments that support nurse satisfaction, enjoyment, and meaning at work. A literature review on work environment and job satisfaction conducted pre-COVID for a dissertation project revealed several factors that support healthy work environments. This article defines and describes the qualities of both unhealthy and healthy work environments, discusses the impact they have on employees, and offers suggestions for nurse leaders to improve the work environment in their organization.

Strengthening mental health nurses' resilience through a workplace resilience programme: A qualitative inquiry

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health nurses are affected by interpersonal, practice-related and organizational factors that can increase workplace stress and reduce their physical and mental health and well-being. Resilience programmes are a strength-based preventative approach to supporting individuals to overcome workplace adversities. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This qualitative inquiry is the first study to report mental health nurses' perspectives and experiences on a workplace resilience programme. Strengthening mental health nurses' resilience through a resilience programme involved a process of understanding resilience, and applying resilience strategies such as positive self-talk, managing negative self-talk, detaching from stressful situations, being aware of and managing emotions, and showing more empathy, to address workplace challenges. To address the range of resources needed to support mental health nurses' resilience, a social-ecological approach to workplace resilience can be used to promote resource provision at individual, work unit, organizational and professional levels. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Resilience programmes are one resource for addressing the impacts of workplace stressors on mental health nurses. Organizational barriers and risks to staff well-being need to also be addressed to build a resilient workforce. Incorporating resilience strategies into clinical supervision or reflective practice models may help sustain beneficial outcomes following a resilience programme and support resilient practice. ABSTRACT: Introduction Mental health settings are potentially high-stress workplaces that can lead to nurses' poorer health and well-being. Resilience programmes are a strengths-based preventative approach for promoting mental health and well-being in the face of adversity; however, there is no prior research on mental health nurses' perspectives on resilience programmes. Aim To explore the perspectives of mental health nurses participating in a mental health service-initiated resilience programme (Promoting Adult Resilience). Method An exploratory qualitative inquiry was undertaken. Multiple qualitative data: open-ended responses and semi-structured interviews and focus groups, were thematically analysed. Results Twenty-nine registered nurses from a metropolitan mental health service participated. Four main themes were as follows: being confronted by adversity; reinforcing understandings of resilience; strengthening resilience; and applying resilience skills at work. Discussion This is the first study to report mental health nurses' perspectives on a resilience programme. Resilience programmes can help improve nurses' self-efficacy and ability to realistically appraise stressful situations and to moderate their emotional responses to others. Implications for practice It is recommended resilience programmes are provided to promote nurses' well-being and resilient practices. To build a resilient workforce, the wider barriers and risks to staff well-being need to be addressed at a unit, organizational and professional level.

Lessons Learned From the Trial of a Cardiometabolic Health Nurse

PURPOSE

This paper examines the findings from an exit interview with a cardiometabolic health nurse (CHN) following a 26-week trial.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The CHN participated in a semi-structured exit interview following completion of the 26-week trial. Applied thematic analysis was used to identify themes contained in the resultant transcript.

FINDINGS

Contrary to the literature, the CHN did not consider additional training necessary to undertake the role. The CHN felt additional information regarding the research implications of the trial and greater organizational support would contribute to better consumer and health service outcomes.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

While personally rewarding, more can be done to help the CHN role reach its potential.