Background: Compassion fatigue is a common phenomenon among healthcare professionals and includes several concepts that share a direct relationship with quality of life, with consequences on both physical and emotional well-being but also at the economic and organizational levels. Objectives: To analyze the profile of scientific publications on compassion fatigue, dissecting trends, and highlighting research opportunities. Method: Bibliometric analysis based on Donthu’s guidelines, data collection from Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), and analytic techniques (performance analysis and science mapping) with VOSviewer^® and CiteSpace^®. Results: We obtained 1364 articles and found that the concept emerged in 1995 and is frequently associated with areas of general health. Through analysis, we identified the following research frontiers: “vicarious traumatization”, “working”, “survivor”, “mental health”, and “impact”. Conclusion: There has been a growing interest in this subject among researchers, with an increase in scientific production related to areas of health such as nursing, providing a solid starting point for further investigation. Registration number from the Open Science Framework: osf.io/b3du8.

Nursing handover is essential in clinical practice across various healthcare settings and can significantly impact nurses' mental health. This scoping review aimed to explore and map these implications using the JBI methodology and PRISMA ScR Checklist. It included 11 studies published between 1988 and 2022 from the UK, Australia, USA, South Korea, and Hong Kong, involving over 122 nurses in acute care settings. The findings reveal three major themes: source of psychological discomfort, coping resource, and peer support and cohesion. Negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, dissatisfaction, and tension are linked to handovers, particularly bedside handovers, which raise confidentiality issues and induce scrutiny among nurses. The lack of standardized training and consistent procedures also contributes to stress, especially for newly graduated and less experienced nurses. Conversely, handovers function as structured rituals providing peer support and a sense of control, helping nurses manage psychological demands. To mitigate negative impacts, implementing standardized handover procedures and comprehensive training programs for new nurses is essential. Encouraging open communication and fostering a supportive environment can enhance team cohesion and reduce stress. Future research should measure the impact of different handover practices on nurses' mental health and explore their supportive, social, protective, and restorative functions. This review highlights the critical role of nursing handovers in supporting nurses' mental health and underscores the need for standardized practices to improve the well-being of nursing professionals and the quality of patient care.

Returning to daily life after psychiatric admission can be difficult and complex. We aimed to explore, describe and interpret the lived experience of returning to everyday life after the first psychiatric admission. We designed this research as a qualitative study, using van Manen’s phenomenology of practice. We collected experiential material through phenomenological interviews with 12 participants, from 5 June 2018 to 18 December 2018. From the thematic and hermeneutic analysis, we captured seven themes: (1) (un)veiling the imprint within the self; (2) the haunting memories within the self; (3) from disconnection to the assimilation of the medicated body in the self; (4) from recognition to overcoming the fragility within the self; (5) the relationship with health professionals: from expectation to response; (6) the relationship with others: reformulating the bonds of alterity; (7) the relationship with the world: reconnecting as a sense of self. The results allow us to establish the phenomenon as a difficult, complex, demanding and lengthily transitional event that calls into question the person’s stability and ability for well-being and more-being. Thus, implementing structured transitional interventions by health services seems crucial. Mental health specialist nurses can present a pivotal role in establishing a helping relationship with recovery-oriented goals, coordinating patients’ transitional care, and assuring continuity of care sensitive to the person’s subjective experiences, volitions, and resources.

The interview is essential and the most dominant method for data collection in phenomenological health research. Since several practical guides and best practice examples can be found in the scientific literature, the present review aims to map the nature and use of interviews in phenomenological healthcare research, focusing on their application, characteristics, and theoretical underpinnings. This review adhered to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and utilised the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Eligible studies included those with a phenomenological or phenomenological-oriented approach employing interviews for data gathering. A systematic search across CINAHL, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and MedicLatina identified 125 studies published by December 2022. Data were extracted and analysed using calibrated forms, followed by a narrative synthesis and tabular presentation. Findings reveal a predominance of hermeneutic or interpretive phenomenology, with most studies employing in-depth, semi-structured, or unstructured interviews to explore topics such as chronic health conditions, caregiving, mental health, and professional experiences. Patients were the most frequently studied population (55%), with nurses and midwives accounting for 82% of first authors. Despite the alignment with phenomenological goals, significant gaps were identified: 60% of studies lacked explicit theoretical frameworks for interviews, raising concerns about methodological rigour and coherence. Reflexive practices, participant validation, and triangulation were employed to address interviewer subjectivity and enhance credibility. However, inconsistencies in applying phenomenological principles were evident, with some studies mixing methods or deviating from foundational philosophies. This review underscores the transformative potential of phenomenological interviews in healthcare research while highlighting significant methodological gaps. Future studies should prioritise integrating theoretical foundations and rigorously applying phenomenological principles to enhance the exploration of lived experience and advance the field. Based on authors and more consensual practices, some practical recommendations for conducting phenomenological interviews are presented.

