This document outlines the roles and responsibilities of a mental health nurse. It discusses basic level functions such as counseling, milieu therapy, self-care activities, psychobiologic interventions, health teaching, and case management. More advanced functions include psychotherapy, prescriptive authority, consultation, evaluation, program development and clinical supervision. It also lists phenomena of concern for psychiatric-mental health nursing such as promoting well-being, managing impaired ability to function, and addressing alterations in thinking, perceiving and communicating.

1. The
Mental
Health
Nurse
ERIC F PAZZIUAGAN, RN, MAN, DScN
Units

2. Areas of Practice

3. Basic-level Functions
 Counselling
 Interventions and communication
techniques
 Problem-solving
 Crisis interventions
 Stress management
 Behavior modification

4.  Milieu Therapy
 Maintain therapeutic
environment
 Teach skills
 Encourage communication
between clients and others
 Promote growth through role
modelling

5.  Self-care activities
 independence
 Increase self-esteem
 Improve function and health
 Psychobiologic Interventions
 Administer medications
 Teach
 Observe

6.  Health teaching
 Case management
 Health promotion and
maintenance

7. Advance level functions
 Psychotherapy
 Prescriptive authority
 Consultation and liaison
 Evaluation
 Program development and
management
 Clinical supervision

8. Psychiatric- Mental Health Nursing
Phenomena of Concern

9.  Promotion of optimal mental and physical
well-being and prevention of mental
illness.
 Impaired ability to function related to
psychiatric, emotional, and physiological
distress.
 Alterations in thinking, perceiving and
communicating due to psychiatric
disorders or mental health problems.
 Behaviors and mental states that indicate
potential danger to self and others

10.  Emotional stress related to
illness, pain, disability, and loss
 Symptom management, side effects, or
toxiciness associated with self-
administered
drugs, psychopharmacological
interventions, and other treatment
modalities
 The barriers to treatment efficacy and
recovery posed by alcohol and substance
abuse and dependence
 Self-concept and body image
changes, developmental, life process

11.  Physical symptoms that occur along with
altered psychological status
 Psychological symptoms that occur along
with altered physiological status
 Interpersonal, organizational, sociocultural,
spiritual or environmental circumstances or
events that have an effect on the mental and
emotional well-being of the family or
community
 Elements of recovery, including ability to
maintain housing, employment, and social
support, that helps individuals re-engage in
seeking meaningful lives.
 Societal factors such as violence, poverty,
and substance abuse.