Journal article

Assessing nurse-initiated care in a mental health crisis assessment and treatment team in Australia

B Happell, S Sundram, J Wortans, H Johnstone, R Ryan, R Lakshmana

Psychiatric Services | AMER PSYCHIATRIC PUBLISHING, INC | Published : 2009

Abstract

Objective: This pilot study in a specialist mental health crisis assessment and treatment setting compared patients' outcomes and level of satisfaction in nurse-initiated care and in treatment as usual. Methods: Initially, the nurse's decision making in 51 cases was evaluated and rated by a psychiatrist (February 2005 to May 2005). A quasi-experimental design was then used to compare nurse-initiated care (experimental group) with treatment as usual (control group) in terms of consumer and caregiver satisfaction and outcome. A total of 103 clients of a mental health crisis assessment and treatment team were randomly assigned to the two groups. Differences were determined by comparing the Heal..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Victorian Department of Human Services for providing funding for a pilot Nurse Practitioner Demonstration Project. The authors also acknowledge the following people who contributed to the successful completion of this work: Stephen Brown, Chris Gibbs, Karla Gough, Robyn Humphries, Brian Jackson, and Teresa Kelly.