e-Professionalism in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Digital Health
• Mental Health

Background:

• Systematic review addressing the scarcity of recent research on digital professionalism in Psychiatric Mental Health (PMH) nursing.
• Examines challenges and issues in PMH nursing's digital professionalism over the last decade.
• Highlights a lack of contemporary studies in this critical area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing literature on digital professionalism in PMH nursing.
• To identify key challenges, ethical considerations, and knowledge gaps in e-professionalism within PMH nursing.
• To inform future research and practice guidelines for digital engagement in mental healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 12 studies published between January 2013 and April 2023.
• Searches conducted across major databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane).
• Quality assessment using Kmet criteria and narrative synthesis for findings.

Main Results:

• E-professionalism issues in PMH nursing, especially legal and ethical aspects, are under-addressed in recent literature.
• Two distinct scenarios identified in mental telehealth nursing require a balanced approach for effective implementation.
• Limited attention to the complexities of digital interactions in mental healthcare settings.

Conclusions:

• Psychiatric mental health nurses require a holistic understanding of e-mental health interventions, encompassing knowledge, skills, affect, ethics, and regulations.
• Emphasizes the need for increased focus on digital professionalism to tackle emerging challenges in PMH nursing.
• Calls for further research and development of best practices in digital mental healthcare delivery.