Roles and functions of community mental health nurses caring for people with schizophrenia in Taiwan

The study aimed to understand the nursing roles and functions of public health nurses and home health nurses in Taiwan and the factors that affect nursing roles and functions of nurses that provide community mental health home visiting services.

Although community nurses provide more psychiatric home visiting services than other psychiatric professionals, little research on their roles and functions has been conducted.

Nursing roles and functions were developed through use of grounded theory method of Strauss and Corbin.

Data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews and unstructured non-participant observations. The constant comparative analysis continued during the open, axial and selective coding process until data saturation occurred. Participants were selected using theoretical sampling. Final sample size in this study comprised a total of 29 community nurses (18 public health nurses and 11 home health nurses) who provided community mental health home visiting. Public health nurses conducted a total of 16 (eight carers and eight clients) services and home health nurses conducted 16 (eight carers and eight clients) services.

Fourteen nursing roles were identified. These roles included assessor, supporter, educator, consultant, counselor, negotiator, harmoniser, collaborator, advocate, placement coordinator, resource provider, care provider, case manager and case finder. Moreover, several factors that affect nursing roles and functions in the community mental health home visiting service in Taiwan were also identified.

This is the first study to identify the role of public health and home health nurses caring for people with schizophrenia in the community in Taiwan.

The recommendations based on the findings of this research can be used as a guide to improve the delivery of psychiatric home visiting services to community-dwelling clients with schizophrenia and their carers.