title: Evaluation of a nurse practitioner-led extended hours mental health liaison nurse service based in the emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a nurse practitioner (NP)-led extended hours mental health liaison nurse (MHLN) service based in the emergency department (ED) of an inner city teaching hospital in Sydney and to explicate a model of care that is transferable across a broad range of ED settings, both in metropolitan and rural contexts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This mixed-methods evaluation encompassed descriptive data on ED mental health presentations, quantifying waiting times for MHLN involvement and interviews with MHLN team members at the commencement of the evaluation and 12 months later. Interviews were also conducted with a snapshot of ED patients, and a sample of ED and psychiatry staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expanded MHLN service was rapidly incorporated into the ED structure, enthusiastically endorsed by ED patients and highly valued by staff and the organisation. The MHLN team saw 55% of referred patients within the first hour of arrival (frequently before medical assessment), thereby initiating and expediting co-ordination of care at an early stage of the ED process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An NP-led extended hours MHLN team based in the ED provides prompt and effective access to specialised mental health care for people with 'undifferentiated health problems', and removes a significant workload from nursing and medical staff. Embedding the NP-led MHLN service within the ED structure was pivotal to the success and sustainability of this model of care.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wand
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Abrew
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Acret
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D039602:After-Hours Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D036301:Qualitative Research