The lack of evidence synthesis studies on the role of psychiatric mental health nursing in the context of psychiatric home hospitalization underscores the limited research on nurses providing care in these teams, particularly concerning their experiences and responsibilities and the actual role of nurses in this context. This knowledge has the potential to improve the quality of mental healthcare by guiding nursing practices. Objective: To map the concepts related to the role of mental health nurses in psychiatric home hospitalization. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the methodology proposed by the JBI, involving five methodological stages. No search limits were applied except for language. Results: The review identified five key dimensions of nursing in psychiatric home hospitalization: satisfaction; care models; the therapeutic relationship; the care environment; the organization of care. These interconnected dimensions influence quality care. Satisfaction among nurses, patients, and families is associated with improved outcomes and reduced stigma. The therapeutic relationship is characterized by a humanistic approach, emphasizing dialogue, empathy, and shared decision making. Additionally, the importance of care organization is highlighted, including individualized care plans, medication management, and intersectoral collaboration. Discussion: The five nursing dimensions align with the Quality Standards of the Portuguese Nursing Council and are consistent with the scientific literature. Conclusions: Although there is a shortage of studies on this topic, this review allows for the synthesis of nursing interventions and reflection on the paradigm shift in care within the scope of psychiatric mental health nursing interventions. Future studies highlighting the value of mental health nursing interventions, with a particular focus on nursing-sensitive indicators and employing quantitative or mixed methods, will be crucial to furthering the analysis conducted thus far.

Objetivo: analisar as políticas de Saúde Mental atuais, discriminando os cuidados de saúde definidos para o período pós-alta da hospitalização psiquiátrica, com um enfoque sobre os cuidados de Enfermagem. Método: trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, tipo reflexivo, a partir da pesquisa em 27 documentos de caráter institucional, legislativo ou oficialmente reconhecidos que regulam a área de Saúde Mental no que concerne ao regresso da pessoa à casa pós-alta hospitalar psiquiátrica. Resultados: identificaram-se 15 documentos que revelam cuidados de Saúde Mental centrados ainda na produtividade hospitalar, com dificuldade em estabelecer estruturas e intervenções comunitárias. Verificam-se uma insuficiência e a variabilidade na distribuição de recursos humanos e de intervenções, com falta de uniformidade entre os diversos prestadores de cuidados. Constitui-se, em uma lógica multidisciplinar, a intervenção de Enfermagem como essencial para assegurar a continuidade de cuidados. Verifica-se, porém, que a intervenção do enfermeiro especialista está insuficientemente integrada nas políticas de Saúde Mental. Conclusão: mantêm-se as políticas de Saúde Mental portuguesas aquém na definição e prestação de cuidados de saúde transicionais específicos ao pós-alta hospitalar psiquiátrico para a casa. Descritores: Alta do Paciente; Unidade Hospitalar de Psiquiatria; Política de Saúde; Enfermagem Psiquiátrica; Continuidade da Assistência ao Paciente, Enfermagem.AbstractObjective: to analyze current Mental Health policies, discriminating health care defined for the post-discharge period of psychiatric hospitalization, with a focus on Nursing care. Method: this is a quantitative, reflective study, based on research in 27 institutional, legislative or officially recognized documents that regulate the area of Mental Health regarding the return of the person to the home after psychiatric discharge. Results: 15 documents were identified that reveal Mental Health care focused on hospital productivity, with difficulty in establishing community structures and interventions. There is a insufficiency and variability in the distribution of human resources and interventions, with lack of uniformity among the various caregivers. In a multidisciplinary logic, nursing intervention is essential to ensure continuity of care. However, it is verified that the intervention of the specialist nurse is insufficiently integrated in the Mental Health policies. Conclusion: Portuguese Mental Health policies are still falling short in the definition and provision of transitional health care specific to the psychiatric post-discharge home. Descriptors: Patient Discharge; Psychiatric Department, Hospital; Health Policy; Psychiatric Nursing; Continuity of Patient Care; Nursing.ResumenObjetivo: analizar las políticas actuales de Salud Mental, discriminando la atención de salud definida para el período posterior al alta de hospitalización psiquiátrica, con un enfoque en la atención de Enfermería. Método: este es un estudio cuantitativo, reflexivo, basado en la investigación en 27 documentos institucionales, legislativos u oficialmente reconocidos que regulan el área de Salud Mental con respecto al regreso de la persona al hogar después del alta psiquiátrica. Resultados: se identificaron 15 documentos que revelan la atención de Salud Mental centrada en la productividad hospitalaria, con dificultad para establecer estructuras e intervenciones comunitarias. Existe una insuficiencia y variabilidad en la distribución de recursos humanos e intervenciones, con falta de uniformidad entre los distintos cuidadores. En una lógica multidisciplinaria, la intervención de Enfermería es esencial para garantizar la continuidad de la atención. Sin embargo, se verifica que la intervención del enfermero especializado está insuficientemente integrada en las políticas de Salud Mental. Conclusión: las políticas portuguesas de Salud Mental siguen sin cumplir con la definición y la provisión de atención de salud de transición específica para el hogar psiquiátrico posterior al alta. Descriptores: Alta del Paciente; Servicio de Psiquiatría en Hospital; Política de Salud; Enfermería Psiquiátrica; Continuidad de la Atención al Paciente; Enfermería.