Comprehensive Summary of Mental Health Nursing Research and Findings

This report summarizes three research articles focused on mental health nursing. The first article, a qualitative study by Howard and Gamble (2011), investigates the views of mental health nurses (MHNs) regarding the physical health management of acute inpatients with severe mental illness (SMI), highlighting the nurses' perceived roles, confidence, and training needs. The second study, a quantitative study by Robson et al. (2013), examines MHNs' attitudes, clinical practices, and training needs related to the physical health care of patients with SMIs, revealing positive attitudes and the need for further training. The third article, a systematic review by Cleary et al. (2012), synthesizes qualitative studies on nurse-patient communication in acute mental health inpatient facilities, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal approaches. Each summary includes the study's aims, methods, key findings, strengths, and limitations, offering a comparative analysis of the research landscape in mental health nursing.

Summary table
Author/s (year)
Country
Aims
or
Purpose
Sample/ setting
or
Key stake-holders
and their roles
Design/ methods
or
Type of paper
Main findings
or
Primary
argument
Strengths and
limitations of the
paper
Article 1
(qualitative
study)
Howard, L. and
Gamble, C., 2011
London, UK
The study was
aimed at
investigating the
views of the
mental health
nurses (MHNs)
and the mental
health
management
practices for the
acute inpatients in
mental health
setting.
 To
determine
the role of
the MHNs
in the
assessmen
t and
managem
ent of
physical
The sample size
comprised of the
six acute mental
health wards from
a large Mental
Health Trust
through a
questionnaire
survey.
These acute wards
are located in the
different boroughs
and geographical
sites in London,
UK comprised of
the 23 to 32 beds
of mixed sex.
The MHNs
comprised of all
age, gender and
years of
experience,
however,
Design =
Qualitative
The data was
collected through a
descriptive survey
design where there
was an audit case
selection and self-
reported
questionnaire.
The data collection
tools were
designed
exclusively for this
study, as there was
no robust
questionnaire to
address the aims of
the study.
The result findings
depicted that out of
78, 37 of the
potential
respondents
accounted (47%)
for the
questionnaire
completion. For
this study, the
results suggested
that MHNs have
perceived roles for
addressing the
physical needs of
the patients; there
is lack of
understanding of
the respected roles
in undertaking the
healthcare needs of
the mentally ill
patients.
The study depicted
that MHNs are
willing to take up
the role of
addressing the
physical health of
the SMI patients
and the response
rate was quite
pleasing.
However, the
sample size was
relatively small.
The data collection
roll was newly
developed,
although it
supports the
literature and
critically reviewed.

needs of
the severe
mental
health
illness
(SMIs)
patients.
 To
ascertain
the
confidenc
e of
MHNs in
the
physical
health
assessmen
t and care
managem
ent for
SMI
patients
 To
examine
the
practice of
MHNs in
the
physical
health
assessmen
t and care
unqualified staffs
were excluded
whose role, skills
and experience
vary differently.
The SMI patients
were those who
were admitted in
the first week in
the two mental
health wards where
Howard, L was
employed as a
Physical Health
Lead Nurse.
The findings
suggested that
there was disparity
in the confidence
and perceived role
of the MHNs in
addressing the
physical needs and
care management
of the SMI
patients.

managem
ent for
SMI
patients
 To
identify
the
education
al and
training
needs of
the MHNs
in
addressing
the
physical
needs of
the SMI
patients.
Article 2
(Quantitativ
e study)
Robson, D.,
Haddad, M., Gray,
R. and Gournay,
K., 2013
Norwich, UK
The aim of the
study was to
examine the
attitudes, clinical
practice,
confidence and
perceived training
needs of the
mental health
nurses towards
the physical
health care needs
The sample size
comprised of 585
qualified MHHNs
recruited through a
National Health
Service (NHS)
Mental Trust in
UK.
Design=
Quantitative
The study design
method consisted
of the secondary
analysis of cross-
sectional data that
was collected
during the
development of
testing stages of
The results
suggested that
there was
willingness and
positive attitude of
the MHNs towards
the physical health
care needs of SMIs
and recognition of
the nurses’ role in
addressing them.
The strength of the
paper is that the
sample size is large
as it comprised of
the whole nursing
working of Mental
Health Trust in UK
that can be
comparable to the
national data of
NHS workforce in
hospital and

of the patients
with enduring and
severe mental
illness (SMIs).
It also explored
the association
links between the
practice and
training of the
nurses towards
the improvement
of deteriorating
physical health of
SMI patients.
the Physical Health
Attitude Scale for
Mental Health
Nurses (PHASe).
The used survey
instrument was a
standardized
questionnaire that
included the
elicitation of
demographics,
training
characteristics and
clinical practice.
community
settings comprising
of qualified
MHNs.
The limitation of
the paper is the
response rate. The
sample size was
large and so there
was generalization
to the wider
population. In this,
response rate is
low (52%) in a
large sample size.
There is still
requirement of
cross-sectional
study in different
settings to
overcome the
inferences of
causality and
require MHN
training to meet the
overall health
needs of the SMI
patients.
Article 3 Cleary, M., Hunt,
G.E., Horsfall, J.
The aim of the
literature review
The literature
review comprised
Design= The findings
illustrated that the
This study showed
relevance to the

(Systematic
review)
and Deacon, M.,
2012
of the qualitative
papers was to
identify and
summarize
findings of
communication
between MHNs
and patients in
acute mental
health inpatient
facilities.
The synthesis of
the research
findings
Thematic analysis
of review
findings and
identification of
the areas for
further research.
of the papers
through inclusion
and exclusion
criteria.
The papers in
English which are
peer-reviewed that
studied the nurse-
patient
communication in
acute mental health
settings.
The publishing
years since 1999
was chosen
containing proper
discussion about
the aims, research
methods, results
and discussion
using qualitative
methodology.
Systematic review
The study design
comprises of the
meta-synthesis of
the qualitative
research studies.
The design for the
review comprised
of the inclusion
and exclusion
criteria.
nurse-patient
communication is
crucial in acute
inpatient mental
health units that
involves
interpersonal
approaches for
addressing the
mental health
challenges in these
settings.
nursing clinical
practice in acute
inpatient mental
health settings. It
also provide
opportunities to
understand the
physical and
mental needs of
patients and
meaningful ways
in addressing them.
The limitation of
the paper is the
drawing of the
evidences. The
paper findings
were attempted to
be used as research
method that
resulted in loss
data depth and
contextual
integrity. The
studies comprising
of small sample
size limits the
generalization to
the wider
population and
other settings.

Moreover,
qualitative
literature review is
difficult when
summing the
results.
Reference list
Cleary, M., Hunt, G.E., Horsfall, J. and Deacon, M., 2012. Nurse-patient interaction in acute adult inpatient mental health units: a review and
synthesis of qualitative studies. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(2), pp.66-79.
Howard, L. and Gamble, C., 2011. Supporting mental health nurses to address the physical health needs of people with serious mental illness in
acute inpatient care settings. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 18(2), pp.105-112.
Robson, D., Haddad, M., Gray, R. and Gournay, K., 2013. Mental health nursing and physical health care: A cross‐sectional study of nurses'
attitudes, practice, and perceived training needs for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness. International Journal of Mental
Health Nursing, 22(5), pp.409-417.