Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Self-Care in Daily Practice: A Qualitative Study.

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Title: Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Self-Care in Daily Practice: A Qualitative Study.
Authors: Beyene, Lise Sæstad1 (AUTHOR) lise.s.beyene@uis.no, Hammershaug, Christine2 (AUTHOR), Mæland, Linda Horne1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Inquiry (00469580). 10/7/2025, Vol. 62, p1-9. 9p.
Subject Terms: *Qualitative research, *Work-life balance, *Emotions, *Job satisfaction, *Research methodology, *Research, *Comparative studies, *Health facilities, *Experiential learning, Health self-care, Work, Nurse-patient relationships, Medical quality control, Stress management, Self-management (Psychology), Statistical sampling, Interviewing, Questionnaires, Descriptive statistics, Nursing, Psychological well-being, Psychiatric nurses, Thematic analysis, Nursing practice, Nurses' attitudes, Metropolitan areas, Job stress, Psychiatric nursing, Phenomenology, Psychiatric hospitals, Activities of daily living
Geographic Terms: Norway
Abstract: In mental health nursing, nurses utilise their own personality and skills to create and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients. In such relationships, they come close to patients, show empathy, and hold patients' emotional distress. Nursing in mental healthcare involves many emotionally challenging situations and is strenuous work. These demands can lead to high stress levels and feelings of inadequacy, which may negatively impact nurses' quality of life and job satisfaction. Self-care is essential for mental health nurses to manage stress and maintain their well-being. Despite its importance, there is only limited research on nurses' self-care. This study aims to explore mental health nurses' experiences with self-care in their daily work. A descriptive phenomenological design was employed, and thematic analysis was conducted on data gathered from 1 focus group interview involving 4 mental health nurses working in acute mental health wards at 4 hospitals in central Eastern Norway. The theme maturing into self-care is a process, was based on 2 sub-themes: becoming aware of self and learning to set boundaries for self. The theme dealing with self-care is challenging, was based on 3 sub-themes: distinguishing between work and leisure, balancing between own needs and those of others, and venting emotional pressure. Mental health nursing is emotionally demanding, affecting mental health nurses' quality of care and their own well-being. To sustain their ability to support others, formal structures must be in place to ease emotional burdens over time, creating a work environment where self-care is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Inquiry (00469580) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Self-Care in Daily Practice: A Qualitative Study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Inquiry+%2800469580%29%22">Inquiry (00469580)</searchLink>. 10/7/2025, Vol. 62, p1-9. 9p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Norway%22">Norway</searchLink>
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  Data: In mental health nursing, nurses utilise their own personality and skills to create and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients. In such relationships, they come close to patients, show empathy, and hold patients' emotional distress. Nursing in mental healthcare involves many emotionally challenging situations and is strenuous work. These demands can lead to high stress levels and feelings of inadequacy, which may negatively impact nurses' quality of life and job satisfaction. Self-care is essential for mental health nurses to manage stress and maintain their well-being. Despite its importance, there is only limited research on nurses' self-care. This study aims to explore mental health nurses' experiences with self-care in their daily work. A descriptive phenomenological design was employed, and thematic analysis was conducted on data gathered from 1 focus group interview involving 4 mental health nurses working in acute mental health wards at 4 hospitals in central Eastern Norway. The theme maturing into self-care is a process, was based on 2 sub-themes: becoming aware of self and learning to set boundaries for self. The theme dealing with self-care is challenging, was based on 3 sub-themes: distinguishing between work and leisure, balancing between own needs and those of others, and venting emotional pressure. Mental health nursing is emotionally demanding, affecting mental health nurses' quality of care and their own well-being. To sustain their ability to support others, formal structures must be in place to ease emotional burdens over time, creating a work environment where self-care is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Inquiry (00469580) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/00469580251375909
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
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        PageCount: 9
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work-life balance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job satisfaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health facilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Experiential learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health self-care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nurse-patient relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical quality control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-management (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nursing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychiatric nurses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nursing practice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nurses' attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Metropolitan areas
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job stress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychiatric nursing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phenomenology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychiatric hospitals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Activities of daily living
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Norway
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Self-Care in Daily Practice: A Qualitative Study.
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            NameFull: Hammershaug, Christine
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            – D: 07
              M: 10
              Text: 10/7/2025
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              Y: 2025
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