Psychiatric and Mental Health nursing deals with the care of patients who have
emotional and mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and
mood disorders. Nurses care for individuals, families, groups, and communities
through counseling, education, and, in some cases, medication to promote mental
and emotional health.
Nurses may work in counseling centers, clinics, or hospitals, as well as doing
home visits or working in long-term residential facilities. Patients often range
in age from children through adolescence to adulthood. Nurses must be prepared to
help the patients, as well as their families, since psychiatric and mental health
is achieved through a nursing care plan implemented by a support team, which may include
counselors and/or psychiatrists or psychologists. Psychiatric nurses should be
especially sensitive to their patients' emotional and mental needs since that is
the root of the health concerns.
Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Theories and Models