Evidence "nurses"

This commentary discusses the critical role that nurses play on ACT teams and ACT as a platform to integrate physical and mental health. It also reviews issues that may affect nursing shortages on ACT teams.

Keywords: primary care psychiatric nurses community mental health services nurses module 1 module 4

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This article argues that ACT is an ideal platform to provide both primary and behavioural health care to those with complex service needs. This article considers the transformation of the ACT mental health care model into an integrated health care delivery system by expanding and explicitly redefining the role of the ACT nurse to include establishing partnerships with primary care providers.

Keywords: primary care primary health care chronic mental illness community mental health services service delivery systems nurses module 1 module 4

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This article outlines the leadership role that nurses can and should play within community residential mental health services. It argues that people who use mental health services are at a greater risk for physical illness and are among the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals within our society. As the largest professional workforce, nurses have a leadership responsibility to fight stigma and discrimination while providing a high level of care to these individuals. Although there are several barriers to this leadership development (i.e. lack recognition, stigma from other nurses), providing clear definitions and expectations of mental health nurses is important to develop services. For nurse led services to grow there must be a shared understanding of their principles and purpose. Also, a strong focus on recovery, formal training and the recognition of leadership are essential components for these services to progress.

Keywords: primary care community mental health nurses nursing leadership residential mental health module 1 module 4

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This two-group community comparison design study examines the impact on psychiatric and physical outcomes through enhancing a standard Program of Assertive Treatment (PACT) with Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses (APNs) and stabilized consumer peer providers (NPACT). Evaluations were conducted at baseline and at 6 months to assess six outcome variables: psychiatric symptoms, community adjustment, disability, physical symptoms, health promotion orientation, and consumer satisfaction. Significant improvements over time were demonstrated for both groups on all variables. However, treatment effects for NPACT over PACT were demonstrated for psychiatric symptoms, community functioning, and consumer satisfaction. NPACT subjects endorsed more medical problems at baseline than did PACT subjects. This may be due to subjects being more likely to disclose physical health symptoms to nurses. In conclusion, enhancements for PACT using advanced practice nurses and consumer peer providers have the potential to address both health and mental health problems of the seriously mentally ill.

Keywords: primary care co-morbidity health promotion nurses module 4

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