Exploring Nurses' and Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Coercive and Technological Measures in Mental Health: A Conceptual Framework and Study Protocol.

Background/objectives: The use of coercive measures (CMs) and security technologies (STs) in mental healthcare continues to raise ethical and practical concerns, affecting both patient and staff well-being. Mental health nurses (MHNs) and nursing students (NSs) play a key role in the decision-making process regarding these interventions. However, their attitudes, particularly toward STs, remain underexplored in Italy. This study protocol aims to introduce a new conceptual framework and investigate Italian MHNs' and NSs' attitudes toward CMs and STs in mental health settings. Additionally, it will explore the influence of sociodemographic and psychological factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, stigma, and humanization on these attitudes.

Methods: The research will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 involves a national survey of a convenience sample of MHNs and NSs to assess their attitudes and related factors. Phase 2 includes qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of MHNs and NSs to explore participants' perspectives on STs in more depth. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data will be examined through thematic analysis.

Conclusions: This study protocol seeks to enhance our understanding of MHNs' and NSs' attitudes toward the use of CMs and STs in mental health settings, identifying key factors influencing these attitudes. The findings aim to inform policy development, education programs, and clinical practices in both the Italian and international panoramas. Additionally, the proposed conceptual framework could guide future research in this field.