Psychiatric mental health nursing: thriving in a changing environment through outcomes-based measurements

This article focuses on the necessity of outcomes-based measurements in the behavioral health care field. The authors describe the reasons why outcomes research is essential to the survival of behavioral services and, even more specifically, psychiatric mental health nursing. An actual outcome study process using psychiatric patients treated by a clinical nurse specialist is described in detail. The authors reflect their orientation to outcomes-based measurements through their perspectives as a manager and an outpatient therapist.