Mental health nurses' attitudes towards consumers with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems: Adescriptive study.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Dual diagnosis is one of the leading causes of disability globally. There is limited evidence on mental health nurses' attitudes towards consumers with dual diagnosis. WHAT DOES THE PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Mental health nurses have positive attitudes towards consumers with dual diagnosis. A positive attitude at work is influenced by various factors, including feeling that one's role is appropriate and legitimate. This also includes receiving support in that role, being motivated to work, having confidence in completing tasks and feeling satisfied with one's job. ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Dual diagnosis is a global health concern. This descriptive research assessed mental health nurses' attitudes towards consumers with dual diagnosis in Australian mental health settings. The research question was: What is the attitude of mental health nurses towards consumers with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems? MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey included 103 mental health nurses who work with consumers with dual diagnosis. Participants were recruited from various mental health settings through convenience sampling. The Comorbidity Problems Perceptions Questionnaire was used to assess attitudes. Descriptive data and multiple regression analyses were conducted. We utilized the consensus-based checklist for reporting results of this study. RESULTS: Mental health nurses positively perceived consumers with dual diagnosis. Factors associated with a positive attitude were a higher level of work experience, feeling that one's role is adequate, perceiving one's role as legitimate, receiving increased support in one's position, having high work motivation, possessing high task-specific self-esteem and experiencing higher levels of work satisfaction. Work experience predicted role adequacy. Position predicted role support. The work sector predicted role-related self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: As mental health nurses gain work experience; they develop positive attitudes that boost their self-esteem and sense of importance towards consumers with dual diagnosis. This constructive mindset also positively affects their work motivation and job satisfaction towards consumers with dual diagnosis. Conducting interventional studies is necessary to examine how clinical experiences, work environments, and job positions can impact attitudes, aiming to improve mental health nursing interventions towards consumers with dual diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: The study found that mental health nurses' positive attitudes towards consumers with dual-diagnosis are influenced by their experience and knowledge. Moreover, mental health nurses who feel supported, motivated and confident in their roles are more likely to provide high-quality care to consumers with dual diagnosis. Mental health nurses could provide better care and support if they took a proactive approach and addressed the challenges associated with this consumer population. To be successful in their roles, mental health nurses require access to resources and support from healthcare organizations. As a result, their job satisfaction and attitudes towards consumers with dual diagnosis will be enhanced. In this way, consumers as well as healthcare organizations will benefit.

Mental health nurses' empathy experiences towards consumers with dual diagnosis: A thematic analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Dual diagnosis is one of the leading causes of disability globally. Consumers with dual diagnosis have complex needs and are at risk of relapse of their psychiatric symptoms. Mental health nurses require essential skills, including empathy, to manage consumers with dual diagnosis. No studies have explored mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. WHAT DOES THE PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Developing empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis is complex. Mental health nurses' unemotional empathy experiences with consumers with dual diagnosis are related to their lack of ability to connect to their consumers' choices and feelings. Negative attitudes towards consumers with dual diagnosis contributed to nurses' poor empathy experiences. The unemotional responses of mental health nurses can be caused by factors such as novelty, insufficient information, and neutral evaluation of a consumer's situation. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The study results benefit researchers, teachers, clinicians, and administrators when designing, developing, and delivering empathy training packages for mental health nurses. Improving the empathy of mental health nurses towards consumers with dual diagnosis should be a top priority for healthcare leaders and educators. A core curriculum containing holistic awareness of the biopsychosocial components of dual diagnosis makes it easier for mental health nurses to understand and develop empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. Future studies must address the relationship between attitude, stress, burnout, compassion fatigue and empathy among mental health nurses in relation to consumers with dual diagnosis. ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of evidence regarding mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. AIMS: This qualitative study aimed to describe mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis in Australian mental health settings. METHOD: Through purposeful sampling, interviews were conducted with 17 mental health nurses who have experience in caring for consumers with dual diagnosis. Thematic analysis, as an inductive approach was used, to generate codes and themes from participant data. To report on this qualitative study, we adhered to the ENTREQ guidelines. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: challenges to develop empathy with consumers, lack of conducive attitude of nurses towards consumers, appraising consumers' emotions accurately and holistically responding to the appraised emotions. The findings indicated that developing empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis is a complex task. DISCUSSION: Mental health nurses may struggle to empathize with consumers when encountering confrontational situations. Interventional studies are required to address the relationship between mental health nurses' attitudes, stress, burnout, compassion fatigue and empathy in relation to consumers with dual diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Understanding why mental health nurses emotional experiences differ about a similar challenging situation experienced by their consumers is vital. Further research on strategies to address empathy issues among mental health nurses could enhance nursing practice and consumer care.

