Understanding Nonsuicidal Self-Injury.

ABSTRACT: Nonsuicidal self-injury has existed since biblical times. It is increasing and gaining acceptance particularly among adolescents. Spiritual discontent or doubt is often a component. Therapeutic interventions include cognitive and behavior practices and developing strong, sustained relationships with patients to encourage healthy transformation.

Nursing Living-Learning Communities and Student Retention: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Living-learning communities have been known to promote student performance and a sense of collegiality. Most studies on this topic have utilized quantitative methods. AIM: This qualitative comparison case study examined personal experiences associated with residing in a living-learning community. The study was conducted to explore findings associated with promoting student retention. A secondary goal was to explore student experiences with mentoring. METHOD: Data were collected using taped recordings of live interviews at two universities that have nursing-themed housing. The targeted sample size was 14. RESULTS: Themes that emerged from the data were mutual support, importance of the resident assistant, and self-determination. CONCLUSION: Nursing students enjoy themed housing and especially desire the resident assistant to be a nursing student.

Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Perceptions Regarding Autopsy Experiences.

PURPOSE: Since 2012, a medical-surgical nursing course at a midsized state university has provided the opportunity for students to view autopsies with a board-certified forensic pathologist. The autopsies are performed at a midsized hospital relatively close to the campus. The purpose of this study was to discover nursing students' perceptions that emerged during the autopsy experience. METHODS: A convenience sample of 23 baccalaureate nursing students took part in the autopsy experience over a 4-month period. Archival data from an online, anonymous questionnaire, completed after the experience, were reviewed and subjected to qualitative analysis. This study was approved by the university's institutional review board. RESULTS: Rich data emerged regarding the students' experiences, including emotional, psychological, and knowledge-based perceptions. CONCLUSION: Autopsies are important learning tools for nursing students, especially those who go into advanced practice nursing and forensic nursing. Anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology are essential for students to understand as they learn about medical-surgical nursing concepts. Unique emotional characteristics of the students and cause of death of the deceased influenced how some students viewed the autopsy experience. Students reported that processing and debriefing activities were important after viewing autopsies and should be encouraged.

Multigenerational Challenges: Team-Building for Positive Clinical Workforce Outcomes

Patient acuity in hospital settings continues to increase, and there is greater emphasis on patient outcomes. The current nursing workforce is comprised of four distinct generational cohorts that include veterans, baby boomers, millennials, and generation Xers. Each group has unique characteristics that add complexity to the workforce and this can add challenges to providing optimal patient care. Team building is one strategy to increase mutual understanding, communication, and respect, and thus potentially improve patient outcomes. In this article, we first briefly define generational cohorts by characteristics, and discuss differing expectations for work/life balance and potential negative outcomes. Our discussion offers team building strategies for positive outcomes, a case scenario, and concludes with resources for team building and organizational opportunities.

Mental health system development in Asia: Does Australia have a role?

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic trends herald what many describe as the Asian Century, whereby Asian economic, political and cultural influence is in global ascendency. Broadening relevant ties between Australia and Asia is evident and logical and may include strengthening alliances in mental health systems. AIM: We argue the importance of strengthening Asian mental health systems and some of the roles Australian mental health workers could have in promoting strengthening the Asian mental health system. METHODS: This paper is a narrative review which sources data from reputable search databases. RESULTS: A well-articulated Australian strategy to support strengthening the mental health system in Asia is lacking. While there are active initiatives operating in this space, these remain fragmented and underdeveloped. Coordinated, collaborative and culturally respectful efforts to enhance health education, research, policy, leadership and development assistance are key opportunities. CONCLUSION: Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals have a unique opportunity to contribute to improved mental health outcomes in Asia.

A qualitative study of continuing education needs of rural nursing unit staff: the nurse administrator's perspective.

BACKGROUND: This study reports perceptions of the continuing education (CE) needs of nursing unit staff in 40 rural healthcare facilities (10 hospitals and 30 long-term care facilities) in a rural Midwestern U.S. region from the perspective of nurse administrators in an effort to promote a community-based academic-practice CE partnership. METHODS: Qualitative data collection involving naturalistic inquiry methodology was based on key informant interviews with nurse administrators (n=40) working and leading in the participating health care facilities. RESULTS: Major themes based on nurse administrators' perceptions of CE needs of nursing unit staff were in four broad conceptual areas: "Cultural issues", "clinical nursing skills", "patient care", and "patient safety". Major sub-themes for each conceptual area are highlighted and discussed with narrative content as expressed by the participants. Related cultural sub-themes expressed by the nurse administrators included "horizontal violence" (workplace-hospital and LTC nursing unit staff) and "domestic violence" (home-LTC nursing unit staff). CONCLUSIONS: The uniqueness of nurses' developmental learning needs from a situational point of view can be equally as important as knowledge-based and/or skill-based learning needs. Psychological self-reflection is discussed and recommended as a guiding concept to promote the development and delivery of relevant, empowering and evidence-based CE offerings for rural nursing unit staff.