Implementing Clinical Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychosis: The Frontline Leaders' Point of View. A Qualitative Study.

Background: Despite the large amount of leadership and implementation theories and recommendations, healthcare services continue to struggle with efficiently incorporating new knowledge. The questioning of conventional leadership approaches in healthcare organizations prompted us to investigate how frontline leaders comprehend their own implementation intentions and actions, and how these intentions and actions may impact the implementation of clinical guidelines in mental healthcare in Norway. Methods: Employing a theory-driven qualitative design, we conducted nine semi-structured interviews with frontline leaders who had recently led implementation of clinical guidelines for the treatment of psychosis in mental health. We employed Systematic Text Condensation, informed by Normalization Process Theory, to structure and analyze the data and used fidelity scales to measure the degree of implementation and distinguish between leaders' levels of success in implementation. Results: Frontline leaders in units that achieved high success in implementation described their intentions and actions differently, from those with less success. The former group's actions aligned more closely with the constructs of the Normalization Process Theory compared to the latter group when describing their actions. Frontline leaders leading units with a high degree of implementation success describe relation-orientation, trust, and providing adaptive space for staff members to take initiative. In contrast, those leading units with less implementation success describe more control and guidance of co-operators and place more emphasize on information and knowledge. Conclusion: Differences in how frontline leaders describe their actions and intentions to achieve clinical guideline implementation suggest that the leadership approach of these frontline leaders is an important factor to consider when planning and conducting implementation. To better understand the implementation process, it is important to pay attention to how frontline leaders customize their leadership approaches to the dynamics of complex organizations, and how they interact with their team and superiors.

Shared understanding of resilient practices in the context of inpatient suicide prevention: a narrative synthesis.

BACKGROUND: The prevailing patient safety strategies in suicide prevention are suicide risk assessments and retrospective reviews, with emphasis on minimising risk and preventing adverse events. Resilient healthcare focuses on how everyday clinical practice succeeds and emphasises learning from practice, not from adverse events. Yet, little is known about resilient practices for suicidal inpatients. The aim of the study is to draw upon the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals to inform the conceptual development of resilient practices in inpatient suicide prevention. METHODS: A narrative synthesis was conducted of findings across patients and healthcare professionals derived from a qualitative case study based on interviews with patients and healthcare professionals in addition to a systematic literature review. RESULTS: Three sub-themes categorise resilient practices for healthcare professionals and for patients hospitalised with suicidal behaviour: 1) interactions capturing non-verbal cues; 2) protection through dignity and watchfulness; and 3) personalised approaches to alleviate emotional pressure. The main theme, the establishment of relationships of trust in resilient practices for patients in suicidal crisis, is the foundation of their communication and caring. CONCLUSION: Clinical practice for patients hospitalised with suicidal behaviour has characteristics of complex adaptive systems in terms of dynamic interactions, decision-making under uncertainty, tensions between goals solved through trade-offs, and adaptations to patient variability and interpersonal needs. To improve the safety of patients hospitalised with suicidal behaviour, variability in clinical practice should be embraced. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012874.

Therapeutic writing in a programme for binge eating disorder-A tool to come closer to clarifying feelings.

INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic writing involving affect consciousness (AC) can be used to put difficult topics into words. In this study, we investigated how patients with binge eating disorder (BED) experienced therapeutic writing and AC in the context of cognitive behavioural therapy. The elements were included in an existing cognitive behavioural therapy group programme and the participants' experiences investigated qualitatively. AIM: To investigate therapeutic writing as experienced by patients in the context of a BED group programme focusing on AC. METHOD: A phenomenological, hermeneutic design with semi-structured interviews was employed. Eight participants were recruited after completing the BED programme at a Community Mental Health Centre on the West Coast of Norway. FINDINGS: Four sub-themes emerged: Struggling to achieve a flow in the writing process, Deeper understanding of eating patterns through writing, Moving specific feelings towards the surface by writing and Greater insight into oneself as a human being by shared writing. Based on the sub-themes, one main theme was developed: Therapeutic writing in a binge eating disorder programme means focusing on oneself as a human being by becoming closer to one's feelings. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic writing offered in treatment for BED involves individual movements at different levels, including processes of awareness of feelings, cognitions and oneself as a human being.