A mixed-method evaluation of peer-led education about attitudes towards consumers' recovery among Mental Health Nurses working in acute inpatient psychiatric units.

Despite integrating the recovery model of care in mental health, mental health professionals still have pessimistic attitudes towards the recovery of people with mental illness. Positive attitudes towards recovery are essential components to integrate recovery-oriented practices in all areas of mental health. Evidence shows that education and training are effective while emphasising the importance of consumer-based interventions to enhance recovery attitudes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of peer-led education about recovery attitudes towards people with mental illness among Mental Health Nurses working in acute inpatient settings. The methodology used was a sequential explanatory mixed method with pre- and post-test design involving three phases. Phase 1: survey (n = 103), phase 2: post-test survey immediate (n = 17) and follow-up (n = 11) and phase 3: in-depth interviews (n = 12). The results show that Mental Health Nurses have positive recovery attitudes with some room for improvement. Most participants agreed with all items of the Recovery Attitudes Questionnaire. However, the participants had various views on the relationship between faith and recovery. The peer-led education significantly improved RAQ items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 statistically. Furthermore, peer-led education effectively enhanced recovery attitudes immediately after the intervention and helped to maintain sustainable attitudes 3 months later. A qualitative exploration of recovery attitudes revealed three main themes: participants' reflections, recovery hurdles and interpersonal relationships.

Mental Health Nurses' Attitudes on Consumers with Dual Diagnosis: A Thematic Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The issue of dual diagnosis continues to be a global health concern. There is a lack of empirical research on mental health nurses' attitudes toward consumers with dual diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to answer the following research question: How do mental health nurses describe their attitude toward consumers with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems? DESIGN: This qualitative study employed purposive sampling to recruit participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore mental health nurses' attitudes toward consumers with dual diagnosis. SETTING: This study focused on mental health nurses employed in mental health settings. It placed a particular emphasis on mental health nurses who had experience in caring for consumers with dual diagnosis. Seventeen mental health nurses participated in the interview. METHODS: Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using NVivo™ 12 Plus software. Thematic analysis was used to generate codes and themes inductively. RESULTS: Three major themes with a total of eight sub-themes were identified: (1) satisfaction and connection, with three subthemes; (2) combating negativity in others, with two subthemes; and (3) working to improve outcomes, with three subthemes. CONCLUSIONS: Participants were concerned about their peers' sense of fear and frustration, stigmatized language, and lack of consistency in providing dual diagnosis training for mental health nurses. There is a need to investigate effective strategies to address mental health nurses' stigmatized attitudes, fear, and frustration toward consumers with dual diagnosis.

Mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis: A descriptive study.

