Reflections on being an insider researcher: a study exploring the experiences of men accessing rural mental health services.

BACKGROUND: An embedded single case-study design was used to explore the experiences of men in rural New Zealand accessing mental health services. It is essential for researchers to acknowledge positionality in case study research and the lead author used reflexive practice to acknowledge his values and beliefs. AIM: To explore and demonstrate the reflexive process of the lead author's position as an inside researcher. DISCUSSION: Three groups were involved in the research: men with mental health challenges, their partners, and mental health clinicians. The article presents the initial research through memos and diarying in the context of current literature. CONCLUSION: Reflexivity is essential for ensuring the research process is complete and biases are identified. Positionality exists on a continuum and it is critical for researchers to be honest with themselves, the topic and the group being investigated, to show respect for the participants and the people they represent, as well as to be committed to revealing the truth. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Insider research has the potential to bridge the gap between academia and practice. It facilitates the transfer of research knowledge directly to practitioners, leading to more evidence-informed decision-making and practice.

What discourses shape and reshape men's experiences of accessing mental health support?

The research employs a single embodied case study design with the aim to examine the discourse of men accessing and receiving mental health support alongside those who are the providers of the support. Three groups of adults were interviewed: men who had experienced mental health problems and had attempted to access mental health support; lay people who supported them, such as partners and non-mental health professionals and professionals, such as mental health nurses, social workers, clinical psychologists and general practitioners. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is used to identify discourses around three emergent themes: well-being, power and dominance and social capital. Participants seeking mental health support often referred to mental health services as not listening or that what was offered was not useful. A lack of belonging and community disconnectedness was apparent throughout all participant interviews. The study is reported according to the COREQ guidelines.

Aspects of molar form and dietary proclivities of African colobines.

This study investigates aspects of molar form in three African colobine species: Colobus polykomos, Colobus angolensis, and Piliocolobus badius. Our samples of C. polykomos and P. badius are from the Taï Forest, Ivory Coast; our sample of C. angolensis is from Diani, Kenya. To the extent that protective layers surrounding seeds are hard, we predicted that molar features related to hard-object feeding would be more pronounced in Colobus than they are Piliocolobus, as seed-eating generally occurs at higher frequencies in species of the former. We further predicted that among the colobines we studied, these features would be most pronounced in Taï Forest C. polykomos, which feeds on Pentaclethra macrophylla seeds encased within hard and tough seed pods. We compared overall enamel thickness, enamel thickness distribution, absolute crown strength, cusp tip geometry, and flare among molar samples. Sample sizes per species and molar type varied per comparison. We predicted differences in all variables except overall enamel thickness, which we expected would be invariant among colobines as a result of selection for thin enamel in these folivorous species. Of the variables we examined, only molar flare differed significantly between Colobus and Piliocolobus. Our findings suggest that molar flare, an ancient feature of cercopithecoid molars, was retained in Colobus but not in Piliocolobus, perhaps as a result of differences in the seed-eating proclivities of the two genera. Contrary to predictions, none of the aspects of molar form we investigated tracked current dietary differences in seed-eating between the two Colobus species. Finally, we explored the possibility that molar flare and absolute crown strength, when analyzed together, might afford greater differentiation among these colobine species. A multivariate t test of molar flare and absolute crown strength differentiated C. polykomos and P. badius, possibly reflecting known niche divergence between these two sympatric Taï Forest species.

Learning experiences of first year graduate entry nursing students in New Zealand and Australia: a qualitative case study.

BACKGROUND: Graduate entry nursing programmes provide students with an accelerated pathway to becoming a registered nurse. Motivations for study, together with commonly shared characteristics of students enrolling in such programmes is becoming well documented, however, their experiences of studying for a professional qualification in this manner is less understood. As a means of maintaining the relevance of these fast-tracked programmes in the future, an understanding of graduate entry nursing students' experiences of academic teaching and clinical placements is imperative. OBJECTIVE: To explore the academic and clinical experiences of students enrolled in the first year of graduate entry nursing programmes in New Zealand and Australia. METHODS: A qualitative case study approach was taken. Here we report the experiences of nine students enrolled in their first year of a two-year graduate entry nursing programme during 2020. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Three overarching themes were developed-affirmation, reflections on expectations and clinical experiences. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the experiences of first year graduate entry nursing students, with many experiencing affirmation that their altruistic career visions came to fruition. The findings indicate that these graduate-entry nursing students interviewed for this study tended to be flexible and adaptable in their approach to study as a means of meeting the challenges of the programme, all of which are key characteristics for a registered nurse; with personal growth and the development of the self, providing preparation for their second year of study.