Frontline leadership for implementing clinical guidelines in Norwegian mental health services: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore and interpret how frontline leaders define, experience and rationalise their approaches to the successful implementation of clinical guidelines in mental health care. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Employing an interpretative phenomenological design, the authors conducted and analysed individual interviews of frontline leaders at 14 psychiatric clinics involved in a national study of implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines in mental health. FINDINGS: The authors found a broad spectrum of attitudes and attributes, as well as a wide repertoire of strategies for frontline implementation leadership. Three main approaches were revealed, comprising "Curious and welcoming", "Integrity and setting standards" and "Caring and collegial". RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The study present what experienced frontline leaders emphasise to enable implementation of guidelines, not empirical pieces of evidences for what they in fact do or if these actions lead to implementation. The generalisability to other settings is unknown. Another sample profile, context or organisational level may have impacted the result. The concreteness of the frontline leaders' considerations, approaches and actions gives important knowledge about frontline leaders leadership across traditional leadership theories. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Existing leadership theories describe different leadership styles, while this study reveals the need for a wide range of approaches to balance the many needs and demands. The complexity of leadership approaches this study found is in line with implementation theories; thus, the present study incorporates implementation science into the leadership literature.

Patients' Experience of Attending a Binge Eating Group Program - Qualitative Evaluation of a Pilot Study.

We developed a group program for patients with binge eating disorders (BED), comprising cognitive therapy, affect consciousness, and therapeutic writing. We wished to investigate how therapeutic writing and affect consciousness were experienced by the patients when integrated in a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program. To our knowledge, such an intervention has not been tried in patients with BED. AIM: To explore patients' experience of attending a binge eating group program comprising therapeutic writing, affect consciousness, and CBT. RESEARCH QUESTION: How do patients evaluate their experience of attending an integrative binge eating group program? METHOD: A qualitative design using an evaluative focus group interview with participants (four women and two men) who had completed the pilot program. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: Enhanced self-awareness about the meaning of feelings; A more generous attitude towards oneself; and On the path to a better grip on the eating difficulties. DISCUSSION: We interpreted the three themes in light of transition processes. The program was described as an essential part of the healing process and seems valuable for enabling new approaches leading to therapeutic changes when suffering from BED.

Homeworld/Alienworld: a qualitative study about existential experiences after cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: As a group, cancer survivors experience significant vulnerability and existential challenges. The biomedical approach dominating health care is insufficient to meet such existential challenges in an individualistic, holistic way. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the existential experiences of those treated for different cancers. METHODS: An exploratory phenomenological-hermeneutical design was used to obtain an understanding of existential experiences after cancer treatment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 21 individuals who represented a purposive sample and were recruited from a cancer organisation. RESULTS: Three overriding themes emerged from the phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis are as follows: Experiencing an unfamiliar tiredness; Experiencing not being fully oneself; and Experiencing a feeling of being alone. CONCLUSIONS: Existential suffering after cancer treatment involves living on the edge of the old homeworld and the experience of a new alienworld. Individuals undergoing such suffering need a transformational process, from the alienworld to the homeworld, which must be supported by the healthcare system. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: To facilitate the transformational process, healthcare professionals should communicate with patients throughout their cancer journey about how their existential experiences have been integrated into their lifeworld, allowing them to tell their own story from the perspective of lifeworld brokenness.

Safe clinical practice for patients hospitalised in mental health wards during a suicidal crisis: qualitative study of patient experiences.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore suicidal patients' experiences of safe clinical practice during hospitalisation in mental health wards. The study was guided by the following research question: How do suicidal patients experience safe clinical practice during hospitalisation in mental health wards? DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A qualitative design with semistructured individual interviews was applied. Eighteen patients hospitalised with suicidal behaviour in specialised mental health wards for adults at a Norwegian hospital participated in the study. Data were analysed thematically and inductively using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Patients in a suicidal crisis experienced safe clinical care in mental health wards characterised by the following three themes: (1) being recognised as suicidal, (2) receiving tailor-made treatment and (3) being protected by adaptive practice. CONCLUSION: This study illuminates the experiences of safe clinical practice for patients in a suicidal crisis. The patient group was multifaceted, with variable experiences of how safe clinical practice affected their subjective experience of safety and suicidal behaviour. The finding highlights the importance of embracing personalised activities in all parts of safe clinical practice and to recognise rather than efface patients' variability in patient safety efforts.