AIM: This study aimed to assess mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis in Australian mental health settings. The research question was What is mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems? DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out to understand mental health nurses' empathy. The convenience sample included 96 mental health nurses from various mental health settings with experience working with consumers with dual diagnosis. We assessed empathy using the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire. We utilised SPSS™ software to analyse both the descriptive data and multiple-regression. RESULTS: The mean empathy score was 47.71 (SD 8.28). The analysis of the association between demographic variables and individual subscales showed an association between the clinical setting and empathy (p = .031) and sympathetic physiological arousal (p = .049). The work sector was associated with sympathetic physiological arousal (p = .045) and conspecific altruism (p = .008). Emotional contagion (ß = .98, p < .001), emotional comprehension (ß = 1.02, p < .001), sympathetic physiological arousal (ß = 1.01, p < .001) and conspecific altruism (ß = 10.23, p < .001) predicted mental health nurses' empathy. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that most mental health nurses showed empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. Mental health nurses who are more empathetic towards their consumers experience emotional contagion. They understand emotions better, show sympathetic physiological responses and exhibit kind behaviour towards consumers. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE: Further research is required to understand how mental health nurses adapt to consumers' emotional states in different mental health settings. This information can help clinicians make better decisions about care quality for consumers with dual diagnosis. IMPACT: This study addressed mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. Mental health nurses showed increased empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis. The empathy levels vary based on age, clinical setting, work sector and work experience. Mental health nurses' empathy levels were predicted by emotional contagion, emotion comprehension, sympathetic physiological arousal and conspecific altruism. Empathy enhancement among mental health nurses, particularly towards consumers with dual diagnosis, is crucial and should be regarded as a top priority by healthcare leaders and educators. REPORTING METHOD: Outlined by the Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies (CROSS). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No Patient or Public Contribution.

The impact of COVID-19 on stress and resilience in undergraduate nursing students: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Being a nursing student can be a stressful experience, faced with considerable academic and clinical demands. It has been suggested that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have further exacerbated the pressure nursing students face. It has been posited that resilience, a complex psychological concept, may help nursing students overcome stressful situations. AIMS: The aim of this scoping review was to examine the relationship between resilience and stress in nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Relevant publications were identified by a comprehensive search of the literature from January 2019 to September 2022 to capture relevant publications during the COVID-19 global pandemic period from the following databases: CINAHL, Medline Complete, APA PsycInfo, Ovid EmCare and Web of Science. Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review using Arskey & O'Malley's (2005) methodological framework for scoping reviews. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that nursing students from all around the world have experienced high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost unanimously, resilience was identified as a key protective factor against stress and the development of psychological morbidity. Those nursing students with higher levels of resilience were deemed more likely to stay on track with their studies, despite COVID-related challenges. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this scoping review adds to the well-established argument to incorporate resilience-building activities in undergraduate nursing curricula. Developing levels of resilience has the potential to empower nursing students for academic and clinical success, whilst facing the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Mental Health Nurses' attitudes towards mental illness and recovery-oriented practice in acute inpatient psychiatric units: A non-participant observation study.

National mental health policies accentuate the importance of having positive attitudes, skills, and knowledge among mental health professionals to facilitate recovery-oriented practices in all areas of mental health care. However, evidence suggests that mental health professionals' negative attitudes towards mental illness are still evident and that recovery-oriented practice in acute inpatient units may be poorly implemented. At the same time, there is also a paucity of research to understand Mental Health Nurses' attitudes towards mental illness and recovery-oriented practice specifically. Therefore, this non-participant observation study aimed to explore Mental Health Nurses' attitudes towards mental illness and recovery-oriented practice in acute inpatient units by observing the interactions between the consumers and nurses. The Mental Illness Clinicians Attitudes Scale-v4 and The Recovery Attitudes Questionnaire inspired the development of a non-participant observation chart for this study and the observations were recorded on the chart. Six observations were conducted in three acute inpatient units. Observations focused on Mental Health Nurses' knowledge about mental illness, communication, dignity, respect, anxiety, fear, punishment, facilitation of real choices for consumers, physical care, cooperation with consumers' families and others and recovery orientation. Interpretive descriptive analysis was used to analyse the data. The results show that Mental Health Nurses generally have positive attitudes towards mental illness and recovery-oriented practice. Some deficits in the physical care of people with mental illness in the acute inpatient units were observed. Therefore, future research could address the adequate preparation of Mental Health Nurses to provide physical care to people with mental illnesses.

