Valuing autonomy, struggling for an identity and a collective voice, and seeking role recognition: community mental health nurses' perceptions of their roles.

Publisher: Informa Healthcare Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 7907126 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1096-4673 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01612840 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Issues Ment Health Nurs

Publication: London : Informa Healthcare
Original Publication: [New York, McGraw-Hill]

Attitude of Health Personnel* ; Professional Autonomy* ; Self Concept*; Community Health Nursing/*organization & administration ; Nurse's Role/*psychology ; Psychiatric Nursing/*organization & administration; Career Mobility ; Community Health Nursing/education ; Education, Nursing, Graduate ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Frustration ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Health Services Research ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Male ; Morale ; Nurse Clinicians/education ; Nurse Clinicians/organization & administration ; Nurse Clinicians/psychology ; Nurse Practitioners/education ; Nurse Practitioners/organization & administration ; Nurse Practitioners/psychology ; Nursing Methodology Research ; Organizational Innovation ; Personnel Turnover ; Psychiatric Nursing/education ; Qualitative Research ; Social Identification ; Southeastern United States

Leaders in this community mental health system approached the problem of job frustration, morale issues, and turnover concerns of their Community Mental Health Nurses (CMHNs) by designing a qualitative study using Participant Action Research (PAR) methodology based on the philosophy of Habermas. Six focus groups were conducted to address the nurses' concerns. The themes of Valuing Autonomy, Struggling for an Identity and Collective Voice, and Seeking Role Recognition best explained the participants' concerns. The study concluded with an action plan, the implementation of the plan, and a discussion of the plan's final outcomes.

Date Created: 20081015 Date Completed: 20081202 Latest Revision: 20081014

20240829

10.1080/01612840802319779

18853347