Front-line health professionals' recognition and responses to nonfatal strangulation events: An integrative review.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine how front-line health professionals identify and manage nonfatal strangulation events. DESIGN: Integrative review with narrative synthesis was conducted. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive database search was conducted in six electronic databases (CINAHL, Wed of Science, DISCOVER, SCOPUS, PubMed and Scholar) resulting in 49 potentially eligible full texts, reduced to 10 articles for inclusion after exclusion criteria were applied. REVIEW METHODS: An integrative review was undertaken in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement guidelines. Data were extracted, and a narrative synthesis using Whittemore and Knafl (2005) framework was undertaken to determine how front-line health professionals identify and manage nonfatal strangulation events. RESULTS: The findings identified three main themes: an overall failure by health professionals to recognize nonfatal strangulation, a failure to report the event and a failure to follow up on victims after the event. Stigma and predetermined beliefs around nonfatal strangulation, along with a lack of knowledge about signs and symptoms, were the salient features in the literature. CONCLUSION: Lack of training and fear of not knowing what to do next are barriers to providing care to victims of strangulation. Failure to detect, manage and support victims will continue the cycle of harm through the long-term health effects of strangulation. Early detection and management of strangulation are essential to prevent health complications, particularly when the victims are exposed to such behaviours repeatedly. IMPACT: This review appears to be the first to explore how health professionals identify and manage nonfatal strangulation. It identified the significant need for education and robust and consistent screening and discharge policies to assist health providers of services where victims of nonfatal strangulation attend. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This review contains no patient or public contribution since it was examining health professionals' knowledge of identifying nonfatal strangulation and the screening and assessment tools used in clinical practice.

Artificial intelligence: An eye cast towards the mental health nursing horizon.

There has been an international surge towards online, digital, and telehealth mental health services, further amplified during COVID-19. Implementation and integration of technological innovations, including artificial intelligence (AI), have increased with the intention to improve clinical, governance, and administrative decision-making. Mental health nurses (MHN) should consider the ramifications of these changes and reflect on their engagement with AI. It is time for mental health nurses to demonstrate leadership in the AI mental health discourse and to meaningfully advocate that safety and inclusion of end users' of mental health service interests are prioritized. To date, very little literature exists about this topic, revealing limited engagement by MHNs overall. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of AI in the mental health context and to stimulate discussion about the rapidity and trustworthiness of AI related to the MHN profession. Despite the pace of progress, and personal life experiences with AI, a lack of MHN leadership about AI exists. MHNs have a professional obligation to advocate for access and equity in health service distribution and provision, and this applies to digital and physical domains. Trustworthiness of AI supports access and equity, and for this reason, it is of concern to MHNs. MHN advocacy and leadership are required to ensure that misogynist, racist, discriminatory biases are not favoured in the development of decisional support systems and training sets that strengthens AI algorithms. The absence of MHNs in designing technological innovation is a risk related to the adequacy of the generation of services that are beneficial for vulnerable people such as tailored, precise, and streamlined mental healthcare provision. AI developers are interested to focus on person-like solutions; however, collaborations with MHNs are required to ensure a person-centred approach for future mental healthcare is not overlooked.

