An exploration of mental health nursing models of care in a Queensland psychiatric hospital

This qualitative study that took place in 2006 in a publicly funded Queensland psychiatric hospital explored nursing models of care from multiple points of view. Eleven participants were interviewed. Two were post-acute consumers, three were nurse unit managers, one was an enrolled nurse, and the remaining five were registered nurses. Even though participants valued an approach that was different to a medical model, in the absence of an explicit nursing approach, the predominantly illness-care culture led nurses to resort to problem-focused care. Relying on implicit models of care created inconsistencies and precluded the nursing strategies from being systematically evaluated, revised, or extended. Various changes were identified and included the desire for further consultation and staff development so that an explicit model of care could be introduced and evaluated.