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Informal Role Expansion in Australian Mental Health Nursing
Author(s) -
Elsom Stephen,
Happell Brenda,
Manias Elizabeth
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
perspectives in psychiatric care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.538
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6163
pISSN - 0031-5990
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6163.2009.00199.x
Subject(s) - nursing , mental health , scope of practice , referral , scope (computer science) , medicine , mental health nursing , work (physics) , mental health service , health care , psychology , family medicine , nurse education , psychiatry , mechanical engineering , engineering , programming language , economics , economic growth , computer science
PURPOSE. This study aims to determine the extent to which community mental health nurses are currently practicing beyond the traditional scope of nursing practice . DESIGN AND METHODS. A self‐administered questionnaire was distributed to community mental health nurses in Victoria, Australia.FINDINGS. The majority of participants reported routine involvement in practices that would normally be considered beyond the scope of nursing practice, such as prescribing, ordering diagnostic tests, and referral to specialists.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. The extent to which the current mental health service system is dependent upon nurses transgressing professional and legal boundaries warrants further study. Psychiatrists and community mental health nurses need to work collaboratively to understand their respective knowledge and skills and to be clear about how they take responsibility for client care.