Perspectives of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community members regarding mental health services: A qualitative analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUBJECT?: Immigrant, refugee and asylum seeker populations worldwide are at high risk of mental health issues National mental health policies call for recognising Australian society's multicultural characteristics to ensure adequate mental health services to CALD communities Several barriers exist for people from CALD communities in Victoria to access and utilise mental health services Improving mental health professionals' knowledge of mental health service provision and cultural responsiveness can enhance CALD community access to services. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: We analysed the perspectives of people from CALD communities in Victoria regarding their needs and experiences with mental health services. Participants reported diverse perceptions and understanding of mental health issues and services Various challenges were identified regarding health service utilisation for the CALD community in Victoria, including language barriers, stigma towards mental health issues, mental health illiteracy, distrust and lack of familiarity with mainstream mental health services. These challenges were acknowledged by community members even after a long residence in Australia The data generated on the beliefs about mental health issues and consequent help-seeking behaviours highlight the importance of culturally sensitive targeted prevention and early intervention strategies and ongoing commitment to building mental health literacy in the wider community WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The information from the study can be adapted for quality improvement and culturally responsive practices The strategies for effective service delivery drawn by this paper can be a comprehensive resource tool for mental health professionals, organisations and policymakers The findings imply that CALD mental health service users and their families will likely benefit from improved service assessment and quality of mental health care and equity when MHNs undertake cultural competence training and bring that into their practice. ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Victoria is one of the most multicultural states in Australia. Many CALD communities in Victoria may have encountered complicated migration journeys and complex life stressors during their initial settlement, leading to adverse mental health concerns. This diversity necessitates public policy settings to ensure equity and access in health services planning and delivery. While the MH policies and services take cultural diversity into account, there needs to be more implementation of those components of MH policies that relate to the particular needs of various CALD communities in Victoria. Even though mental health services prevent and address mental health issues, many barriers can impair CALD community access and utilisation of mental health services. Furthermore, the recent Royal Commission inquiry into the Victorian Mental Health system drives a renewed policy imperative to ensure meaningful engagement and cultural safety of all people accessing and utilising mental health services (Department of Health, 2023). AIM: This study focused on the perspectives of people from CALD communities in Victoria regarding their mental health service needs, understandings of and experiences with mental health services to prepare an education package for mental health nurses as part of a larger multi-method research project. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design was used to collect and analyse the perspectives of 21 participants in Victoria, using telephone interviews, followed by thematic analysis. RESULTS: The themes and sub-themes identified were: Settling issues; Perceptions of understanding of mental health issues (help-seeking attitudes toward mental health issues; the need for CALD community education); perceived barriers to accessing and utilising mental health services in Victoria (socio-cultural and language barriers; stigma, labelling and discrimination; knowledge and experience of accessing health facilities); experience with mental health services and professionals. DISCUSSION: Community participation, mental health professional education and robust research regarding the mental health needs of CALD people are some of the recommended strategies to improve access and utilisation of mental health services in Victoria. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The current study can contribute to the existing knowledge, understanding, practice and quality improvement as it vividly portrays the issues of various CALD communities in Victoria. The findings of this study imply that CALD MH service users and their families are likely to benefit in terms of improved service assessment and quality of MH care and equity when MHNs undertake CC training and bring that into their practice.

Evaluation of interprofessional student teams in the emergency department: opportunities and challenges.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education opportunities are commonly university-based and require further development during clinical practice. Many clinical contexts offer the potential for meaningful learning of both collaborative and discipline-specific practice. The emergency department (ED) demands efficient teamwork, so presents a logical location for interprofessional learning. METHODS: An interprofessional clinical placement program was implemented with the aim to enhance students' capacity and self-efficacy for collaborative practice. Fifty-five medical and nursing students participated as interdisciplinary pairs in a two-week clinical placement in the ED. Students' perceptions of the learning environment were measured pre- and post-placement with the Self-efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning Scale and the Interprofessional Clinical Placement Learning Inventory was completed post-placement. Non-parametric tests were used to establish change differences. RESULTS: The Placement Learning Inventory revealed positive outcomes; the majority (16/19) agreed/agreed strongly that the placement provided sufficient learning opportunities, was interesting, and made them feel as if they belonged and most (14/19) reported they achieved the discipline specific learning objectives set by the university. Self-efficacy improved significantly (p = 0.017), showing promise for future use of the placement model Challenges were identified in the organisation and supervision of students. In the absence of additional dedicated student supervision, this model of interprofessional student pairs in the ED was challenging. CONCLUSIONS: Interprofessional clinical placements in ED are an effective clinical learning approach for final year undergraduate medicine and nursing students. Recommendations for improvements for students' clinical supervision are proposed for the placement model.

