Effects of metacognitions, self-compassion, and difficulties in emotion regulation on psychological resilience in oncology nurses.

PURPOSE: Providing care to individuals with cancer requires oncology nurses to have superior skills related to physical care and adaptation to the changing healthcare system, as well as witnessing and supporting the psychosocial difficulties experienced by patients and families in this process. It requires oncology nurses to be psychologically resilient. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the factors affecting the psychological resilience of oncology nurses. This study aimed to determine the effect of self-compassion, metacognitions, and difficulties in emotion regulation on psychological resilience in oncology nurses. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional correlational study. The study was conducted with 121 oncology nurses providing active oncologic care and who volunteered to participate. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The regression model established to determine the effect of self-compassion, metacognitions, and difficulties in emotion regulation on psychological resilience was statistically significant (F(3,117) = 24.086 p < 0.001) and explained 36.6% of the change in resilience. Among the independent variables, only self-compassion had a significant contribution to the model (p = 0.001). According to the model, 1-unit change in self-compassion caused 0.571-unit change in psychological resilience. CONCLUSION: Self-compassion, metacognitions, and difficulties in emotion regulation were significantly related to psychological resilience, but only self-compassion significantly affected psychological resilience.

'It is not a mannequin disease': A lived experience narrative of living with bulimia nervosa.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, inappropriate compensatory behaviours to prevent weight gain and excessive mental preoccupation with body weight and shape. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: In this paper, the feelings, thoughts and experiences of an individual with bulimia nervosa are explained, and the positive and negative effects of their experiences during the treatment process are emphasized. This paper offers advice to patients, relatives and healthcare professionals in recognizing and treating bulimia nervosa. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental health nurses should organize training, seminars and conferences to raise awareness of society against bulimia nervosa, which is defined as a mannequin disease and therefore creates a positive perception. Mental health nurses, an essential part of the health system, should raise awareness of individuals and families about recognizing, monitoring and supporting the early symptoms of bulimia nervosa. ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Bulimia nervosa is one of the areas where mental health professionals have difficulties due to its nature and course. It is important to understand the factors related to this problem in-depth to discover the dynamics unique to the individual that causes the difficulty, identify new perspectives on these dynamics and identify alternative behaviours, stop stubborn binge-eating attacks and prevent relapse. AIM: It is aimed to provide an in-depth insight into the nature, course and treatment processes of bulimia nervosa through the narrative of the lived experience of an individual living with this problem. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: The perception of beauty seriously impacts the onset and later course of bulimia nervosa and draws attention to the fact that mental health professionals and media workers have important duties to change the concept of beauty equals being skinny, created in society and the media. Quality of perceived social support is very important in preventing, treating and rehabilitating bulimia nervosa. Adopting a more objective approach, which will prevent the positive or negative stigmatization of the disease in explaining bulimia nervosa to the public, should be adopted.

Perspectives of Family Caregivers of People With Alzheimer's Disease on Caregiving Experience and Needs: A Qualitative Study.

The current study aimed to investigate the perspectives of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease on caregiving experience and needs. A qualitative descriptive method was used with a sample of 23 family caregivers. Data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face interviews using a pilot-tested semi-structured interview guide. Data analysis was performed via content analysis. Three major themes emerged: (1) Stuck in Caregiving, (2) A Life in Metamorphosis, and (3) Needs. Findings revealed that caregivers struggled to manage the care process, adapt to life changes, and fulfill their needs. This study provides rich data to help create interventions to assist family caregivers. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

A qualitative study on the perspectives and needs of oncology nurses about recognition and management of suicide risk in cancer patients.

