Overlooked and overdue: supporting adult nurses to work with people with mental illness in physical care settings

A comprehensive body of research shows the trepidation experienced by adult nurses caring for people living with mental illness who are accessing physical care. The prevalence of mental illness means this is an everyday aspect of nursing work, yet adult nurses remain undersupported and undereducated in their practice in this area. A cultural and organisational position of separating health care for the mind and the body has left people with physical and psychological comorbidities experiencing a shorter life expectancy, barriers to accessing physical care and stigma from health professionals. Adult nurses are not formally prepared to assess, engage and care for people who live with mental illness at a level within their scope of practice. Although adult nurses cannot offer expert mental health care akin to that provided by a specialist mental health nurse, therapeutic communication, attention to distress and stigma reduction enrich patient experiences and instil confidence in adult nurses as they fulfil their duties as professional registrants.