Life after cancer treatment - existential experiences of longing.

Purpose: The study aimed to gain insight into existential longing as experienced by people treated for cancer. Method: An exploratory phenomenological-hermeneutical design was used, and data were collected through in-depth interviews with 21 people recruited from a cancer organization. Results: Three themes emerged: longing to be oneself, longing for relief from suffering, and longing for rootedness. The theoretical understanding of well-being developed by Todres and Galvin was used to illuminate how the life-fulfilling power of longing is inherent in dwelling-mobility. Conclusions: During the theoretical interpretation and discussion of these findings, a new analytic step revealed a state of uncertainty that can influence longing. The findings of this study may help fill the gap in the current health-care approach to cancer survivors by highlighting the importance of a new professional perspective of listening to patients describe their existential burden. Such an approach may create greater clarity and thereby allow longing to flow more freely towards future possibilities and well-being.

Qualitative evaluation in nursing interventions-A review of the literature.

Aim: To identify and synthesize qualitative evaluation methods used in nursing interventions. Design: A systematic qualitative review with a content analysis. Four databases were used: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and CINAHL using pre-defined terms. The included papers were published from 2014-2018. Methods: We followed the guidelines of Dixon-Woods et al., Sandelowski and Barroso, the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative checklist and The Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research Approach. Results: Of 103 papers, 15 were eligible for inclusion. The main theme Challenging complexity by evaluating qualitatively described processes and characteristics of qualitative evaluation. Two analytic themes emerged: Evaluating the implementation process and Evaluating improvements brought about by the programme. Conclusion: Different qualitative evaluation methods in nursing are a way of documenting knowledge that is difficult to illuminate in natural settings and make an important contribution when determining the pros and cons of an intervention.

Adaptive capacities for safe clinical practice for patients hospitalised during a suicidal crisis: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Safe clinical practice for patients hospitalised in mental health care during a suicidal crisis is situated within a dynamic, non-linear and uncertain context. Under such complex conditions, the adaptive capacity is considered vital to handling challenges and changes in clinical care. This study aimed to explore safe clinical practice for suicidal patients hospitalised in mental health wards through understanding healthcare professionals' (HCPs') capacities to adapt to challenges and changes in clinical care. METHODS: This study applied a qualitative design with focus group and individual interviews. Twenty-five HCPs participated in the focus groups, and 18 participated in individual interviews. The study was conducted in open and locked wards in a university hospital in Norway providing specialised mental health services for patients with mental illness. RESULTS: HCPs described their adaptive capacities for clinical practice relative to three themes. 1) HCPs used expertise to make sense of suicidal behaviour to support complex decision making. Their strategies included setting aside forms and checklists to prioritise trust and making judgements based on more than just patients' spoken words. They improved their understanding by seeking others' perspectives through collaborative sense-making processes involving the healthcare team and patient. 2) HCPs individualised the therapeutic milieu to address the diversity of patients with suicidal behaviour by creating individual clinical pathways, making trade-offs between under- and over-protection and adjusting observations. 3) HCPs described managing uncertainty as necessary for providing safe clinical practice. They managed uncertainty as a team by developing mutual collegial trust and support and creating a shared understanding. CONCLUSION: HCPs' adaptive capacities are vital to the complex set of practices involved in safe clinical practice for patients hospitalised during a suicidal crisis. By using expertise, individualising the therapeutic milieu, and managing uncertainty, HCPs individually and collectively develop their capacities to adapt to challenges and changes in clinical care. HCPs cannot easily ensure safe clinical practice by following standards; safe clinical practice depends on HCPs' adaptations. Ward systems that ensure collegial trust and support, as well as arenas that foster shared understanding and situational awareness, are needed.