AIMS: To determine the perspectives and needs of the oncology nurses in recognising and managing the risk of suicide in cancer patients. BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are one of the groups with a high risk of suicide. The perspectives and needs of oncology nurses regarding their recognition and management of suicide risk in such patients need to be clarified. DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used a sample of 33 oncology nurses that were sampled by maximum variation sampling from different oncology units and hospitals. Data were collected with in-depth interviews via a semi-structured interview form and analysed with content analysis. The COREQ guideline was followed for the reporting of the study. RESULTS: Three main themes and eight subthemes were identified, namely 'An uncertain atmosphere: sensing the risk of suicide but not seeing the picture' (Subthemes: Inability to identify suicide risk, Unclear responsibilities and Distress as a result of uncertainty), 'Efforts to give meaning to and compensate losses of patients' (Subthemes: Attributions to cancer-related losses of patients and Interventions to alleviate distress related to loss) and 'Hindrances beyond the nurse' (Subthemes: Stigma towards psychosocial problems and getting help, Disagreement with the Physician and A lack of institutional culture on suicide prevention). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that oncology nurses have insufficient knowledge and skills and unclear roles in recognising and managing suicide risk. In addition, nurses have difficulty in helping patients due to the insufficient support of team members, stigmas of patients and their relatives towards getting help, patient workloads, and inadequate institutional support in risk management. Training programmes aiming to increase nurses' awareness, knowledge and skills should be developed and embedded into current in-service education programmes and undergraduate education curricula as part of professional improvement. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of the study can contribute to planning the content and scope of suicide prevention training peculiar to oncology nursing.

'Who would even want to talk about death?' A qualitative study on nursing students' experiences of talking about death with terminally ill patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe nursing students' experiences of talking about death with terminally ill patients with cancer. METHODS: The study adopted a qualitative design, and participants (n = 28) were final-year undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected by conducting in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews using a pilot-tested interview guide. The researchers followed a systematic data analysis procedure which is an appropriate method of analysis when aiming to create knowledge based on experiences and meanings from cross-case analysis. RESULTS: The responses of the nursing students were subsumed under the following three themes: (1) 'balance on the rope', (2) 'who would even want to talk about death' and (3) 'need to talk but …'. The findings suggest that many nursing students do not believe that they are competent enough to talk about death with terminally ill patients with cancer, even though they believe it is essential to end-of-life care. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the importance of examining students' perspectives on death, which not only shapes their experiences of caring for terminally ill patients but also influences the quality of care. Further, students feel unprepared for talking to terminally ill patients with cancer and require support to avoid ignoring calls to speak about death.

Psychoeducation Program for Substance Use Disorder: Effect on Relapse Rate, Social Functioning, Perceived Wellness, and Coping.

The current study was designed to assess the effect of a psychoeducation program on relapse rate, social functioning, perceived wellness, and ways of coping in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). The study sample comprised 92 individuals (n = 46 intervention group, n = 46 control group) who received SUD treatment, had undergone detoxification, and agreed to participate in the study. A 10-session psychoeducation program was applied to individuals in the intervention group. Data collection included a urine sample and completion of the Personal Information Form, Social Functioning Scale, Perceived Wellness Scale, and Ways of Coping Scale. The relapse rate in the control group was found to be higher than in the intervention group; thus, it was determined that the relapse prevention psychoeducation program led to positive changes in relapse rate, social functioning, perceived wellness, and stress in individuals with SUD. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(8), 39-47.].

Effects of an Empowerment Program on Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth Levels of Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial empowerment of cancer survivors can help improve their psychological resilience and enhance their posttraumatic growth. However, there is a lack of research exploring the effects of such empowerment programs on resilience and posttraumatic growth of cancer survivors. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of an integrated empowerment program on cancer survivors. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 89 adult cancer survivors (>25 years old) from 2 oncology hospitals. Using a table of random numbers, they were assigned randomly to the experimental group (n = 45), which participated in 10 sessions of a structured empowerment program, and the control group (n = 44), which received only routine care and no further intervention. Data were collected from patients using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and the Resilience Scale for Adults. RESULTS: Posttraumatic growth and resilience levels significantly improved in the intervention group compared with the control group both at the end of and a month after the program. CONCLUSION: This study's empowerment program is effective in improving posttraumatic growth and resilience levels of cancer survivors who are prone to trauma. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: By enhancing resilience and posttraumatic growth of cancer survivors, the empowerment program may help restore life, and thus its application can contribute to the psychosocial well-being of cancer survivors. Nurses with training and experience can integrate this kind of program into clinical settings.

