Consumer input into standards revision: changing practice

As part of ongoing quality improvement initiatives, the Canadian Standards for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing were recently revised. For the first time since the standards were published in 1995, the input of consumers of mental health services was sought. Thirty-one consumers from across Canada participated in focus groups, and answered questions related to the domains of practice as identified in the standards document. Through this input, consumers were able to inform the committee regarding areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction from their unique perspective. Through this article, the process of consumer collaboration is illustrated in relation to how it shaped Standards revision, and finally how it affected the practitioners involved.