Exploring the experiences and perceptions of students in a graduate entry nursing programme: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Students commencing graduate entry fast-tracked nursing programmes leading to registration are highly motivated and characterised by rich life experiences. Given their unique motivations and characteristics, gaining insight into their experiences of graduate entry programmes will inform strategic directions in education. OBJECTIVE: To synthesise graduate entry nursing students' self-reported experiences and perceptions of their accelerated programme. DESIGN: Qualitative meta-synthesis. DATA SOURCES: Databases included Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Emcare, Education Resources Information Centre, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Psychological Information and Scopus. Qualitative studies published in English and reporting primary data analysis including experiences and perceptions of graduate entry nursing students were considered. REVIEW METHODS: Qualitative studies were systematically identified and critically appraised. The meta-synthesis used an open card sort technique to organise data into a matrix of graduate entry nursing students' experiences and perceptions. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included. The analysis revealed three primary themes: what I bring and what I come with, developing a sense of self and nursing self, and what I need. Within these themes we found potential enablers of student success in learning; space, working together, and balancing work and life and learning to bridge two worlds. Students reflected on the benefits of academic support and shared their experiences of learning in clinical placement. In addition, students acknowledged the importance of clinical educators and preceptors who provided bridging that was further scaffolded by simulated learning experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate graduate entry nursing students have important needs and expectations of support in transition. The experiences and perceptions of graduate entry nursing students differentiated into what students arrived with, what support they need in their journey to become a nurse, alongside their experience of building a sense of self and their nursing self. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020220201.

An integrated review of the barriers and facilitators for accessing and engaging with mental health in a rural setting.

The review investigated the barriers and facilitators associated with assessing and engaging with mental health in a rural setting. The aim is to describe and synthesize the literature that examines the experiences of adults who access or attempt to access mental health services in rural settings. A systematic search from 2010 to 2020 was conducted using CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Google Scholar, and Scopus. PRISMA protocols located 32 relevant papers from the overall 573 first selected. Braun and Clarke (Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3:77-101, 2006) thematic analysis methodology was applied to the data resulting in two themes: first theme identified help-seeking with subthemes of stigma and locality of health services. The second theme was connectedness, inclusive of subthemes of support systems and personal identity. The review identified gender-related perspectives concerning accessing mental health support, exposing the need for more research to examine the diverse social connections and support networks in rural communities. The findings suggest the need to further explore the impediments that reduce the likelihood of accessing mental health services in rural communities.

What Motivates People to Start a Graduate Entry Nursing Programme: An Interpretive Multi-Centred Case Study.

INTRODUCTION: While graduate entry nursing programmes are well established in the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA), they are relatively new to New Zealand and Australia. These programmes have been developed to meet the demands of the health workforce and provide graduates an alternative pathway to becoming a RN. Nursing is viewed as an attractive career option for this growing market of graduate entry students. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the motivations underpinning students choosing a graduate entry MNSc degree over a traditional undergraduate nursing programme. METHODS: A qualitative, longitudinal single case study design, informed by Yin was used. The first phase of the study is reported here. All students commencing a MNSc degree at the beginning of 2020 across four education providers (3 in New Zealand & 1 in Australia) were eligible to take part in the study. Ten students agreed to take part and undertake an interview. Braun and Clarke's approach to thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. RESULTS: Three key themes of motivation were identified from the data: the attraction of nursing; the clarity nursing offers in terms of career progression; and the design of the intensive programme. CONCLUSIONS: The motivations to choose a MNSc degree were deeply considered, multifaceted, and influenced by nursing role models. Students wanting to engage with a graduate entry MNSc programme did so through a reflective process of assessing their current career status and future career values. Participants in this study believed nursing would provide a secure and sustainable career path, potentially creating new horizons or possibilities beyond their previous work and life experiences. Having insight into what motivates individuals to enrol in such programmes may assist both education providers and the health sector with RN graduate recruitment and graduate entry programme enrolment.

What motivates people to commence a graduate entry nursing programme: a mixed method scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The global deficit of nurses demands urgent attention in the recruitment and education of this future workforce. Graduate entry nursing (GEN) programmes are one option for people with undergraduate degrees who are seeking nursing education. Determining the key motivations for enrolling in these programmes will support the development of new initiatives in the education sector to both recruit and retain this future workforce and inform future primary research. This scoping review aims to comprehensively describe what motivates graduates to enrol in GEN programmes. METHODS: Peer reviewed studies of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method research investigating motivations to commence a graduate entry nursing programme were included, following a pre-determined protocol. Electronic databases searched included Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Emcare, ERIC, Medline and Scopus. Screening, data extraction and analysis was initially in duplicate and independent, then consensus reached. Qualitative and quantitative data was analysed and reported separately then combined thematically as a narrative synthesis in a convergent segregated approach. Reporting followed preferred reporting guidelines for scoping reviews. RESULTS: Of the 491 studies retrieved in July 2020, across the five databases and reference list search, six met the inclusion criteria. Four were qualitative studies, one mixed-methods, and one quantitative, respectively from Australia, USA, and New Zealand. Four themes of motivation were identified: 1) finding meaning and purpose through altruism and caring; 2) seeking a satisfying career, 3) looking for a change in direction and, 4) reduced financial burden due to course length and provision of scholarships. CONCLUSIONS: There is a paucity of studies specifically seeking to investigate student motivations for enrolling in a GEN programme and only limited studies giving insights into motivators for enrolling in a GEN programme, therefore this scoping review contributes new understandings on the reason's students choose GEN programmes. These are both altruistic and practical and include personal desires to help others, the need to pursue a satisfying and meaningful career and the shorter period out of the workforce offered by an accelerated programme of study.

