The role of the psychiatric consultation: Liaison nurse in the improved care of patients experiencing mental health problems receiving care within a general hospital environment
Julie Sharrock
Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Nurse, Honorary Research Fellow
Brenda Happell
Professor of Contemporary Nursing, Department of Health Innovation; Centre for Social Science Research, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton QLD
PP: 260 - 270
Abstract
The Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Nurse (PCLN) has an important role in supporting nurses and other health care professionals in caring for patients experiencing mental health problems in a non-psychiatric environment. The limited available research findings suggest the PCLN role to be effective in terms of staff satisfaction, and some suggestion of cost savings is apparent.
This paper refers to a survey of the attitudes of health professionals (n-113) to the services provided by the PCLN in a large metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The results indicate a high level of satisfaction with the services of the PCLN. Enhancement of the participants' professional role, the professional role of nursing and improving health outcomes was amongst the perceived benefits of the PCLN role.
Keywords
psychiatric; consultation; liaison; nursing; staff satisfaction; patient care
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