Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Data-Driven Policy Platform for a Psychiatric Mental Health Care Workforce

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a data-driven policy platform for psychiatric nurses roles and outcomes to alleviate the current mental health crisis in the United States. METHOD: Drawing on census data, statistical reports, and analysis of the current psychiatric mental health nursing (PMHN) workforce, a data-driven policy platform is designed to recruit, train, and prepare psychiatric nurses for addressing the nation’s mental health crises. RESULTS: As noted by the Institute of Medicine’s 2010 & 2016 reports on the future of nursing, the largest available health care workforce is not being used effectively, particularly to address the nation’s mental health care needs. The development of a data-driven platform provides direction for psychiatric nurses in developing the workforce to meet the national mental health crisis. CONCLUSIONS: From education through practice and research, psychiatric-mental health nursing must build and share a data-driven, relationship-to-care platform emphasizing how PMHN care affects patient outcomes. Using a data-based platform to grow supportive public opinion, psychiatric mental health nursing can build a workforce to modify national accreditation standards and laws supporting data-driven PMHN care. The specialty profession must also seek to modify the nursing profession’s attitude toward embracing data-driven platform of care relationships to psychiatric mental health outcomes.