Integrating infant mental health practice models in nursing

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Child Psychology
• Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

• The early years of life are critical for brain development, making infants highly susceptible to trauma and stress.
• Early exposure to trauma or stress increases the risk of mental health problems in young children.
• Infant mental health (IMH) practice aims to prevent adverse mental health outcomes during infancy and toddlerhood, yet it is not standard in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of existing infant mental health (IMH) practice models.
• To discuss the nursing implications associated with each IMH model.
• To present a practical model for integrating IMH into nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was performed using keywords 'infant mental health' and 'models of care'.
• Literature was searched in PubMed and CINHAL databases for articles published between 2002 and 2018.
• Twenty publications met the search criteria, encompassing clinical practice and non-clinical aspects of IMH.

Main Results:

• Ten articles focused on clinical-based IMH practice.
• Ten articles addressed non-clinical aspects, including educational training, policy development, and system-based models.
• The review identified various approaches to IMH practice and its implementation.

Conclusions:

• Nurses are strategically positioned to significantly influence infant mental health outcomes.
• A proposed model utilizes the nursing process as a framework for integrating IMH into nursing practice.
• This model offers a practical approach that can adapt to the evolving field of IMH.