Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Job and Patient Outcomes: A Scoping Review

• Published in: Journal for nurse practitioners Vol. 20; no. 6; p. 105019
• Main Authors: Weissinger, Guy Mattingly, Brom, Heather, Macneal, Lauren, Petoskey, Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Elsevier Inc 01-06-2024; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Burnout; Clinical outcomes; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Health services; Health status; health workforce; Job satisfaction; Medical personnel; Mental disorders; mental health; Mental health care; Mental health professionals; Mental health services; Nurse practitioners; Nurses; Nursing; Pandemics; Patient satisfaction; Patients; Pediatrics; Physicians; psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners; Scope of practice; Telemedicine; Waivers; Work environment; Workforce; United States > US; psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners; health services; mental health; health workforce
• ISSN: 1555-4155; 1878-058X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2024.105019

Psychiatric–mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) offer a solution to the shortage of mental health care providers in a time of increased mental health demand. However, little is known about their job and patient outcomes. This scoping review aimed to explore PMHNP job outcomes, including satisfaction, burnout, and quality of work life, and patient mental health outcomes of PMHNP-delivered care. Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria and were published from January 2002 through October 2023. The existing research suggests that PMHNP-delivered care results in positive patient mental health outcomes for a variety of mental health conditions. For job outcomes, further research is warranted.
•Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are an essential part of the mental health workforce.•This scoping review identified literature examining PMHNP job outcomes and patient outcomes.•Few articles examined PMHNP job outcomes, but the impact of practice restrictions was highlighted across studies.•PMHNP care was generally associated with positive patient outcomes across settings and populations.•There is a clear need for more research examining PMHNP job and patient outcomes.