To the mum who needs to hear this right now and the professional ready to listen – there is always hope

As part of our series of blogs throughout May 2021 for maternal mental health awareness month, Leanne Howlett describes her experiences of perinatal mental health.   Before I had children I had a really naive understanding of mental illness and believed I was immune to it. Five years on I have learnt the hard way the […]

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The Promotion of perinatal mental health by nurses in non-maternity settings

By Dr Catriona Jones. RM, PGCE, FHEA @CatrionaJones6  @EBNursingBMJ It is maternal mental health awareness week, a week dedicated to talking about mental illness during pregnancy and after childbirth. Any health care practitioner (HCP) can meet a woman in need of support and treatment for perinatal mental illness (PMI). It is important to take this […]

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Is a Crisis in Mental Health the Next Pandemic?

By Roberta Heale Deputy Editor for Social Media EBN and Alicia Grooms, M.A., Volunteer Stacey E. Roles & Associates Psychotherapy Services As we enter World Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s almost surreal to look back on the year to date. Spring brought unexpected and momentous changes along with the most significant–the COVID 19 restrictions. Instead of […]

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It’s time to speak up: sexual safety on inpatient mental health units

By Haley Jackson, Research and Clinical Effectiveness Nurse, Humber Teaching Foundation NHS Trust, Email: haley.jackson@nhs.net, Twitter: @haleyj102 In my recent evidence and practice article1 I explored current practices around sexual safety in mental health inpatient services and discussed a need for change. People admitted to or working in hospital or care settings should be provided […]

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From Student to Newly Qualified Nurse (NQN) during Covid-19: A transition unlike any other

by Dr Jane Wray, Associate Editor Evidence-Based Nursing As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued we have become increasingly concerned about the impact on students and colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing. Research carried out without of the UK indicates that those caring directly for COVID-19 patients are at greatest risk of increased distress – reporting more […]

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Animals and student well-being – not ‘just a pet’

Julie MacDonald, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull University students are a particular area of focus in relation to promoting mental health and wellbeing. Recent statistics revealed that in 2015/16, over 15,000 students in their first year of study in UK universities reported that they had a mental health problem, compared to approximately 3,000 […]

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Lara’s nursing journey and the impact of a mental health problem

Lara McDonald, 2nd Year Student Mental Health Nurse (@lara__mcdonald) Being a student nurse in itself is a huge undertaking; juggling university and placement alongside daily life complications such as money issues and childcare, is not an easy feat. Everyone brings their own experiences with them into this profession, and I, alongside many others, bring an […]

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Facing the first day: placements, anxiety, and me….

Laura Greaves, 2nd Year Adult Nursing student (@laurastunurse)   For some of my fellow nursing students, the start of a new placement is a time of excitement. For me, it’s a time full of dread. I worry about having to meet new people in an unfamiliar area; I worry about what the journey will be […]

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University Mental Health Day 2020

David Barrett, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull Being a University student is an exciting and life-changing experience. However, some of the academic, financial and personal challenges faced by students can have a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing (APPG, 2015). For healthcare students, the additional challenges posed – including the need […]

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Mental Health Spotlight for EBN in 2020

During 2020, Evidence Based Nursing (EBN) will be focusing on mental health. Throughout the year we will be highlighting key issues relating to mental health and identifying relevant EBN content and other useful resources. Watch out for a year-long series of tweets (@EBNursingBMJ) and Facebook posts (BMJ for Nursing). A summary of the mental health […]

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