A qualitative thematic analysis of mentorship for new psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners.

BACKGROUND: A volume of literature reflects that mentorship is key in producing quality nurse practitioners. Mentoring leads to increased confidence, role clarity, and other benefits improving practice. However, there is little to no research focusing specifically on the impact of mentoring in psychiatric nurse mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). PURPOSE: To explore process of acquiring mentorship and mentoring experiences of newly graduated PMHNPs, all of whom obtained their respective degrees partially or completely online. The study also seeks to describe perceptions of mentoring in PMHNP leaders. METHODS: Nine new graduate PMHNPs and 10 PMHNP leaders were recruited from membership rosters of professional organizations in the Southwestern United States. Informants participated in semi-structured interviews with questions sourced from an interview guide. Interviews were conducted via videoconference or telephone from informants' homes. Data were coded via an in vivo approach and analyzed by thematic methods. RESULTS: New graduates reported that mentoring was dependent on four themes: connectivity, educational stewardship, practice confidence, and luck. Mentor access via work, institutions, or schools was inconsistent. Leaders were concerned about limited educational and professional investment in mentorship because this process is an important component of professional development. CONCLUSION: Mentorship for new graduates is based on a variety of factors, some of which are out of their control. Lack of mentoring may affect practice, which affects patient care. Dialogue between educators, professionals, and organizations may improve mentoring stewardship. IMPLICATIONS: Enhanced communication between educational institutions and professional organizations to create a more fluid process from graduate to mentorship is needed.

Wellness Interventions in Psychiatrically Ill Patients: Impact of WILD 5 Wellness, a Five-Domain Mental Health Wellness Intervention on Depression, Anxiety, and Wellness.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of individual wellness interventions are well studied in relation to their respective impacts on psychiatric and mental wellness. To date, there is limited research on programs that incorporate multiple wellness domains and measure psychiatric and wellness markers. AIM: To assess the psychiatric and wellness impact of a nonpharmacologic wellness intervention on subjects receiving psychiatric treatment. METHOD: Forty-one adults with a psychiatric disorder completed the first 30 days of WILD 5 Wellness (Wellness Interventions for Life's Demands), a 90-day self-management mental wellness program that incorporated exercise, mindfulness, sleep, social connectedness, and nutrition. Subjects recorded participation in both workbooks and online surveys. Participants were recruited nationally via online and outpatient clinic advertisements. Wellness and mental health were measured on Days 1 and 30 of the intervention via five instruments: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for mood, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale for anxiety, the Sleep Condition Indicator for sleep quality, the Sheehan Disability Scale for functionality in psychiatric patients, and the HERO Wellness Scale, which measures happiness, enthusiasm, resilience, optimism, and overall mental wellness. RESULTS: Subjects reported statistically significant improvements across all measures on Day 30. CONCLUSION: The research suggests that this multidomain wellness program may be a valuable adjunct to traditional psychiatric treatment and an accessible tool for all health care providers.