Biochemistry changes that occur after death: potential markers for determining post-mortem interval.

Death is likely to result in very extensive biochemical changes in all body tissues due to lack of circulating oxygen, altered enzymatic reactions, cellular degradation, and cessation of anabolic production of metabolites. These biochemical changes may provide chemical markers for helping to more accurately determine the time since death (post-mortem interval), which is challenging to establish with current observation-based methodologies. In this study blood pH and changes in concentration of six metabolites (lactic acid, hypoxanthine, uric acid, ammonia, NADH and formic acid) were examined post-mortem over a 96 hour period in blood taken from animal corpses (rat and pig) and blood from rats and humans stored in vitro. The pH and the concentration of all six metabolites changed post-mortem but the extent and rate of change varied. Blood pH in corpses fell from 7.4 to 5.1. Concentrations of hypoxanthine, ammonia, NADH and formic acid all increased with time and these metabolites may be potential markers for post-mortem interval. The concentration of lactate increased and then remained at an elevated level and changes in the concentration were different in the rat compared to the human and pig. This is the first systematic study of multiple metabolic changes post-mortem and demonstrates the nature and extent of the changes that occur, in addition to identifying potential markers for estimating post-mortem interval.

Characterising the dynamics of expirated bloodstain pattern formation using high-speed digital video imaging.

During forensic investigations, it is often important to be able to distinguish between impact spatter patterns (blood from gunshots, explosives, blunt force trauma and/or machinery accidents) and bloodstain patterns generated by expiration (blood from the mouth, nose or lungs). These patterns can be difficult to distinguish on the basis of the size of the bloodstains. In this study, high-speed digital video imaging has been used to investigate the formation of expirated bloodstain patterns generated by breathing, spitting and coughing mechanisms. Bloodstain patterns from all three expiration mechanisms were dominated by the presence of stains less than 0.5 mm in diameter. Video analysis showed that in the process of coughing blood, high-velocity, very small blood droplets were ejected first. These were followed by lower velocity, larger droplets, strands and plumes of liquid held together in part by saliva. The video images showed the formation of bubble rings and beaded stains, traditional markers for classifying expirated patterns. However, the expulsion mechanism, the distance travelled by the blood droplets, and the type of surface the blood was deposited on were all factors determining whether beaded stains were generated.

Using oral microbial DNA analysis to identify expirated bloodspatter.

Distinguishing expirated bloodstains (blood forced by airflow out of the nose, mouth or a chest wound) from impact spatter (blood from gunshots, explosives, blunt force trauma and/or machinery accidents) is an important challenge in forensic science. Streptococcal bacteria are only found in the human mouth and saliva. This study developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method that detects DNA from these bacteria as a sensitive tool to detect the presence of saliva. The PCR method was very specific to human oral streptococci, with no PCR product being made from human DNA or DNA from other microbes that were tested. It was also very sensitive, detecting as little as 60 fg of target DNA. The PCR amplification gave product with 99 out of 100 saliva samples tested. PCR was not inhibited by the presence of blood and could detect target DNA in expirated bloodstains in a range of materials and for up to 92 days after deposit on cardboard or cotton fabric. In a blind trial, the PCR method was able to distinguish three mock forensic samples that contained expirated blood from four that did not. Our data show that bacteria present in the oral cavity can be detected in bloodstains that contain saliva and therefore can potentially be used as a marker in forensic work to distinguish mouth-expirated bloodstains from other types of bloodstains.