Patients' Experiences of Participating Actively in Shared Decision-Making in Mental Care.

BACKGROUND: Patients in mental care express a wish for more active participation. Shared decision-making is a way of increasing patient participation. There is lack of research into what the shared decision-making process means and how the patients can participate in and experience it in the context of mental care. OBJECTIVE: To describe patient participation in shared decision-making in the context of indoor mental care. METHOD: A qualitative content analysis of data from in-depth interviews with 16 patients was performed. RESULTS: One main theme was revealed: thriving in relation to participating actively in a complementary ensemble of care, which represented the red thread between 2 themes: having mental space to discover my way forward and being in a position to express my case. CONCLUSION: Patients can participate actively in shared decision-making when the patients' and the mental health-care professionals' joint expertise is applied throughout their mental care. The patients experience thriving when participating actively in a complementary ensemble of care.

Living with obesity - existential experiences.

Aims and objectives: The aim was to gain in-depth understanding about individuals' existential experiences of living with obesity. Background: People living with obesity face great vulnerability and existential challenges. The different treatments offered do not seem to meet the individual needs of persons with obesity. A deeper understanding of existential experiences from an individual perspective is needed to individualize treatment. Design: An exploratory phenomenological-hermeneutical design was used to gain a greater understanding of the existential experiences involved in living with obesity. Methods: The participants represented a convenient sample. 18 qualitative interviews were conducted and subjected to phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis. Results: Four themes emerged: shaped by childhood; captured by food; depressed by the culture; and judged by oneself. Conclusions: The burden of being obese can be experienced as being objectified and alienated as a human being. We need to turn towards a life-world perspective, seeing each human being as a living body to overcome objectification and alienation, and then move them towards becoming subjects in their own lives, through giving space for self-love. Health care workers need to assist persons living with obesity to reduce objectification and alienation. It is important to develop intervention that has an individual, holistic approach.

Being in a space of sharing decision-making for dignified mental care.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Several studies describe barriers and facilitators for implementing shared decision-making in mental care, yet a deeper understanding of the meaning of shared decision-making in this context is lacking. Shared decision-making is aimed at facilitating patients' active participation in their care. Mental care is intended to empower the patients by increasing their responsibility and self-awareness and helping them to use their own resources. Too much focus on the patients' independence, responsibility and choice may hinder the patients getting the help they need. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The meaning of SDM can be understood as a continuous relational process between the patients and MHCPs in search of dignified care. Practising shared decision-making is a challenging process which requires the MHCPs to possess high professional competence. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental healthcare professionals should be conscious of their own role in the asymmetrical power relationship in decision-making and use their professional competence for their patients' benefit. Clinical supervision can be a tool for developing professional competence and is considered important when assisting mental healthcare professionals practising shared decision-making for dignified care. Abstract Introduction Several studies describe barriers and facilitators for implementing shared decision-making in mental care. However, a deeper understanding of the meaning of shared decision-making in this context is lacking. Shared decision-making is aimed at facilitating patients' active participation in their care by placing them at the centre of care. Too much focus on the patients' autonomy may hinder them getting the help they need. A comprehensive understanding of shared decision-making is needed for its implementation. Aim/research question To interpret the meaning of shared decision-making in mental care as perceived by patients and mental healthcare professionals. The research question was: What is the meaning of shared decision-making in mental care? Method A hermeneutic inductive design with a thematic interpretative analysis of data was performed from in-depth interviews with 16 patients and multistage focus group interviews with eight mental healthcare professionals. Results The overall theme being in a space of sharing decision-making for dignified mental care was described by the three themes engaging in a mental room of values and knowledge, relating in a process of awareness and comprehension and responding anchored in acknowledgement. Discussion Balancing the patients' need for assistance with autonomy, while safeguarding their dignity, is a challenging process requiring mental healthcare professionals to possess professional competence. Implications for practice Organized professional development of the carers' professional competence is important to facilitate shared decision-making.