Anti-stigma initiatives for mental health professionals-A systematic literature review.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Negative attitudes towards mental illness lead to the formation of stigma. Stigma prevents the recovery of people diagnosed with mental illness. There is evidence of stigmatic attitudes towards mental ill health among mental health professionals. Anti-stigma initiatives, such as education and training, may be effective in enhancing or maintaining positive attitudes towards mental illness among mental health professionals. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Education and training that is designed and delivered around a specific mental health diagnosis or condition appears an appropriate strategy that could benefit mental health professionals to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of mental ill health and its impacts on individuals. Consumer involvement in the education and training of mental health professionals regarding the stigma of mental illness is recommended; however, this is an under-explored area of investigation. There is a weak evidence base regarding the long-term sustainability of effects from anti-stigma education and training. This should be addressed via further research in future. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICES?: Anti-stigma initiatives can support mental health professionals to develop stigma-free, recovery-oriented practices in their work. Further, such initiatives can improve the provision of evidence-based quality care for the consumers, facilitating their recovery. ABSTRACT: Introduction Despite an increasing focus on stigma, evidence shows prejudicial attitudes towards mental illness among mental health professionals still exist. It is suggested that anti-stigma initiatives can aid in enhancing the attitudes of mental health professionals. However, research on initiatives targeting stigma of mental illness among mental health professionals is limited. Aim To identify and analyse scientific literature pertaining to the effectiveness of anti-stigma initiatives regarding mental ill health among mental health professionals. Method A systematic literature review was performed using the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Google Search engine and Google Scholar. The papers were limited to English language, published in peer-reviewed journals with full-text articles available and published between the years 2008 and 2020 to understand the most recent trends in the attitudes of mental health professionals including nurses. The Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) strategy was used to identify papers meeting the inclusion criteria. Results A total of 439 papers were identified. However, papers not meeting the inclusion criteria were excluded from selection. Three appraisers reviewed the selected papers individually using the Joanna Briggs Institute [JBI] critical appraisal tool. Finally, eight unanimously accepted papers were included in the systematic review. Several effective anti-stigma initiatives were identified through the review, and these had positive impacts on mental health professionals' attitudes towards mental illness, for at least a short period. It was identified that contact-based interventions are relevant and effective although the involvement of consumers and caregivers in the design and delivery of interventions was not explicitly addressed in detail in studies included in the review. Education strategies tailored for specific mental illness may be more appropriate, rather than approaches that refer to mental illness in general. Conclusions This review shows the evidence of pessimistic attitudes towards mental illness persists among mental health professionals. Anti-stigma initiatives identified in the selected papers were effective in changing these attitudes. Future research should be focused on the effectiveness of contact-based interventions and understanding the longer-term effects of the interventions among homogeneous groups. Full consideration of the varying level of clinical experience and expertise in mental health should guide the development and implementation of anti-stigma initiatives in this context. Implications for practice Anti-stigma interventions can have a positive impact on mental health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and supportive caring for people diagnosed with mental illness. Such anti-stigma interventions may meaningfully support stakeholders to address the impact of negative attitudes on the physical and mental health status of people diagnosed with mental illness. With sustained leadership, effort and reinforcement, it is possible to create workplace cultures that prioritize stigma-free and recovery-oriented behaviours and practices within mental health services.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers: cross-sectional analyses from 14 countries.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been impacted psychologically due to their professional responsibilities over the prolonged era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to identify the predictors of psychological distress, fear, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among self-identified HCWs across 14 countries (12 from Asia and two from Africa). The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale were used to assess the psychological distress, fear, and coping of HCWs, respectively. Results: A total of 2447 HCWs participated; 36% were doctors, and 42% were nurses, with a mean age of 36 (±12) years, and 70% were females. Moderate to very-high psychological distress was prevalent in 67% of the HCWs; the lowest rate was reported in the United Arab Emirates (1%) and the highest in Indonesia (16%). The prevalence of high levels of fear was 20%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (9%) and the highest in Egypt (32%). The prevalence of medium-to-high resilient coping was 63%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (28%) and the highest in Syria (76%). Conclusion: COVID-19 has augmented the psychological distress among HCWs. Factors identified in this study should be considered in managing the wellbeing of HCWs, who had been serving as the frontline drivers in managing the crisis successfully across all participating countries. Furthermore, interventions to address their psychological distress should be considered.

