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Exploratory study of mental health consultation‐liaison nursing in Australia: Part 1 demographics and role characteristics
Author(s) -
Sharrock Julie,
Bryant Jenni,
McNamara Paul,
Forster John,
Happell Brenda
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.911
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1447-0349
pISSN - 1445-8330
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2008.00530.x
Subject(s) - demographics , mental health , nursing , medicine , isolation (microbiology) , nurse education , family medicine , psychiatry , demography , sociology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Mental health nursing roles in Consultation‐Liaison (CL) psychiatry and emergency departments are rapidly developing within Australia since the mainstreaming of mental health services within the general health‐care system. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of these positions have been initiated and developed in relative isolation and with little formalized support. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of these roles and the nurses who occupy them is limited. A survey was developed and distributed to gather information on CL nurses in Australia. The survey was aimed at CL nurses working in a range of settings and included questions relating to demographics, qualifications, experience, clinical practice, organizational structure, education, clinical supervision, education and training and work satisfaction. This, the first of a two‐part paper, will present the key findings relating to demographics and characteristics of the role. Overall, the findings demonstrated that the CL nurses who responded to the survey ( n = 56) were experienced psychiatric/mental health nurses working primarily in general hospital wards and/or emergency departments; receive requests for consultation from a range of health professionals but predominantly nurses; provide education to a range of staff groups; and use a range of titles to identify their role.