Shared Decision-Making-Balancing Between Power and Responsibility as Mental Health-Care Professionals in a Therapeutic Milieu.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision-making (SDM) is supposed to position patient and expert knowledge more equal, in which will have an impact on how mental health-care professionals relate to their patients. As SDM has not yet been widely adopted in therapeutic milieus, a deeper understanding of its use and more knowledge of interventions to foster its implementation in clinical practice are required. AIM: To explore how mental health-care professionals describe SDM in a therapeutic milieu as expressed through clinical supervision. The research question was "What are prerequisites for mental health-care professionals to practice SDM in a therapeutic milieu?" METHODS: A qualitative content analysis of data from focus groups dialogues in 10 clinical supervision sessions where eight mental health-care professionals participated was performed. FINDINGS: The theme, practicing SDM when balancing between power and responsibility to form safe care, was based on three categories: internalizing the mental health-care professionals' attributes, facilitating patient participation, and creating a culture of trust. CONCLUSION: SDM is a complex and arduous process requiring appropriate interventions. Clinical supervision is necessary for reflection on SDM and for improving practice in a therapeutic milieu.

Safe clinical practice for patients hospitalised in a suicidal crisis: a study protocol for a qualitative case study.

INTRODUCTION: Suicide prevention in psychiatric care is arguably complex and incompletely understood as a patient safety issue. A resilient healthcare approach provides perspectives through which to understand this complexity by understanding everyday clinical practice. By including suicidal patients and healthcare professionals as sources of knowledge, a deeper understanding of what constitutes safe clinical practice can be achieved. METHODS: This planned study aims to adopt the perspective of resilient healthcare to provide a deeper understanding of safe clinical practice for suicidal patients in psychiatric inpatient care. It will describe the experienced components and conditions of safe clinical practice and the experienced practice of patient safety. The study will apply a descriptive case study approach consisting of qualitative semistructured interviews and focus groups. The data sources are hospitalised patients in a suicidal crisis and healthcare professionals in clinical practice. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee (2016/34). The results will be disseminated through scientific articles, a PhD dissertation, and national and international conferences. These findings can generate knowledge to be integrated into the practice of safety for suicidal inpatients in Norway and to improve the feasibility of patient safety measures. Theoretical generalisations can be drawn regarding safe clinical practice by taking into account the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. Thus, this study can inform the conceptual development of safe clinical practice for suicidal patients.

Suicidal patients' experiences regarding their safety during psychiatric in-patient care: a systematic review of qualitative studies.

BACKGROUND: In-patient suicide prevention is a high priority in many countries, but its practice remains poorly understood. Patients in a suicidal crisis who receive psychiatric care can provide valuable insight into understanding and improving patient safety. The aim of this paper was therefore to summarize the qualitative literature regarding suicidal patients' in-patient care experiences. The following question guided the review: How can we describe suicidal patients' experiences regarding safety during psychiatric in-patient care? METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, SOCINDEX and PsycINFO databases, identifying 20 qualitative studies on suicidal patients and their psychiatric in-patient care experiences. These studies were systematically reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, synthesized via thematic analysis and subjected to quality appraisals. RESULTS: Patients described safety as "feeling safe", and three components, i.e., connection, protection and control, were vital to their experiences of safety. Fulfilling these needs was essential to patients recovering from suicidal crises, feeling safe during encounters with health care professionals and feeling safe from suicidal impulses. Unmet needs for connection, protection and control left patients feeling unsafe and increased their suicidal behaviour. CONCLUSION: Our review addresses the importance of adopting a wider perspective of patient safety than considering safety solely in technical and physical terms. Safety for the suicidal patient is highly dependent on patients' perceptions of their psychological safety and the fulfilment of their needs. The three patient-identified factors mentioned above - connection, protection and control - should be considered an integral part of patient safety practices and should form the basis of future efforts to understand the safety of suicidal patients during psychiatric in-patient care.