Psychosocial care from the perspective of nurses working in oncology: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: In cancer patients, unmet psychosocial needs are a common occurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine the views, obstacles, and needs of the nurses working with adult oncology patients with regards to psychosocial care. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive research design conducted through focus group interviews was adopted for the study. Thirty nurses providing care for cancer patients in adult oncology departments of three hospitals in Turkey with comprehensive oncology centers were involved in the interviews. The interviews were conducted via a semi-structured interview form. In analyzing the data, content analysis technique was utilized. RESULTS: In the study, three main themes and seven sub-themes were determined. These were as follows: "Challenge" (Sub-themes: The nature of the disease: A thin line between life and death; Lack of team/institutional support; Lack of time, staff, and knowledge; Vulnerability of the patient and their family), "reward and cost" (Sub-themes: Satisfaction; Personal growth; Exhaustion), and "essential but hard to define". CONCLUSIONS: This study reveal that nurses have difficulty delivering psychosocial care, which they perceive in abstract terms, in an environment where the disease is still considered fatal, the conditions of the patients change constantly, and they cannot receive the necessary support. It can be important that, as well as supportive institutional regulations, the nurses are in need of necessary assistance to help them change their own perceptions on cancer, to become emotionally stronger, and to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to give psychosocial care.

Predictors of Mental Health Symptoms, Automatic Thoughts, and Self-Esteem Among University Students.

University youth is a risk group regarding mental health, and many mental health problems are frequent in this group. Sociodemographic factors such as level of income and familial factors such as relationship with father are reported to be associated with mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. Also, there are interrelations between mental health problems, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. The extent of predictive effect of each of these variables on automatic thoughts, self-esteem, and mental health symptoms is not known. We aimed to determine the predictive factors of mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem in university students. Participants were 530 students enrolled at a university in Turkey, during 2014-2015 academic year. Data were collected using the student information form, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Mental health symptoms, self-esteem, perception of the relationship with the father, and level of income as a student significantly predicted automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts, mental health symptoms, participation in family decisions, and age had significant predictive effects on self-esteem. Finally, automatic thoughts, self-esteem, age, and perception of the relationship with the father had significant predictive effects on mental health symptoms. The predictive factors revealed in our study provide important information to practitioners and researchers by showing the elements that need to be screened for mental health of university students and issues that need to be included in counseling activities.

Effects of Structured Group Counseling on Anger Management Skills of Nursing Students.

BACKGROUND: Anger management is an important skill for nurses to prevent conflicts in the health care environment. Efforts, beginning with nursing education, are required to improve this skill and evaluate the effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured counseling program on improving the anger management skills of nursing students. METHOD: The study had an experimental design with pre- and posttests. Twenty-six undergraduate nursing students who were randomly assigned to the groups participated. The authors conducted eight counseling sessions with the experiment group and no intervention with the control group. Data were collected using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. RESULTS: The counseling group had higher anger control and repression scores and lower trait anger scores after the counseling, compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: This counseling improved the students' anger management skills. Therefore, such programs should be integrated into the services provided for nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(3):174-181.].

Use of Social Media Among Individuals Who Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress: A Qualitative Analysis of Narratives.

Suffering from post-traumatic stress impacts and restricts the life situation of the individual on several levels, not least regarding social difficulties. Social media on the Internet facilitate new possibilities for interaction and communication. Earlier research has demonstrated that people use social media to seek support and to discuss health-related issues. The current study aimed to describe how individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress use social media to convey authentic narratives of their daily lives, including illness, and further, to analyze the content of this media use. The data comprised YouTube videos, blogs, and forum discussions. Five categories cover the findings: (a) structure of the narrative, (b) narrating the trauma, (c) restrictions in life, (d) strategies in everyday living, and (e) online interaction. We stress that sharing narratives online facilitates a "verbalizing" of the life conditions of the sufferers and can be used as a self-care activity.

Identifying emotional intelligence skills of Turkish clinical nurses according to sociodemographic and professional variables.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the emotional intelligence skills of Turkish clinical nurses according to sociodemographic and professional variables. BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence is "the ability of a person to comprehend self-emotions, to show empathy towards the feelings of others, and to control self-emotions in a way that enriches life." Nurses with a higher emotional intelligence level offer more efficient and professional care, and they accomplish more in their social and professional lives. DESIGN: We designed a descriptive cross-sectional study. The Introductory Information Form and the Bar-On emotional intelligence Inventory were used to collect data between 20th June and 20th August 2012. METHOD: The study was conducted with 312 nurses from 37 hospitals located within the borders of the metropolitan municipality in Ankara. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between emotional intelligence scores of the nurses according to demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, having children. Thus, sociodemographic factors did not appear to be key factors, but some professional variables did. Higher total emotional intelligence scores were observed in those who had 10 years or longer experience, who found oneself successful in professional life, who stated that emotional intelligence is an improvable skill and who previously received self-improvement training. Interpersonal skills were higher in those with a graduate degree and in nurses working in polyclinics and paediatric units. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate which groups require improvement in emotional intelligence skills and which skills need improvement. Additionally, these results provide knowledge and create awareness about emotional intelligence skills of nurses and the distribution of these skills according to sociodemographic and professional variables. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Implementation of emotional intelligence improvement programmes targeting the determined clinical nursing groups by nursing administrations can help the increase in emotional intelligence.

