Staff's Understanding of The Role of Least Restrictive Practice in the Development of Obesity in Secure Psychiatric Inpatients

Semmens-Wheeler, Rebecca and Lloyd, Anna and Alfaraj, A. and Narando, D. (2024) Staff's Understanding of The Role of Least Restrictive Practice in the Development of Obesity in Secure Psychiatric Inpatients. Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice. ISSN 1755-6228

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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the ethical challenges of managing the weight of psychiatric patients in the least restrictive manner in secure mental health settings, and whether these could be considered as a source of moral distress for health practitioners which may be linked to staff burnout and ultimately lead to suboptimal patient care.
Design: A qualitative semi-structured interview study design was utilised to explore the understanding, views, and experiences of six staff members working on two medium secure wards in a U.K. mental health hospital using an opportunity sampling technique and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
Findings: Analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed a multitude of moral events that evoked feelings of frustration, powerlessness, and anxiety related to the management of obesity in the least restrictive way, which is indicative of moral distress.
Originality: This is the first qualitative work exploring the role of least restrictive practice in the challenges associated with health promotion within secure psychiatric settings, and the effect these challenges have on mental health staff.
Research limitations/implications: Due to the small sample size and the qualitative nature of the research, the findings of the study are of explorative in nature. Further quantitative research would be required to establish a causative link between the ethical challenges associated with obesity management and staff’s moral distress.
Practical implications: Addressing the healthcare professionals’ knowledge deficit on how to achieve the right balance in their duty of care through inclusion of bioethics into professional discussions and training could improve staff’s well-being and the organization’s ethical climate.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1108/JMHTEP-08-2023-0076
Dates:	Date Event 17 July 2024 Accepted 10 October 2024 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	obesity, health promotion, secure mental health units, least restrictive practice, ethical challenge, moral distress
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific)
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Psychology
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	12 Aug 2024 15:29
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2024 13:15
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/15714

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