Working with families affected by mental distress: stakeholders' perceptions of mental health nurses educational needs

Family and informal caregivers provide a substantial amount of care and support to people who experience mental health problems. The aim of this study was to explore mental health nurses’, students’ and service users’ perceptions of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required by mental health nurses to work with families and carers using a qualitative methodology. Three themes emerged from the data: Knowledge of the family and how mental distress affects the family; Working with the family – support and education and Valuing the role of the family. The three themes demonstrate the complexity of preparing mental health nurses to work with families and carers and the paper offers recommendations about how this might be achieved

Help-seeking among Male Farmers: Connecting Masculinities and Mental Health

In many ways, male farmers can be considered to be a vulnerable group in relation to mental health, experiencing high rates of suicide, psychological distress and low use of health services. This study highlights important connections between rurality, farming and masculinities in the context of men's mental health. In-depth interviews with 32 male farmers from Quebec, Canada were completed focusing on stress and coping strategies. Findings include informal and formal strategies. Many participants had previous positive experience of formal help and would be willing to use such help again and to recommend it to others in need. Those without such experience are sceptical about services but recognise the courage it requires to seek help. Pride and lack of knowledge about services are the main barriers to help-seeking, but it can be legitimated in certain contexts, such as divorce or other psychosocial crisis, and by alignment with particular male ideals. Role models at national or local levels can also help farmers prioritise their own and their family's wellbeing over stigmas and rigid, traditional masculine ideals. Furthermore, gender-based strengths and recommendations for practice are also discussed

Supporting positive dimensions of health, challenges in mental health care

This paper will explore two contrasting paradigms in mental health care and their relationship to evidence-based practice. The biomedical perspective of pathogenesis and the health perspective of salotogenesis are two major diverse views in mental health care. Positive dimensions of health are traditionally viewed as software not suitable for statistical analysis, while absence of symptoms of disease are regarded as measurable and suitable for statistical analysis and appropriate as a foundation of evidence-based practice. If the main goal of mental health care is to enhance subjectively experienced health among patients, it will not be sufficient to evaluate absence of symptoms of disease as a measure of quality of care. The discussion focuses on the paradox of evidence-based absence of illness and disease versus subjectively experienced health and well-being as criterions of quality of care in mental health care

From the rhetoric to the real: a critical review of how the concepts of recovery and social inclusion may inform mental health nurse advanced level curricula – the eMenthe project

Objectives This critical review addresses the question of how the concepts of recovery and social inclusion may inform mental health nurse education curricula at Master’s level in order to bring about significant and positive change to practice. Design This is a literature-based critical review incorporating a modified rapid review method. It has been said that if done well, this approach can be highly relevant to health care studies and social interventions, and has substantial claims to be as rigorous and enlightening as other, more conventional approaches to literature (Rolfe, 2008). Data sources In this review, we have accessed contemporary literature directly related to the concepts of recovery and social inclusion in mental health. Review methods We have firstly surveyed the international literature directly related to the concepts of recovery and social inclusion in mental health and used the concept of emotional intelligence to help consider educational outcomes in terms of the required knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to promote these values-based approaches in practice. Results A number of themes have been identified that lend themselves to educational application. International frameworks exist that provide some basis for the developments of recovery and social inclusion approaches in mental health practice, however the review identifies specific areas for future development. Conclusions This is the first article that attempts to scope the knowledge, attitudes and skills required to deliver education for Master’s level mental health nurses based upon the principles of recovery and social inclusion. Emotional intelligence theory may help to identify desired outcomes especially in terms of attitudinal development to promote the philosophy of recovery and social inclusive approaches in advanced practice. Whilst recovery is becoming enshrined in policy, there is a need in higher education to ensure that mental health nurse leaders are able to discern the difference between the rhetoric and the reality

Tillfrisknandeprocessen efter depression : en analys med hjälp av Meleis transitionbegrepp för fördjupad förståelse som grund för förslag till sjuksköterskeåtgärder

The number of persons with mental illness is increasing globally; despite this fact, nursing research on research-based interventions to prevent or minimize illness and increase quality of life is sparse. The purpose of this secondary analysis of men and women recovering from major depression (N=25) was to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of transition in the recovery process associated with major depression as well as to develop and suggest nursing interventions that support the recovery process. The transition framework was useful, as it was describing the transition process as fluid, going back and forth, which was confirmed by the respondents´statements. Transition planning is a feasible way of supporting both the recovery process and health promotion, thus laying the foundation for a good quality of life.En reanalys av data insamlade genom intervjuer med personer som tillfrisknat efter depressionen. I analysen används Afaf Meleis begrepp transition för att öka förståelsen för tillfrisknandeprocessen samt för att kunna föreslå relevanta sjuksköterskeåtgärder. Nyckelord: depression, tillfrisknande, transitio

Patients treated for psychosis and their perceptions of care in compulsory treatment: basis for an action plan.

ACCESSIBLE SUMMARY: • Patients in acute psychiatric care perceive compulsory treatment as good if they are given good care, if they are given the shelter they need and if they are given help with understanding what is happening. • They feel respected if they are allowed to retain their autonomy and are invited to participate, even though they are in compulsory treatment. • It is important to take advantage of patients' own resources to prevent their traumatization when receiving compulsory treatment. • Preparation of individual action plans for future compulsory treatment may empower patients during compulsory treatment and improve their experience of care. ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study was to describe patients' conceptions and experiences of care in compulsory treatment for acute onset of psychosis. Twelve patients with experience of compulsory treatment were interviewed in 2008-2009, and phenomenographic analysis was used to analyse the data. Two descriptive categories emerged in the results: receiving needed support and perceiving respectful care. Patients perceived that coercive interventions were positive if they were given good care, if they were given the shelter they needed, if they got help with understanding and if the setting was healing. Patients felt respected if they were treated like human beings, if they were allowed to retain as much of their autonomy as possible and if they were invited to participate even though they were under compulsory treatment. The results show that it is important to prevent patients from being traumatized during compulsory treatment and to take advantage of patients' inner resources. Patients' experiences of compulsory treatment can form the basis for preparing an individual action plan for future compulsory treatment. Individual action plans could empower patients during compulsory treatment and improve their experience of care

Caring Situation, Health, Self-efficacy, and Stress in Young Informal Carers of Family and Friends with Mental Illness in Sweden.

This study compared the caring situation, health, self-efficacy, and stress of young (16-25) informal carers (YICs) supporting a family member with mental illness with that of YICs supporting a friend. A sample of 225 carers, assigned to a family group (n = 97) or a friend group (n = 128) completed the questionnaire. It was found that the family group experiences a lower level of support and friends experienced a lower positive value of caring. No other differences in health, general self-efficacy and stress were found. YICs endure different social situations, which is why further study of the needs of YICs, especially those supporting friends, is urgently needed