"Are You Okay?": Nursing Staff’s Experiences of Post-Violence Support in Acute Mental Health Settings: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Background: Violence in acute mental health settings has been found to be a frequent and unsolved problem. Violence has a significant impact on nursing staff’s mental wellbeing and their ability to deliver high-quality care. Little research has explored nursing staff’s experiences of post-violence support.
Aims: Three research questions were developed: How do acute mental health nursing staff experience workplace support following a violent incident?; What are the features of good support for nursing staff in response to violence in an acute mental health setting?; and How can Psychologists best support nursing staff following violence in an acute mental health setting?
Method: Nine interviews with nursing staff working on an acute mental health ward who had experienced supported following violence were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
Results: Participants described received two overarching types of support, generating two themes: “Immediate Practical Support” and “Ongoing Emotional Support”. The theme “The Individual Nature of Support” discussed how staff experience support differently. The theme “The Realities of the Job” described the challenging environment in which staff receive support.
Discussion: Nursing staff are supported practically and emotionally post-violence. Support is impacted by staff’s individual characteristics and the challenging work environment. Psychologists can offer post-violence support by being present on the ward, delivering reflective spaces and carefully considered debriefs, offer training on the importance of individualised support and leading on quality improvement work increasing patient safety culture. Further research should be conducted in a larger number of acute mental health settings and with male nursing staff.

Date of Award	28 Aug 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Plymouth
Supervisor	Pete Keohane (Director of Studies (First Supervisor)) & Lindsay Aikman (Director of Studies (First Supervisor))