Patients' daily life experiences five years after gastric bypass surgery--a qualitative study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore and describe patients' daily life experiences five years after gastric bypass surgery. BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery markedly decreases body weight. Previous studies describe positive consequences, as well as physical, social and emotional challenges during the first few years after surgery. An understanding of how patients adjust to and cope with postsurgical changes in the long term is crucial to help them obtain a successful outcome after bariatric surgery. METHOD: A qualitative method was employed. In-depth interviews with 10 men and women were conducted five years after bariatric surgery in a Norwegian hospital. RESULTS: One overarching theme--a multitude of daily life changes following bariatric surgery--was developed based on three main themes: relational aspects related to weight loss, the new body and changes in self-esteem. Six sub-themes are described. CONCLUSION: Those who undergo gastric bypass surgery experience enormous changes in their daily lives. Their social lives, their relationship to their body and their self-esteem may be altered by the weight loss. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of this study suggest directions for patient education, health staff education and peer education. A patient education programme focusing on changes in daily life experiences when undergoing gastric bypass surgery is suggested due to the changes experienced by the patients involved in this study.

Leadership qualities when providing therapy for women who suffer from eating difficulties.

AIM: The aim of this study was to reflect on aspects of mental health nursing leadership qualities with special focus on the therapeutic process for women who suffer from eating difficulties (ED). BACKGROUND: Therapy for patients with ED involves motivating them to make meaningful changes. Leadership qualities in MHN should focus on the relationship with the patient and positive empowerment processes. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with six women suffering from ED who had participated in art therapy. The interviews were analysed by means of an interpretative hermeneutic approach. RESULTS: A main theme 'The mental health nurse as a formative and mindful leader in a group therapeutic relationship' and two themes 'Leading sensitively towards awakening the patients' awareness of their pre-understanding' and 'Leading dialectically towards solving patients' existential dilemmas' were developed and comprised two aspects of leadership. CONCLUSION: The nurse-patient relationship is influenced by the patients' pre-understanding and existential dilemmas. Leadership qualities associated with being formative and mindful represent important aspects of this relationship and should be investigated and thematically described in greater detail in future research. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The nurse-patient relationship should focus on clinical supervision, in order to strengthen the nurses' leadership qualities in terms of being aware and dialectical.

Patient experiences of uncertainty - a synthesis to guide nursing practice and research.

AIM: The aim of this study was to provide a synthesis of patients' experiences of uncertainty in illness and the interventions outlined, based on qualitative research. BACKGROUND: There is a need to explore various patient experiences from a nursing perspective in order to achieve evidence-based practice and improve the quality of care. Uncertainty in illness is a dynamic experience - a stressor with a major impact on patients' illnesses. METHODS: A literature search performed on PubMed and Cinahl yielded 15 qualitative studies that met the inclusion criteria and which were analysed and interpreted. RESULTS: Experienced uncertainty was one of two main areas comprising three themes: explaining, feeling and facing uncertainty. The second main area was suggested intervention strategies consisting of three themes: organizing the patient trajectory throughout the health-care system, supporting patients through relationships and providing knowledge through clear and accurate communication. CONCLUSION: Providing insight, confidence and supporting the patients' feeling of control are of importance for health-care professionals. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Structured organization of the trajectory system should be followed up, while outcome measures (patient satisfaction), education and training programmes for patients and families after discharge to improve coping strategies and reduce uncertainty should be developed. Nurse leaders should work towards the establishment of clinical academic nursing positions to integrate knowledge, skills, experiences and research into everyday routines.

The meaning of guilt and shame: a qualitative study of mothers who suffer from eating difficulties.

The aim of this study was to illuminate and interpret guilt and shame expressed by mothers with eating difficulties (ED). The research question was: What is the meaning of guilt and shame experienced by mothers with ED? Experiences of guilt and shame in mothers with ED may be strong, yet concealed, and should be addressed when promoting women's mental health. The study design was explorative, and in-depth interviews were conducted with eight mothers suffering from ED. The data were analysed by means of qualitative content analysis and interpreted according to a hermeneutic approach. The main theme 'Struggling in silence with guilt and shame as a mother living with ED and trying to keep it secret' was interpreted on two levels: emotional, 'Feeling worried about failure and wanting to be successful', and cognitive, 'Having condemning thoughts about one's own sense of responsibility'. In addition, each theme contained two subthemes. Feelings and awareness of guilt and shame are strong; they vary between individuals and are intensified in mothers who suffer from ED. It is important for mental health nurses to help mothers with ED articulate such feelings in order to promote health.