Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia.
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia.
Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2024 Sep;45(9):979-989. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2024.2361317. Epub 2024 Jul 16.
Mental health carers are crucial in improving the physical health outcomes of people diagnosed with a mental illness (hereafter referred to as consumers). The long-term and multifaceted mental and physical health support carers provide to consumers can contribute to caregiver burden. Consequently, carers advocate for coordinated and integrated physical healthcare to improve the physical health outcomes of consumers and alleviate caregiver burden. The aim of this qualitative exploratory study is to explore carers' perceptions and experiences with the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role. Semi-structured interviews with nine carers nominated by consumers were conducted. Interviews were transcribed and reflexively thematically analysed. Three main themes were identified: (i) Therapeutic relationship s were a catalyst for health behaviour change; (ii) Overt and covert positive changes were observed by carer and (iii) Cares' involvement in integrated mental health and physical health care. Nine carers who were nominated by consumers to be involved in their physical healthcare planning, preferred to adopt a supporting role as this prevented or reduced caregiver burden. The findings support the adoption and continuation of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role to facilitate positive physical health outcomes for consumers and a reduction in caregiving burden. The benefits of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant provide a compelling argument to embed the role in routine practice. Mental healthcare services should advocate for continued funding and career development for such positions to provide long term benefits for consumers and carers. Future research is required to explore carer and consumer involvement in co-producing future and localised iterations of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role. This research should also measure the outputs and outcomes of co-production to clarify how the process worked in practice.
心理健康护理人员对于改善被诊断患有精神疾病（以下简称消费者）的人的身体健康结果至关重要。护理人员为消费者提供的长期和多方面的心理和身体健康支持可能会导致护理人员负担。因此，护理人员倡导协调和整合的身体保健服务，以改善消费者的身体健康结果并减轻护理人员负担。本定性探索性研究旨在探讨护理人员对物理健康护士顾问角色的看法和经验。对九名由消费者提名的护理人员进行了半结构化访谈。访谈记录并进行了反思主题分析。确定了三个主要主题：（i）治疗关系是促进健康行为改变的催化剂；（ii）护理人员观察到明显和隐性的积极变化；（iii）护理人员参与整合心理健康和身体健康护理。九名由消费者提名参与其身体保健计划的护理人员，更愿意扮演支持角色，因为这可以预防或减轻护理人员负担。研究结果支持采用和继续发挥物理健康护士顾问的作用，以促进消费者的积极身体健康结果并减轻护理负担。物理健康护士顾问的好处提供了一个令人信服的理由，将该角色纳入常规实践中。精神保健服务应倡导为这些职位提供持续的资金和职业发展，以为消费者和护理人员提供长期利益。需要进一步研究以探讨护理人员和消费者在共同制定未来和本地化物理健康护士顾问角色方面的参与度。这项研究还应衡量共同制定的产出和结果，以明确该过程在实践中的运作方式。
