The Physical Health Nurse Consultant: Perceptions and Experiences of Those Who Care for People with Mental Illness

Tracy Tabvuma; Robert Stanton; Ya-Ling Huang; Brenda Happell

doi:10.1080/01612840.2024.2361317

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The Physical Health Nurse Consultant: Perceptions and Experiences of Those Who Care for People with Mental Illness

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The Physical Health Nurse Consultant: Perceptions and Experiences of Those Who Care for People with Mental Illness

Tracy Tabvuma, Robert Stanton, Ya-Ling Huang and Brenda Happell

Issues in mental health nursing, Vol.45(9), pp.979-989

01/09/2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2024.2361317

PMID: 39012920

Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications

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Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Nursing

Psychiatry

Science & Technology

Mental health carers are crucial in improving the physical health outcomes of people diagnosed with a mental illness (hereafter referred to as consumers). The long-term and multifaceted mental and physical health support carers provide to consumers can contribute to caregiver burden. Consequently, carers advocate for coordinated and integrated physical healthcare to improve the physical health outcomes of consumers and alleviate caregiver burden. The aim of this qualitative exploratory study is to explore carers’ perceptions and experiences with the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role. Semi-structured interviews with nine carers nominated by consumers were conducted. Interviews were transcribed and reflexively thematically analysed. Three main themes were identified: (i) Therapeutic relationship s were a catalyst for health behaviour change; (ii) Overt and covert positive changes were observed by carer and (iii) Cares’ involvement in integrated mental health and physical health care. Nine carers who were nominated by consumers to be involved in their physical healthcare planning, preferred to adopt a supporting role as this prevented or reduced caregiver burden. The findings support the adoption and continuation of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role to facilitate positive physical health outcomes for consumers and a reduction in caregiving burden. The benefits of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant provide a compelling argument to embed the role in routine practice. Mental healthcare services should advocate for continued funding and career development for such positions to provide long term benefits for consumers and carers. Future research is required to explore carer and consumer involvement in co-producing future and localised iterations of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role. This research should also measure the outputs and outcomes of co-production to clarify how the process worked in practice.

Details

Title: The Physical Health Nurse Consultant: Perceptions and Experiences of Those Who Care for People with Mental Illness
Creators: Tracy Tabvuma - Southern Cross University
Robert Stanton - Central Queensland University
Ya-Ling Huang - Southern Cross University, Nursing
Brenda Happell - Southern Cross University, Faculty of Health
Publication Details: Issues in mental health nursing, Vol.45(9), pp.979-989
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Inc.
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: Southern Cross University
Identifiers: 991013210513402368
Academic Unit: Faculty of Health; Nursing
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

The Physical Health Nurse Consultant: Perceptions and Experiences of Those Who Care for People with Mental Illness

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