Mental health at the COVID-19 frontline: An assessment of distress, fear, and coping among staff and attendees at screening clinics of rural/regional settings of Victoria, Australia.

PURPOSE: Research examining psychological well-being associated with COVID-19 in rural/regional Australia is limited. This study aimed to assess the extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19, and coping strategies among the attendees in COVID-19 screening clinics at 2 rural Victorian settings. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during July 2020 to February 2021 inclusive. Participants were invited to fill in an online questionnaire. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Brief Resilient Coping Scale were used to assess psychological distress, fear of COVID-19, and coping, respectively. FINDINGS: Among 702 total participants, 69% were females and mean age (±SD) was 49 (±15.8) years. One in 5 participants (156, 22%) experienced high to very high psychological distress, 1 in 10 (72, 10%) experienced high fear, and more than half (397, 57%) had medium to high resilient coping. Participants with mental health issues had higher distress (AOR 10.4, 95% CI: 6.25-17.2) and fear (2.56, 1.41-4.66). Higher distress was also associated with having comorbidities, increased smoking (5.71, 1.04-31.4), and alcohol drinking (2.03, 1.21-3.40). Higher fear was associated with negative financial impact, drinking alcohol (2.15, 1.06-4.37), and increased alcohol drinking. Medium to high resilient coping was associated with being ≥60 years old (1.84, 1.04-3.24) and completing Bachelor and above levels of education. CONCLUSION: People who had pre-existing mental health issues, comorbidities, smoked, and consumed alcohol were identified as high-risk groups for poorer psychological well-being in rural/regional Victoria. Specific interventions to support the mental well-being of these vulnerable populations, along with engaging health care providers, should be considered.

Nursing Education to Enhance Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Community Access to Mental Health Services: A Scoping Review.

Research has found that training health care professionals can enhance the access of the culturally diverse community to appropriate mental health services. Yet, little research has been conducted that explicitly focuses on improving nursing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours that can enhance the access of the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community. This scoping review aims to locate, summarise, and recap what is known in the academic literature about educational interventions and programs to improve mental health nurses' cultural competence. Examining how educational interventions and programs can improve mental health nurses' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours to facilitate Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community access to mental health services can also identify gaps in knowledge to report future research areas. Fifteen studies included in the review reported a positive effect of cultural competence interventions; however, it was difficult to establish a single effective intervention method due to the significant heterogenicity in cultural competence intervention strategies. Most studies in this scoping review included nurses as participants. However, only one study solely focussed on cultural competence intervention for mental health nurses. Two other studies included mental health nurses as participants, along with other mental health professionals. Henceforth, there is a prerequisite for more research focussing on enhancing mental health nurses' cultural competency. Additional research is required to evaluate educational interventions' impact on improving cultural competence attributes on specific practitioner behaviours and the effects on health care and health care outcomes. This review can form a basis for future research studies that will emphasise the impact of cultural competence interventions for mental health nurses.

