Journal of Psychiatric Nursing

Background: Caregivers play a crucial role in supporting patients receiving palliative care. While providing physical and emotional assistance, caregivers often face significant psychological, social, and financial challenges that affect their well-being. Objectives: 1. To explore the lived experiences of caregivers of palliative care patients. 2. To identify the major physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by caregivers. 3. To understand the coping strategies used by caregivers during palliative care provision. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted among primary caregivers of patients receiving palliative care. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in the palliative care units of two tertiary hospitals in Kozhikode district. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach. Results: Five major themes emerged from the analysis: emotional burnout, physical strain, social isolation, financial burden, and lack of professional support. Caregivers reported experiencing persistent anxiety, fatigue, withdrawal from social life, financial stress, and uncertainty in managing patient care at home. Conclusion: Caregivers of palliative care patients face multidimensional challenges that significantly affect their physical and psychological well-being. The findings highlight the need for structured caregiver support programs, including counseling, caregiver training, and respite care services.

This descriptive study assessed the psychosocial problems among 60 elderly individuals living in their own homes in a selected village in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, using a quantitative approach based on Roy’s Adaptation Model. Data were collected via a structured interview schedule and a 3-point rating scale across six dimensions: unhappiness, uselessness, decreased life satisfaction, loneliness, poor adjustment, and loss of status. The demographic profile revealed that 46.6% were aged 60–65 years, 70% were widowed, and 88.3% lacked financial pension support. Findings indicated that a significant 40% of participants experienced a high level of psychosocial problems, while 29% and 31% reported medium and low levels, respectively. Chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant association between psychosocial distress and most demographic variables, including age, religion, and financial support, although education emerged as a notable factor. The study concludes that rural elderly populations face substantial emotional and social vulnerability, necessitating the development of the provided information booklet to enhance caregiver knowledge and improve the overall quality of geriatric life.

Background: Stress is a common psychological concern among nursing students due to academic demands, clinical exposure, and personal challenges. Persistent perceived stress may adversely affect self-esteem and coping abilities, ultimately influencing academic performance and mental well-being. Planned instructional modules have emerged as effective non-pharmacological strategies to improve psychological health among students. Aim: The present study was undertaken to develop and evaluate the impact of a planned instructional module on perceived stress, self-esteem, and coping strategies among students of a nursing college in Jaipur. Methodology: An experimental study design was adopted, involving 80 nursing students, who were equally allocated into an experimental group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40). Data were collected using standardized tools: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Pre-test and Post-test assessments were conducted for both groups. The experimental group received the planned instructional module, while the control group received routine academic exposure. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a two-way mixed-design ANOVA, with the level of significance set at p< 0.05. Results: The findings revealed a highly significant main effect of time and a significant Group × Time interaction for both perceived stress and self-esteem (p< 0.05). The experimental group demonstrated a greater reduction in perceived stress and a significant improvement in self-esteem compared to the control group. The effect sizes ranged from moderate to very large, indicating strong clinical significance of the instructional module

Depression, a debilitating mood disorder, affects millions worldwide, impacting individuals, families, and healthcare systems. This research report provides a comprehensive review of the current understanding of depression, covering its etiology, diagnostic criteria, prevalent subtypes, treatment modalities (both pharmacological and psychological), and emerging therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges in accurate diagnosis, the impact of comorbidity, the role of personalized medicine, and future research directions. The report aims to provide an expert-level overview for researchers and clinicians, fostering a deeper understanding of depression and promoting evidence-based practices for effective management.

Antipsychotic-induced extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) include movement disorders such as acute dystonia, akathisia, and parkinsonism, which can appear within hours to weeks after starting or increasing antipsychotic doses. This study assessed the effectiveness of a psychoeducation module in improving caregivers’ knowledge of EPS among patients receiving antipsychotics in selected hospitals in Lucknow. A pre-experimental quantitative design was used with a nonprobability convenience sample of 60 caregivers. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and interview method. The objectives were to assess caregivers’ pretest and posttest knowledge, evaluate the effectiveness of the psychoeducation module, and determine the association between pretest knowledge and selected demographic variables. Posttest findings showed that 24 caregivers had moderately adequate knowledge and 36 had adequate knowledge. The study concluded that posttest knowledge levels were significantly associated with demographic variables, including age, gender, religion, marital status, education, occupation, family type, living area, family size, monthly income, and relationship with the patient.