title: Exploratory study of mental health consultation-liaison nursing in Australia: Part 1. Demographics and role characteristics.
abstract: Mental health nursing roles in Consultation-Liaison (CL) psychiatry and emergency departments are rapidly developing within Australia since the mainstreaming of mental health services within the general health-care system. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of these positions have been initiated and developed in relative isolation and with little formalized support. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of these roles and the nurses who occupy them is limited. A survey was developed and distributed to gather information on CL nurses in Australia. The survey was aimed at CL nurses working in a range of settings and included questions relating to demographics, qualifications, experience, clinical practice, organizational structure, education, clinical supervision, education and training and work satisfaction. This, the first of a two-part paper, will present the key findings relating to demographics and characteristics of the role. Overall, the findings demonstrated that the CL nurses who responded to the survey (n = 56) were experienced psychiatric/mental health nurses working primarily in general hospital wards and/or emergency departments; receive requests for consultation from a range of health professionals but predominantly nurses; provide education to a range of staff groups; and use a range of titles to identify their role.
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent's Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. julie.sharrock@svhm.org.au
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sharrock
authors.forename: Jenni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D003253:Consultants / Q000523:psychology; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration; D004651:Employment / Q000458:organization & administration; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006285:Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits