A nursing faculty practice for the severely mentally ill: merging practice with research

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Mental Health Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Increasing medical complexity in severely mentally ill (SMI) adults in community programs necessitated innovative care models.
• A collaborative Faculty Practice was established between the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing and the Progress Foundation, a residential care provider.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evolution of a collaborative practice and research agenda over ten years.
• To test the value of integrating active health promotion into primary care for SMI adults.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal development of a practice and research agenda through collaboration between academic nursing and a community mental health provider.
• Initial research focused on client and practice description.
• Ongoing clinical trial evaluating the addition of health promotion to primary care.

Main Results:

• Successful collaboration fostered by trust between clinical faculty, researchers, and community partners.
• Clinical data effectively utilized for practice improvement and education.
• The integration of practice and research enhanced the visibility of nursing contributions.

Conclusions:

• Merging clinical practice and research in mental health settings improves care models.
• Active health promotion integrated into primary care shows promise for SMI adults.
• Sustained collaboration and data utilization are key factors for successful faculty practice development.