title: The concept of priority as it relates to a community mental health team.
abstract: This article illustrates how a concept clarification exercise can provide evidence to inform local policy development. Based on the framework developed in Walker and Avant's (1995) concept clarification theory, the concept of priority is examined in the context of a team of community mental health nurses. Themes of risk, multidisciplinary working, resources, and nursing role are identified as key areas for consideration, and the difficulties existing between government policy directives towards the severely mentally ill and health promotion are discussed. The article highlights how nursing theory can integrate the concept analysis of priority in planning client care. This is presented using Peplau's (1952) model as a guide to further enhance meaning of generated priorities to nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Thames Valley University, Wexham Park Hospital, Slough.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonner
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011050:Policy Making; D006113:United Kingdom