Interpersonal sensitivity, coping ways and automatic thoughts of nursing students before and after a cognitive-behavioral group counseling program.

BACKGROUND: In order to provide optimal professional care to patients, nurses must possess a positive self-image and professional identity. High interpersonal sensitivity, coping problems and dysfunctional automatic thoughts can prevent nursing students to be self-confident and successful nurses. Helping nursing students experiencing interpersonal sensitivity problems via cognitive-behavioral counseling strategies can contribute to shape good nurses. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate interpersonal sensitivity, ways of coping and automatic thoughts of nursing students before and after a cognitive behavioral group counseling program. DESIGN: An intervention study with 43 nursing students. Measurements were done before the counseling program, at the end of the program and 4.5months after the program. SETTINGS: The students were chosen from a faculty of nursing in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: 43 second and third year nursing students who were experiencing interpersonal sensitivity problems constituted the sample. METHODS: Brief Symptom Inventory, Ways of Coping Inventory and Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire were used for data collection. RESULTS: The students' scores of "interpersonal sensitivity", "hopeless" and "submissive" copings and "automatic thoughts" were significantly lower at the end of and 4.5months after the program than the scores before the program (Interpersonal sensitivity F=52.903, p=0.001; hopeless approach F=19.213, p=0.001; submissive approach F=4.326, p=0.016; automatic thoughts F=45.471, p=0.001). Scores of "self-confident", "optimistic" and "seeking social support" copings were higher at the end of and 4.5months after the program than the scores before the program (Self confident F=11.640, p=0.001; optimistic F=10.860, p=0.001; seeking social support F=10.411, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This program helped the students to have better results at interpersonal sensitivity, ways of coping and automatic thoughts at the end of and 4.5 months after the program. We have reached the aim of the study. We suggest that such counseling programs should be regular and integrated into the services provided for students.

Approaches of intensive care nurses towards sensory requirements of patients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the approaches used by nurses to address the sensory requirements of patients to respond to the concerns and needs in this area. BACKGROUND: Preventing sensory problems is very important for intensive care nurses as these problems may cause various additional health problems in intensive care patients; however, no study has evaluated the approaches used by nurses in this respect. DESIGN: The study was conducted as a descriptive study in all internal medicine intensive care units at hospitals located within the borders of the metropolitan municipality in the capital city of Turkey. METHOD: Data were collected using case forms that were developed through expert opinions to identify the approaches of nurses for the sensory requirements of patients. The study was conducted with 95 nurses who agreed to be involved in the study of the 107 internal medicine intensive care nurses in the research population. RESULTS: Most of the nurses (86.3%) who took part in this study indicated that intensive care patients had sensory requirements, but 80% clarified that their priority was to maintain life support and to meet their physiological needs. Almost all of the nurses were able to accurately identify the specific sensory problems of the six different ones in cases that were assigned to them. However, this ratio decreased when identifying the proper approach for the given sensory requirement. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses were able to identify sensory requirements of patients, but they do need support in deciding the appropriate management approach. This study may fill the gap in the literature regarding the approaches of nurses towards sensory requirements and to provide contribution for future research. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: To help intensive care patients with sensory problems, nurses should routinely assess patients' psychology and should do appropriate interventions.

Nursing students' leadership and emotional intelligence in Turkey.

The purpose of this study was to determine nursing students' leadership and emotional intelligence. The study was conducted as a descriptive study in a nursing school in 2008. The sample comprised 69 junior and 85 senior nursing students and was based on voluntary participation. Data were collected through a data sheet, a leadership style questionnaire, and the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Quotient Inventory. There were no statistically significant differences in leadership orientations and emotional intelligence between junior and senior students (p > 0.05). Although there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and task-oriented leadership (r = 0.427, p = 0.001), there was no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and people-oriented leadership (r = 0.076, p = 0.367). Students' emotional intelligence score was average, and their people-oriented leadership score was approximately half of the total score. It is recommended to develop strategies for improving nursing students' people-oriented leadership skills during their nursing education.