Community Psychiatric Nurse
Encyclopedia
In the United Kingdom a community psychiatric nurse is a psychiatric nurse based in the community rather than a psychiatric hospital
. They form an integral part of community mental health teams. They are often patients' key workers within the NHS
mental health system and are often the first port of call for further referrals to psychiatrists, psychotherapists and other mental health professionals. Community psychiatric nurses mainly visit people in their own homes but they also see people in other settings such as GP surgeries or the community mental health team base.
Community psychiatric nurses are fully trained psychiatric nurses who have several years' experience working in a psychiatric hospital or ward.
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
. They form an integral part of community mental health teams. They are often patients' key workers within the NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
mental health system and are often the first port of call for further referrals to psychiatrists, psychotherapists and other mental health professionals. Community psychiatric nurses mainly visit people in their own homes but they also see people in other settings such as GP surgeries or the community mental health team base.
Community psychiatric nurses are fully trained psychiatric nurses who have several years' experience working in a psychiatric hospital or ward.