Educational needs of practice nurses in mental health

Large numbers of patients see practice nurses (PNs) daily for their health care. Many of these patients will have a mental health need. International research suggests that practice nurses are undertaking mental health assessment and interventions without the requisite skills and knowledge.

To describe the needs of PNs in mental health education and to explore any involvement with patients with mental health concerns.

Postal survey of PNs in Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti regions. Analysis was by descriptive, correlation and inferential statistics and content analysis for open questions.

Fifty-two respondents completed the survey (response rate 36%) and the results demonstrate that these PNs are caring for patients with an extensive range of mental health concerns daily. Most common are people with depression and anxiety. The nurses perform a variety of mental health interventions such as counselling and advice on medication and have minimal confidence in their skill level. Their expressed learning needs included education on many mental health conditions including suicidal ideation, all types of depression and bipolar disorder, and of therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy and family therapy.

PNs require education and support specifically designed to meet their identified needs in mental health to help improve care to patients. This will require collaboration between secondary mental health services, primary mental health nurses and tertiary institutions. With targeted education these nurses should become more confident and competent in their dealings with people who present to their practice with a mental health concern.