Examining Taiwanese psychiatric nurses' knowledge and confidence in case management

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychiatry
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Taiwanese psychiatric nurses face increasing demands for case management of severe mental illness patients.
• Limited research exists on their case management knowledge and educational needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess psychiatric nurses' knowledge and confidence in case management skills.
• To identify unmet educational needs in psychiatric nursing case management.

Main Methods:

• A national cross-sectional survey utilizing electronic questionnaires.
• Recruited 424 psychiatric nurses across Taiwan.

Main Results:

• Nurses showed significant knowledge gaps (60% accuracy) in case management concepts and processes.
• Low confidence in applying case management skills was reported.
• Key unmet needs included resource assessment, referrals, collaboration, and patient linkage.
• 87% lacked prior case management education.

Conclusions:

• Continuing education strategies are essential to bolster nurses' case management expertise.
• Addressing educational deficits will better prepare nurses for case management roles.
• Improved case management knowledge and skills can enhance patient care for severe mental illness.