CPN

Community Psychiatric Nurse

MS Jacky Millar

Community Psychiatric Nurse

Qualifications

R.M.N

Base

Primary Health Care

Role and Function

Assessor

Assessmment forms a vital part of any care giving service.Assessment involves a holistic approach in that the Mental, Physical and Spiritual needs of each client/patient are assessed using the Kings Nursing Model. Evaluation of the given service is negotiated to assess its effectiveness.

Consultant

Community nursing care is a resource which is available to the mentally ill in the community. The C.P.N can give advice to other professionals in the community about the level of psychiatric care needed.

Clinician

Advicing on health issues e.g. healthy eating, alcohol intake, excercise, etc or giving depot medication, supervising prescribed medication, advicing on side effects of medications and other related health issues.

Therapist

Applying varied counselling approaches to meet the needs of each individual client/patient e.g C.B.T,Transactional Analysis, The Alcoholic Anonymous 12 step programme, Anger Management, Social Skills Training, Client Centered Therapy etc.

Educator and Promotor of Mental Health

Not only on curative but also on preventative aspects of health

Educator of student nurses and other professionals

Manager

Organising work priorities

Liasing with other professionals, eg S.H.O, primary care team,C.P.N, police, probation officers, housing staff, voluntary associations etc.

Activities

C.P.N get involved in:

Crisis intervention
Care programme approach
Ward reviews
Support/advice giving to carers and others - mobilisation of resources.
Group Work
In-Service Training
Domiciliary Visits with GP/Consultan Psychiatrist/SHO/C.P.N
Acting as advocate for client/patient or carer
Report writing
Participation in working party to examine various local issues
Participation in Research
Sharing of On Call Duty Rota
Carer Support Groups