The purpose of this study was to clarify the process in which newly graduated nurses find ways to cope with difficulties at work. We performed semi-structured interviews with 8 nurses all on their third year of work after graduating, and we focused on their difficulties and how they dealt with them, and then analyzed the contents of the interviews using a modified grounded theory approach. From the results, we generated 28 concepts and placed them into the following six categories that we derived as processes in which inexperienced nurses found ways to cope with their difficulties: [Making an effort to continue working at their current workplace, even though they feel they cannot cope with first-time encountered things very well] [Due to anxiety that they cannot do their job correctly, they diligently attempt to learn how to do the job well] [Understanding their responsibilities as a nurse from a system of support, while adjusting to the aptitude required for nursing] [Noticing their own changes while they continue with their quest for perfection] [Although they worry about new difficulties that start to appear as they gain more and more experience, they take one step] and [thinking about leaving their job].

These 6 categories included distinctive difficulties and ways to deal with those difficulties that the nurses experienced during between their first and third years on the job. They were regarded as processes for moving forward while finding out the best method for managing themselves, according to their daily situations. This process should be considered as a form of resilience that is held by nurses, and support for inexperienced nurses to acquire this resilience was suggested as one way of support for occupational continuation.

Objective: It is recognized that a place of belonging is necessary for individuals with mental illness so they may maintain stable lives within their community. This study aimed to determine whether a sense of belonging was related to levels of interest in establishing oneself in the local community, and social participation among such individuals.

Method: We asked individuals with mental illness, all residing within one prefecture in Japan, and who used outpatient facilities, to respond to questions via a survey or interview format. Responses were collected from a total of 231 individuals. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using logistic regression analysis, with “sense of belonging” as an independent variable and the presence or absence of “interest in social participation” as dependent variables.

Result: Greater levels of sense of belonging in individuals with mental illness were found to be significantly related to the presence of interest in social participation. The same result was obtained with an adjusted model (OR, 1.34; CI, 1.20–1.49). Analysis by three sub-scales of sense of belonging showed similar results.

Conclusion: The results suggest that support for fostering a sense of belonging in individuals with mental illness may be effective in increasing their interest in social participation.

Support provided for patients hospitalized over a long-term in a psychiatric hospital by Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) in psychiatric mental health, when preparing for discharge was investigated. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with CNS (N=7) that were supporting patients with difficult to care mental disorders who had been hospitalized for over a year. CNS also provided consultations to treatment teams. The data were qualitatively analyzed using GTA, and seven categories and 26 sub-categories were extracted. CNS reflected the process of care together with ward nurses, and distinguished care that had and had not been provided. Moreover, they built therapeutic relationships between patients and ward nurses who could not find ways to intervene with the patients. Furthermore, they supported patients to develop a clear motivation for attempting new things, and also provided support for patients' families.