"In our community, a friend is a psychologist": An ethnographic study of informal care in two Bhutanese refugee communities

The recent rise in suicide among Bhutanese refugees has been linked to the erosion of social networks and community supports in the ongoing resettlement process. This paper presents ethnographic findings on the role of informal care practiced by relatives, friends, and neighbors in the prevention and alleviation of mental distress in two Bhutanese refugee communities: the refugee camps of eastern Nepal and the resettled community of Burlington, Vermont, US. Data gathered through interviews ( n = 40, camp community; n = 22, resettled community), focus groups (four, camp community), and participant observation (both sites) suggest that family members, friends, and neighbors were intimately involved in the recognition and management of individual distress, often responding proactively to perceived vulnerability rather than reactively to help-seeking. They engaged practices of care that attended to the root causes of distress, including pragmatic, social, and spiritual interventions, alongside those which targeted feelings in the "heart-mind" and behavior. In line with other studies, we found that the possibilities for care in this domain had been substantially constrained by resettlement. Initiatives that create opportunities for strengthening or extending social networks or provide direct support in meeting perceived needs may represent fruitful starting points for suicide prevention and mental health promotion in this population. We close by offering some reflections on how to better understand and account for informal care systems in the growing area of research concerned with identifying and addressing disparities in mental health resources across diverse contexts.

A comparative study of attitudes toward psychiatry among nursing students across successive training years

CONTEXT

Psychiatry nurses are an integral component of a multidisciplinary mental health-care team.

AIM

The current study aimed at understanding the attitude of undergraduate nursing students toward psychiatry. Additionally, the attitudes toward psychiatry have been compared across the training years among these students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out at a tertiary care nurse-training institute. All the nursing students enrolled with the institute at the time of the study constituted the sample frame. The study questionnaire used in the current study was a 29-item questionnaire that assessed attitudes toward psychiatry.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The data were analyzed using SPSS ver 17.

RESULTS

Overall, the majority of the nursing students from all four groups had a favorable response to the statements of the Likert scale. Most of the significantly positive responses (as assessed by the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance of the rank order) were from the third-year and internship students. These findings were supported by the significant correlation between these statements and ranked order of the nurse-training years.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the current study present some interesting insights into the attitude of nursing students toward psychiatry.

Mental Health Needs of Inpatient Psychiatric Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

The lack of mental health supports and resources for psychiatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to stress, burnout, and reduced mental wellness. Simultaneously, the pandemic's safety mitigation measures made significant changes to the inpatient psychiatric population environment making it difficult to maintain a therapeutic milieu and increased mental health challenges among staff and patients.

AIMS

This study aimed to identify external and internal resilience factors, mental health support, and resources provided by organizations, and additional mental health support and resources inpatient psychiatric nurses felt would have been beneficial during the pandemic.

METHODS

An anonymous web-based survey was administered via American Psychiatric Nurses Association Member Bridge. Notably, 68 respondents represented 23 states across the United States.

RESULTS

Interpersonal peer relationships, self-awareness, self-care, mindfulness, and purpose were identified resilience factors. Free counseling, decompression rooms, pastoral support, self-care discounts, and support groups were top support and resource options. Policies, time-off, personal protective equipment (PPE) availability, counseling and self-care, and appreciation were major themes reflecting what participants thought would have been beneficial. Coping strategies, organizational support, resilience, altruism, and family and peer support were instrumental in psychiatric nurses' survival during the pandemic.

CONCLUSION

Identifying factors of resilience is key to supporting and protecting the mental health of psychiatric nurses. Organizations can better support their nurses when they understand what mental health support and resource options are perceived as most beneficial by inpatient nurses.

Navigating Challenges and Coping Strategies Among Family Caregivers of Memory-Impaired Stroke Survivors in Metro Cebu, Philippines

This study explored the lived experiences of family caregivers for stroke survivors with memory impairments in Metro Cebu, Philippines, using a qualitative design. In-depth semi-structured interviews with six caregivers were analyzed using Yin's five-phase thematic analysis. Three key themes emerged: (1) Nurturing Patient Well-Being, highlighting the emotional and physical demands of caregiving; (2) Navigating the Trials of Caregiving, detailing the emotional, psychological, and financial challenges caregivers face; and (3) Altered Life Course, illustrating the lifestyle changes and coping mechanisms employed. The findings emphasize the need for structured support systems and tailored caregiving guidelines for occupational therapists to assist caregivers.