Several studies have been conducted to investigate the barriers to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, a few studies were conducted in hospital and mental health settings, and no study has explored the topic in primary healthcare settings. This study aimed to examine the barriers perceived by primary healthcare nurses in implementing EBP. This study employed a correlational and cross-sectional design. A total of 284 nurses were surveyed using the BARRIERS scale. Regression analysis was performed to identify the effects of predictor variables on the four subscales. The overall raw score on the BARRIERS scale was 86.21 (standard deviation = 16.15). The highest mean score was reported in the organizational subscale, followed by the innovation and communication subscales, whereas the lowest mean score was reported in the adopter subscale. The findings showed that the three top-ranked barriers were: (1) results of the studies are not generalizable to nurses’ setting, (2) facilities are inadequate, and (3) physicians do not cooperate with the implementation. Findings showed that nurses encounter organizational-related barriers to a moderate extent and EBP implementation varies depending on gender, level of education, and job position. There is a need to create and implement educational interventions and programs to overcome the barriers to effective EBP implementation among primary healthcare nurses.

Introduction: The postpartum period is accompanied by health risks that impact many women. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health problem that has been neglected in maternal healthcare services. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore nurses’ perceptions towards health services’ contribution to lowering the incidence of PPD. Methods: An interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. A convenience sample of 10 postpartum nurses was interviewed face-to-face. The analysis followed Colaizzi's data analysis method. Results: Seven main themes emerged on how to improve maternal health services to contribute to reducing the incidence of PPD among women: (1) maternal mental health, (2) follow-up of mental health status, (3) screening mental health status, (4) enhancing health education, (5) reducing stigma toward mental health, (6) updating resources, and (7) empowering nurses. Conclusion: The integration of mental health services into maternal services that are provided to women needs to be considered in the context of Saudi Arabia. This integration will result in high-quality holistic maternal care.

Although existing evidence suggests that nurses may experience significant stress during their training, less is known about the key elements responsible for the distress experienced by mental-health nursing students. This study has examined the psychosocial stress factors that influence mental-health nursing students in a Saudi University. This study has adopted a qualitative interpretive approach, using semi-structured interviews with 10 female fourth-year mental-health nursing students. After the interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed, they underwent content analysis using the NVIVO 10.1 application, generating the themes that emerge in this study. The results of the present study make it possible to conceptualise the dynamics that impede the progress of students nearing the end of their final academic year. The analysis focuses on four main themes: (a) the clinical learning context; (b) discrimination against nurses; (c) interpersonal relationships; and (d) social challenges. The statements made by students were analysed for emerging themes; their experiences were subsequently grouped into eight sub-themes. The study findings highlight the importance of encouraging students to strengthen peer relationships, improve their own psychological wellbeing, and embrace strategies for managing both personal and academic stress levels. They also reveal that understanding the expectations of students can provide a platform for recognising stressors. Effective interventions can be adopted to improve understanding of stress factors and subsequent stress responses among mental-health nursing students. These results may help to improve students' clinical, social, and academic outcomes.

Introduction: Workplace violence has emerged as a global phenomenon requiring immediate attention. The nursing profession is primarily affected, and the unique vulnerability of nurses to workplace violence is particularly evident in the field of mental health nursing. Aims: This study explores the experiences of mental health nurses with work-related violence and attempts to combat this violence in the context of inpatient mental health facilities in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This research comprises a qualitative exploratory study consisting of semistructured interviews with 16 participants using open-ended questions. The participants are psychiatric/mental health nurses with experience in the field, so this methodological approach facilitates a detailed investigation of their encounters with workplace violence. Results: This study reveals that nurses experience violence in accordance with two main themes and subthemes: experiences of workplace violence, the influence of violence on work settings, and efforts required to combat violence. Data show that these participants consider of prime importance access to training to increase safety through knowledge, improved communication, and protective skills, along with adequate staffing and a safe built environment. Conclusion: The research findings confirm the urgency of addressing the needs of mental health nurses in inpatient psychiatric hospitals. Policymakers in the healthcare field must be aware of the inpatient psychiatric care climate and the need for support from those who staff these areas of practice. Training in specialized knowledge and skills is required to ensure a safe work environment as well as appropriate staffing levels, and a safe built environment. These conditions may be required to recruit and retain mental health nurses capable of providing best-practice care.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that contribute to stigmas held by mental health practitioners about people with mental health issues. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was adopted to collect data from one focus group discussion comprised of six healthcare practitioners representing different aspects of health provision. Data were analysed using Nvivi.10 thematic content analysis, and major themes were identified. Participants also complete a demographic data sheet. This study was conducted in February 2018 at the medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The focus group discussed the stigmas they held about people with mental health issues and the factors they perceived as heightening their prejudices. Factors identified included professional experiences, the media and community. Practitioners working in mental healthcare are vulnerable to developing stigmas about people with mental health problems. This research has begun to explore the factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The participants were drawn from several different mental healthcare providers, so attitudes expressed cannot be generalised. Practitioners healthcare providers of all types including clinical practitioners, administrators and programme planners have a duty to confront the stigma of mental health among the community and healthcare providers, by expanding the volume of academic literature being authored, improving continuing professional education and enhancing employment opportunities in that sector. The outcomes of this study were mainly applicable to the professional mental health team, educator of healthcare practitioners, clinical practitioners, community mental healthcare services and research related to this topic, especially for improved ethical and professional values for healthcare providers and enlightenment of society as a whole.