"Ordinary days would be extraordinary": The lived experiences of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 25% of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) experience a chronic form of the disorder, referred to as severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (SE-AN). Although the classification of SE-AN remains preliminary, there have been increasing calls for a harm reduction-based, collaborative treatment model for these patients. To provide such care for patients with SE-AN, it is critical to listen to and learn from their lived experiences. METHOD: Patients (N = 17) admitted to an inpatient eating disorders program who met initial criteria for SE-AN completed semi-structured interviews about the course of their illness and prior treatment episodes. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using an inductive, reflexive approach to thematic analysis that examined common themes within and across interviews. RESULTS: Three themes were identified focused on (1) the all-encompassing nature of SE-AN, (2) treatment experiences, and (3) living with chronic illness. Within these themes, there were subthemes. Overall, individuals noted clear insight about their condition, both negative and positive experiences with previous treatment, and hope for better quality of life despite their illness. DISCUSSION: Individuals with SE-AN describe their illness as a chronic condition and hope for a harm reduction-based treatment. Future work, including the lived experiences of individuals with SE-AN, is important to build our understanding of the classification and clinical characteristics of SE-AN and to develop treatment approaches that may best serve these individuals. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Many people with anorexia nervosa do not achieve a full recovery despite repeated treatment episodes throughout their lifespan. Understanding the lived experiences of individuals with SE-AN may help to inform future treatment development efforts that could improve eating disorder and quality of life outcomes for these patients.

Challenging stereotypes: A glimpse into nursing's difficulty recruiting African Americans.

BACKGROUND: A racially diverse registered nurse workforce could improve health outcomes for minority populations, and efforts to recruit students from underrepresented groups need to be strengthened. PURPOSE: To explore the perceptions of nursing held by African American undergraduate non-nursing science majors within the context of their career ideals. METHOD: Qualitative description was the research design utilized in this study. A purposive sample of 20 African American non-nursing science majors participated in semi-structured interviews. Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña's (2014) coding processes for qualitative analysis were employed. RESULTS: Three themes were identified that described career behavior, ideals, and the participants' perceptions of nursing as a career: 1.) Career Development: Internal and External Contributions, 2.) The Ideal Career: Profession with Power, and 3.) Perception of Nursing: A Limited Profession. Findings suggest African American science majors carry a significant burden to overcome stereotypes for themselves and their communities, thus desire careers with power and autonomy. CONCLUSION: Careers in medicine were idealized whereas careers in nursing were devalued. These college students often embraced careers in medicine due to, in part, the perceived ability to overcome stereotypes and simultaneously rejected nursing careers due to desire to avoid negatively stereotyped careers.

Exploring nurses' and patients' perceptions of hope and hope-engendering nurse interventions in an eating disorder facility: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience hopelessness, suicidal thoughts and behaviours at elevated rates compared to the general population. Current knowledge of recovery from EDs does not address nurse engendered hope. This study aimed to explore differences between patients' and nurses' perceptions of hope-engendering nurse actions and the relationship actions have with patients' perception of hope. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This is the first study to explore differences between patients' and nurses' perceptions of hope-engendering nurse actions in an inpatient ED facility and find significant differences; nurses' scores were higher than patients' scores. The study explored the relationship perceived self-reported nurse hope-engendering actions have with patients' and nurses' perception of hope. There were no significant relationships. This study provides additional evidence to support that there are common patient needs for nurse hope-engendering practices such as caring and providing for patients; supporting and encouraging patients' connection to others; facilitating patients' adaptive belief systems; and helping to set goals and attain resources for patients. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE?: Nurses who work with patients who have EDs should be prepared to work with patients who are feeling hopeless about their future. Thus, nursing continuing education should focus on strategies that enable nurses to deliver care that reduces hopelessness, improves connection, and inspires hope in those who are recovering from EDs. The results revealed that nurses perceived that they offered patients with EDs hope-engendering actions more often and effectively than patients believed; this finding pinpoints a future direction for research that may improve care for patients. Patient feedback identified ways nurses may improve care to engender hope: providing an open caring environment, nurse presence, comfort/pain relief, and involving patients in their care. Actions by nurses aimed to enhance interpersonal connection and nurse presence could facilitate hope in patients with ED. ABSTRACT: Introduction Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours at elevated rates compared to the general population. Hope-engendering nursing actions may increase patients' levels of hope for the future, improve coping self-efficacy, and possibly reduce suicidality. Although nursing staff are integral ED treatment team members, little is known about nursing actions targeting hopefulness. Aim Explore differences between patients' and nurses' perceptions of hope-engendering nurse actions and the relationship actions have with patients' perception of hope. Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative, correlational research design was used. Responses for 97 ED patients and 10 nurses were entered into analysis. Hope-engendering nurse intervention and hope questionnaires were administered and analysed. Results Nurses' total hope-engendering nurse intervention and hope scores were higher than patients' scores. Discussion Patients reported that the most effective nursing actions were providing an open caring environment, comfort/pain relief, and involving patients in their care and treatment. Nurses perceived that they offered patients hope-engendering actions more often and effectively than the patients believed. Implications for Practice Findings indicate that patients with EDs have low levels of hope. Nursing educators should further develop strategies that enable nurses to deliver care that inspires hope and improves connectedness in those who have EDs.

Career Choice and Longevity in U.S. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses.

The demand for mental health services in the United States taxes the existing care continuum and is projected to increase as federal initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and mental health parity improve access to, and coverage for, mental health services. Quality health care providers, such as psychiatric-mental health nurses, are needed to bolster the mental health system. Prior research has focused on the unpopularity of psychiatric nursing as a career choice for nursing students. The purpose of this study is to understand how seasoned psychiatric nurses came to choose and remain in the specialty; descriptive phenomenology is used. In a face-to-face interview, eight registered nurses described their experiences with psychiatric nursing as a student, their entry into psychiatric nursing, and factors related to their longevity in the specialty. Giorgi's Existential Phenomenological Research Method was employed to analyze the interview data. Three themes emerged related to career choice: Interest Developed Prior to or While in Nursing School, Personal Relevance, and Validation of Potential. Three themes emerged related to retention: Overcoming Stereotypes to Develop Career Pride, Positive Team Dynamics, and Remaining Hopeful. Nurse educators play an important role in identifying talent, validating capability, enhancing interest, and increasing students' confidence to pursue a psychiatric nursing career, while nursing administrators and clinical specialists play a key role in retention. Findings also stimulate pertinent questions surrounding the long-term viability of the psychiatric-mental health nursing specialty.