Association between psychological capital and spiritual care competencies of clinical nurses: A multicentre cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To investigate the status of spiritual care competencies among clinical nurses and their relationships with psychological capital. BACKGROUND: Limited knowledge is about the influence of positive personal characteristics on nurses' spiritual care competencies. METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional study. A total of 1717 nurses were recruited from nine separate Chinese hospitals. Online questionnaires were delivered through a local nursing association to assess socio-demographics, spiritual care competencies and psychological capital of nurses. RESULTS: Nurses had mild-to-moderate levels of spiritual care competencies and moderate levels of psychological capital. Psychological capital and its two metrics (self-efficacy and hope), spiritual care education, professional qualification and shift work were the main predictors of spiritual care competencies (each p < .05). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study show a positive relationship between psychological capital and spiritual care competencies of clinical nurses. Strengthening nurses' psychological capital could improve their spiritual care competencies. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGERS: Nurse managers and hospital administrators should better understand the value of psychological capital for nurses' capacity development. Effective interventions need to be implemented separately or combined with spiritual care education programmes to improve nurses' psychological capital and spiritual care competencies.

Reliability of the tools used to examine psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping amongst migrants and non-migrants in Australia.

Study tools examining psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping amongst migrants and non-migrants in Australia are very limited. The aim of this research was to assess the psychometric properties and correlation of the English version of Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCSV-19S), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) tools during the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Australia. Data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 516) were utilized to examine reliability; 299 (57.9%) were migrants. High internal consistency, as evidenced by Cronbach's alpha, was found for the K-10 (0.92), FCV-19S (0.87) and BRCS (0.66) tools. The corresponding values for migrants and non-migrants were (0.92, 0.87, 0.67) and (0.92, 0.86, 0.63), respectively. Item-total correlations ranged 0.57-0.78 for K-10, 0.62-0.69 for FCV-19S, and 0.39-0.50 for BRCS tools. EFA retained a single factor for each tool with adequate factor loadings. The scoring of K-10 was significantly predicted by the scoring of FCV-19S (r = 0.284, P < 0.001) and BRCS tool (r = 0.132, P < 0.01). Therefore, these tools can be used reliably amongst both migrant and non-migrant population in Australia.

Feeling responsible: Family caregivers' attitudes and experiences of shared decision-making regarding people diagnosed with schizophrenia: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the attitudes and experiences of family caregivers concerning their involvement in shared decision-making regarding people diagnosed with schizophrenia. METHODS: This study used a qualitative descriptive design involving face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Both convenience and purposive sampling were used to recruit family caregivers until no new insights were generated (n = 15). An inductive thematic analysis method was used. RESULTS: Primary results of analysis of the attitudes and experiences included four main themes with nine subthemes generated from the data: (1) feeling obligated; (2) playing functional roles: i) providing social and financial support, ii) acting as a liaison, and iii) overviewing treatment adherence; (3) Experiencing multiple challenges i) limited treatment options, ii) insufficient information at health services iii) traditional acceptance of authoritative advice; and (4) living under pressure: i) feeling exhausted, ii) being socially isolated and iii) worrying about the future. CONCLUSIONS: Due to their caregiving responsibilities, family caregivers facilitated shared decision-making in various ways. However, they perceived that their involvement was limited to practical tasks and attributed this to the lack of access and support for engagement, resulting in aggravated caregiving burden. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Family caregivers need to be recognized as partners and core stakeholders, to be involved in shared decision-making and better supported in caregiving. To achieve shared decision-making, decision aids are needed to support family caregivers for caregiving in collaborative care models.

Assessing the quality of mobile applications targeting postpartum depression in China.

