Support Groups in Nursing Practice (original) (raw)
Related papers
Benefits and Challenges of Nurse Support Groups
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2014
This study explores the perceived benefits and barriers of participating in a monthly oncology nurse support group. Ten oncology nurses participated in an average of seven support group meetings over a one-year period. Interviews were conducted, transcribed, analyzed, and thematized using qualitative descriptive methods. Clear benefits for oncology nurses are indicated; participants described a reduction in end-of-life care stress, an increase in self-care, and improved patient and team care. Barriers include scheduling and compensation, as well as group leadership labors. This study provides further confirmation that oncology nurses receive multiple benefits from the support group structure. Peer support groups for oncology nurses seem a promising and economical communication intervention for mitigating burnout, professional dissatisfaction, patient care distress, and interprofessional communication deficits.
Nursing in Critical Care, 2016
Background: Family members of intensive care unit patients develop anxiety, depression and/or symptoms suggestive of risk for post-traumatic stress. Nurse-led support groups have been recommended and used in a variety of settings as a mechanism to help meet family needs and overcome challenges. These groups have been reported to increase the members' understanding of complex medical issues involved in their situations and to be helpful in identifying practical coping mechanisms. Aim: To investigate the experiences of family members participating in a nurse-social worker led support group in the intensive care unit. Method: Study design: prospective collection of family narratives during support group meetings. A qualitative analysis was done of the narratives of weekly routine nurse-social worker led support group for family members of intensive care unit patients. The meeting contents are documented and related in the nursing notes. Setting: level 1 trauma centre, at a university hospital, with 13-bed intensive care unit. During the past 3 years this family support group has been providing routine intervention with the purpose of calming the families of intensive care unit patients during crisis situations by utilizing nurse, social worker and group dynamics. Results: A qualitative analysis was performed on the content of support group dynamics. The principal themes found were Behavioural, Perceptual, Emotional and Supportive. Conclusions: The family support group provides the participants with a 'tool box' of coping mechanisms, which they can choose from in this current unfamiliar crisis event. The group provides a supportive environment, mutuality, a sense of belonging, needs of community, unconditional acceptance and information provision for the participants in the group. Relevance to clinical practice: In order to provide support for several families, nurses can use the family support group intervention as an effective technique in reaching as many families as possible. Narratives from family members during group meetings may be a good information source providing insights for nursing guidance and patient/family education.
The Process and Impact of an ICU Nurse Support Group
The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 1984
This questionnaire study of a nurse support group on a pediatric intensive care unit confirms previous subjective reports of increased morale and better communication. The authors were also able to demonstrate reduced turnover rate of ICU nurses at the same that the turnover rate for the rest of the hospital increased, and found that the group had a positive influence on nurses' lives away from the hospital. Support groups are now commonly employed to help intensive care unit (ICU) nurses improve morale and communication and thereby cope more effectively with the many stresses of their work environment [ 1-51. Those stresses include overwork and understaffing, emotional issues related to death and severe illness, interstaff and administrative tension, and responsibility for life and death decisions [ 6 ]. Unfortunately, there is little information on the conduct of the nurse support groups described in the literature and only impressionistic reports of their outcome for the nursing personnel. This paper examines the process and impact of a twenty-month-old nurse support group.
Nursing and cancer support groups
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005
Aim. The aim of this paper is to review the evidence on the effectiveness of support groups by reporting a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating support groups for patients with cancer.Background. One of the most important nursing aims is to give patients with cancer emotional support and strengthen their adaptation to the disease. According to the literature, support groups for these patients are beneficial.Methods. Original studies from 14 databases published during the past 20 years in peer review journals were selected. Twenty studies with a randomized clinical trial design constituted the final meta-analysis sample. Methodological quality of the selected articles was checked using the Jadad Scale and the Checklist of Consort Statement. Demographic data were analysed using the SPSS program, and the heterogeneity calculation and effect size were analysed using the Rev-Man 4-.1-Metaview program.Findings. The results indicate that participation in a support group is associated with significant improvements in a patient's emotional state (depression and anxiety), illness adaptation, quality of life, and marital relationships.Conclusion. Support group participation for patients with cancer has a positive impact in various areas. Nurses should promote participation as a crucial part of their care.
Stresses and coping in ICU nursing: Why support groups fail
General Hospital Psychiatry, 1983
A successful nurse support group was contrasted with two unsuccessful support groups. The authors concluded that support groups work best if they are initiated in response to a felt need by the nurses, if the nurses haveexperienced thegroup leaderas helpful in the past, if thegroup is highly structured and does not allow early discharge of intense negative feelings, and if the group's problems are primarily interpersonal and can be dealt with in the group and not primarily environmental OY administrative problems such as noise, overcrowding, or understaffing.
Perceived Benefits and Challenges of an Oncology Nurse Support Group
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2014
This study explores the perceived benefits and barriers of participating in a monthly oncology nurse support group. Ten oncology nurses participated in an average of seven support group meetings over a one-year period. Interviews were conducted, transcribed, analyzed, and thematized using qualitative descriptive methods. Clear benefits for oncology nurses are indicated; participants described a reduction in end-of-life care stress, an increase in self-care, and improved patient and team care. Barriers include scheduling and compensation, as well as group leadership labors. This study provides further confirmation that oncology nurses receive multiple benefits from the support group structure. Peer support groups for oncology nurses seem a promising and economical communication intervention for mitigating burnout, professional dissatisfaction, patient care distress, and interprofessional communication deficits.
The effectiveness of support groups: a literature review
Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 2018
PurposeSupport groups are a common feature of the mental health support engaged by carers and consumers. The purpose of this paper is to update and consolidate the knowledge and the evidence for the effectiveness of mental health support groups.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a systematic literature review of relevant databases around support groups for mental health. Support groups are defined as meetings of people with similar experiences, such as those defined as carers of a person living with a mental illness or a person living with a mental illness. These meetings aim to provide support and companionship to one another.FindingsThe results show that there is a consistent pattern of evidence, over a long period of time, which confirms the effectiveness of mental health support groups for carers and people living with mental illness. There is strong, scientifically rigorous evidence which shows the effectiveness of professionally facilitated, family-led support g...
Psychosocial Group Intervention
Alternation, 2023
Africa faces significant challenges in terms of material and personnel resources for oncology interventions. This is particularly evident in South Africa, where resources are divided into high-and low-resource settings. High-resource settings cater to those with financial means to access private oncology facilities. However, many breast cancer patients receive care in South Africa's low-resource settings, such as public hospital oncology clinics. Unfortunately, these settings have limited service providers and fail to offer comprehensive interventions, resulting in poor outcomes. However, recent research has highlighted the significance of socially supportive relationships in promoting healing and overall individual well-being, and spirituality has been identified as a source of positive outcomes in cancer patients. This systematic review paper explores the feasibility of implementing support group cancer care and interventions that incorporate social support networks available in community settings, and spiritual practices facilitated by traditional healers, and religious/spiritual leaders. These interventions can be provided within low-resource settings to women diagnosed with breast cancer. Inclusive participation of spouses, children, and extended family in the support group cancer care can facilitate healing for the entire system. Focusing on the strengths and resources within communities and 1 We greatly appreciate approval to co-publish this article with the journal Health, at Scientific Research Publishing. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=128746\. Editor. Psychosocial Group Intervention for Women with Breast Cancer 547 incorporating these complementary services, can enhance the well-being and quality of life for Black African women diagnosed with breast cancer, despite low-resource settings. This approach acknowledges the potential of community-based support networks and encourages collaboration between various stakeholders, including community health educators, nurses, lay counselors, and community volunteers, to address the complex needs of these patients.