Abstract
BackgroundThere has been a recent growth in research addressing mental health nurses’ routine physical healthcare knowledge and attitudes. We aimed to systematically review the empirical evidence about i) mental health nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of physical healthcare for mental health patients, and ii) the effectiveness of any interventions to improve these aspects of their work.MethodsSystematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Multiple electronic databases were searched using comprehensive terms. Inclusion criteria: English language papers recounting empirical studies about: i) mental health nurses’ routine physical healthcare-related knowledge, skills, experience, attitudes, or training needs; and ii) the effectiveness of interventions to improve any outcome related to mental health nurses’ delivery of routine physical health care for mental health patients. Effect sizes from intervention studies were extracted or calculated where there was sufficient information. An integrative, narrative synthesis of study findings was conducted.ResultsFifty-one papers covering studies from 41 unique samples including 7549 mental health nurses in 14 countries met inclusion criteria. Forty-two (82.4%) papers were published since 2010. Eleven were intervention studies; 40 were cross-sectional. Observational and qualitative studies were generally of good quality and establish a baseline picture of the issue. Intervention studies were prone to bias due to lack of randomisation and control groups but produced some large effect sizes for targeted education innovations. Comparisons of international data from studies using the Physical Health Attitudes Scale for Mental Health Nursing revealed differences across the world which may have implications for different models of student nurse preparation.ConclusionsMental health nurses’ ability and increasing enthusiasm for routine physical healthcare has been highlighted in recent years. Contemporary literature provides a base for future research which must now concentrate on determining the effectiveness of nurse preparation for providing physical health care for people with mental disorder, determining the appropriate content for such preparation, and evaluating the effectiveness both in terms of nurse and patient- related outcomes. At the same time, developments are needed which are congruent with the needs and wants of patients.
Highlights
Introduction of a Cardiometabolic Health Nurse (CHN)Hemingway et UK al. [70]Hemingway et UK al. [69] [not reported]Hunter et al [49] Location UKLongitudinal AB
Mental health nurses’ ability and increasing enthusiasm for routine physical healthcare has been highlighted in recent years
Contemporary literature provides a base for future research which must concentrate on determining the effectiveness of nurse preparation for providing physical health care for people with mental disorder, determining the appropriate content for such preparation, and evaluating the effectiveness both in terms of nurse and patient- related outcomes
Summary
Introduction of a CHNHemingway et UK al. [70]Hemingway et UK al. [69] [not reported]Hunter et al [49] Location UKLongitudinal AB. There has been a recent growth in research addressing mental health nurses’ routine physical healthcare knowledge and attitudes. People with a mental disorder diagnosis are at more than double the risk of all-cause mortality than the general population. Median length of life lost by this group is 10.1 years greater for people with a diagnosis of mental disorder than for general population controls, but mortality rates are significantly higher in studies which include inpatients [1]. A relatively high rate of tobacco smoking in this group is implicated in significant increased mortality [3], as is obesity [4], exposure to high levels of antipsychotic pharmacological treatment [5], and mental disorder itself [1]
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