Postpartum depression is a serious mental illnessdisorder that occurs after delivery and is one of the most common post-partum complications. With the increasing popularity and extensive use of smartphones worldwide and the fact that China has become the country with the largest number of smartphone users, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the use and influence of smartphones and discuss the role of smartphone applications in postpartum depression. This study evaluated and analysed the contents of all postpartum depression applications available in China, applying the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Interventions to Prevent Perinatal Depression) and expert consensus on the guidelines for the prevention and treatment of postpartum depression. We used the keywords 'postpartum depression; and 'PPD' to search Android, iOS, and WeChat in the Chinese application market. Two reviewers agreed on the coding guidelines and coded the content and functionality of the application through content analysis to determine its intervention and adherence to the guidelines. In addition, we used the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) to evaluate the application for engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information domains and recorded the features of the postpartum depression application. The current findings suggest that despite the recent expansion of smartphone platforms and increased availability of applications, existing Chinese apps for postpartum depression have low levels of adherence to clinical practice-based guidelines. New apps need to be developed, and existing apps need to be revised following evidence-based principles.

An evaluation of a positive psychological intervention to reduce burnout among nurses.

This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the positive psychological intervention of recording three good things on alleviating nurses' burnout. Eighty-seven nurses with burnout were recruited. Nurses in the study group recorded three good things using communication tool WeChat for six months, no records were made in the control group. After intervention, the score of exhaustion decreased considerably for nurses in the study group. Nurses recording three good things on average twice a week returned the lowest score of exhaustion. This intervention combined with appropriate surveillance and encouragement is recommended to reduce nurses' burnout and create a positive work environment.

The risk factors of antenatal depression: A cross-sectional survey.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of depression in the third trimester of pregnancy and identify the related demographic risk factors. BACKGROUND: Antenatal depression as a disabling and treatable disease has a wide-ranging impact on perinatal women and has received extensive attention from researchers. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at three public hospitals. METHODS: Demographic questionnaire was developed from the literature review, and depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A binary logistic regression model was used to assess the association between depression and demographic predictors. STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was applied in this paper (see Appendix S1). RESULT: A total of 773 pregnant women participated in the study. 29.6% of participants scored more than 9 points on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. In the final logistic model, living in rural area, marital satisfaction, assisted reproductive technology, lacking of prenatal health knowledge and life events were strongly significantly associated with antenatal depression. Moreover, living in an extended family, without Medicare insurance, unemployed, working as civil servants or healthcare workers, and lower household income also predicted antenatal depression. However, education level, smoking or drinking before pregnancy was found not to be associated with antenatal depression. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the prevalence of antenatal depression was high. Satisfied with the current marital status, pregnancy without assisted reproductive technology, knowledge of perinatal care and no life events recently were considered as the protective factors for antenatal depression. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Antenatal psychological interventions should focus on how to improve the marital satisfaction and the relationship with their family members. More attentions should be paid to the women who have had some life events recently or received assisted reproductive technology for pregnancy.

A study protocol of mobile phone app-based cognitive behaviour training for the prevention of postpartum depression among high-risk mothers.

BACKGROUND: The changes in China's family planning policy in recent years have led to changes in the age structure of pregnant women, and the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) is also on the rise. Cognitive Behaviour Training (CBT) as an effective intervention is widely used for postpartum depression. However, the shortage and health disparities of mental health resources, the stigma of postpartum depression in postpartum women and the need for postpartum recovery and child care prevent postpartum women from seeking traditional face-to-face CBT. Therefore, the purpose of this proposed study is to examine the effect of mobile phone applications (App) based CBT on postpartum depression, anxiety, pressure and parenting sense of competence. METHODS: A double blind, randomized controlled trial will be used in this study to examine the effectiveness of App-based CBT in reducing the prevalence of postpartum depression compared with usual postpartum care in China. A total of 120 participants will be recruited in this study. The intervention consists of a weekly theme module app for continuous six weeks, each module including learning content and assignments. The control group received usual postpartum care content through the App. Outcome measures include postpartum depression, anxiety, pressure and parenting sense of competence at 0-, 3- and 6-month after the intervention. DISCUSSION: If our intervention is effective, it will provide a time-friendly and unrestricted intervention for the psychological care of perinatal women, which can effectively solve the shortage and unevenness of mental health resources. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900020735 . Registered 15 January 2019.