Consumer providers' experiences of recovery and concerns as members of a psychiatric multidisciplinary outreach team: A qualitative descriptive study from the Japan Outreach Model Project 2011-2014

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to clarify consumer providers (CPs) subjective experiences as members of a psychiatric multidisciplinary outreach team that provided services to individuals with a mental illness living in the community.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study was conducted through semi-structured interviews. Participants were clients hired as CPs in the Japanese Outreach Model Project from September 2011 until March 2014. Of the seventeen CPs, nine participated in this study. We looked at the CPs' subjective experiences of fulfillment and difficulty.ResultsIn the process of providing services, CPs experienced both achievements and concerns. They had a sense of achievement by caring for their clients and they experienced that they themselves were recovering. They were also concerned about having inadequate knowledge and skills to provide psychiatric services to their clients. Further, there were concerns about their dual role on the multidisciplinary team and being support staff while they were still using mental health services themselves.ConclusionThe results show that the activities of CPs included fulfillment, recovery, and dilemmas. Clarifications will likely contribute to an increase in understanding and cooperation between CPs and other professionals with whom they work. Further studies are needed to investigate policies related to mental health consumers who are also providers of mental health services.

Experiences of community mental health nurses in Japan as the basis of their nursing philosophies

“…As described in the “Nurses’ own recovery” section, the CMHNs faced themselves and managed to mature as persons by genuinely understanding themselves, resolving issues in their own lives and interpersonal relationships, and allowing for acceptance by those around them. While the participants in this study were CMHNs, professional supporters, I found similar results in other studies with peer supporters . Thus, caregivers’ own recovery experiences through their psychiatric home‐visit nursing could be a driving force to promote recovery‐oriented services.…”

“…This finding is comparable to the argument of Travelbee, who advocates similarities of experiences with patients as an important part of any nurse's ability to empathize with those they provide care for. Kido and Kayama reported that consumer providers achieved their own recovery in part by delivering care to clients. In recovery models, caregivers also make progress as individuals.…”

“…While the participants in this study were CMHNs, professional supporters, I found similar results in other studies with peer supporters. 24 Thus, caregivers' own recovery experiences through their psychiatric home-visit nursing could be a driving force to promote recovery-oriented services.…”

Factors influencing the implementation of mental health recovery into services: a systematic mixed studies review

“… Peer workers Flexibility Flexibility in defining peer workers’ roles [ 104 , 115 ] and in terms of the timing, structure, and frequency of sessions with service users [ 101 , 109 ] helped peer workers adapt their services to service user and community needs. Relationship Building Managing relationships with staff and service users can be a complex process due to peer workers having to shift identities from that of a service user to that of a service provider, while at the same time continuing to juggle these identities in their work [ 102 , 105 , 114 ]. Their role is to develop close trusting relationships with service users but managing boundaries and ending relationships can be emotionally complex [ 99 , 104 , 109 , 114 ].…”

“… [ 91 – 93 ] 3 Peer workers Innovations centred on the employment of people with lived experience of mental health problems. [ 94 – 104 ], [ 105 – 109 ], [ 110 ], [ 111 – 115 ] 4 Personal recovery planning New approaches to writing plans within service provider–service user encounters. [ 109 , 116 – 121 ], [ 115 , 122 ], [ 123 , 124 ] 5 Recovery colleges Education programs offering courses to service users and service providers on recovery and other topics in mental health.…”