Psychiatric nursing practice continues to be strongly influenced by tradition, unsystematic trial and error, and authority, rather than by scientific evidence. Yet, the impetus and need for quality psychiatric care that is based on the best and most current empirical research is well documented. Purpose: This State of the Evidence Review described the quality and quantity of published research recently disseminated to practicing psychiatric nurses. Theoretical Framework: The Hirsh Model for summarizing the extant research published in clinical nursing journals provided the framework for identifying relevant journals, reviewing the number of research articles, and organizing their content into similar themes. Sample: All data-based studies (N=292) published in the five existing clinical psychiatric nursing journals from January 2000 through December 2003 were evaluated. Method: Content analysis was used to determine current research foci and the number of studies within each of them. Results: Five foci emerged: global perspectives, psychiatric nurses, family caregivers, clients across the lifespan, and nursing interventions. Results showed 85% of the studies (n=249) occurred in the USA. Nearly 24% (n=70) examined characteristics of psychiatric nurses. Family caregivers were subjects in 13% of the studies (n=37) while 63% (n=185) focused on recipients of mental health care across the lifespan, including youth (5%; n=15), adults (52%; n=153), and elders (6%; n=17). Nursing interventions were tested in only 9% (n=27) of the studies. Conclusion: The findings describe the current state of published psychiatric nursing research and potential areas for future growth, including the need for increased dissemination of intervention research to practicing nurses. Annual updates of this content analysis will keep psychiatric nurse researchers and clinicians informed of progress toward disseminating research for evidence-based psychiatric nursing practice with future consumers of mental health services.
Session #1194 - Mental Health: Practice Issues
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)