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Mental Health Nursing

Mental Health Nursing refers to the care of people of all ages experiencing mental illness or psychological distress. Conditions include mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, psychosis and self-harm. Use this guide to find information resources about mental health including books, reports and journal articles. Use this guide to find information resources about mental health including books, reports and journal articles.

Last updated: 18/03/2021

RCN Publications

Royal College of Nursing (2018) Parity of esteem - Report of the spring 2018 RCN survey of mental health professionals, London: RCN. Royal College of Nursing (2018) Parity of esteem: Report of the spring 2018 RCN survey of mental health professionals. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2017) Child and adolescent mental health. London: RCN.

Royal College of Nursing (2017) Child and adolescent mental health. London: RCN.

Royal College of Nursing (2014) Mental health in children and young people: an RCN toolkit for nurses who are not mental health specialists, London: RCN. Royal College of Nursing (2014) Mental health in children and young people: an RCN toolkit for nurses who are not mental health specialists. London: RCN.

Reviews and reports

Please check that resources are applicable for your country.

The Cochrane Library contains high quality independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. This includes the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.


  • Systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library. Topics include mental health.
    View page
  • An example of a Cochrane Library search
    View example search
Health Education England (2017) Stepping forward to 2020/21: The mental health workforce plan for England. London: HEE.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2019) Mental health and behavioural conditions: general and other. London: NICE.



Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (2007) Bamford review of mental health and learning disability. Belfast: DH.

Other resources and guidance

Please check that resources are applicable for your country.

NHS Evidence guidance search: Mental health.
NHS Education for Scotland: Mental health, learning disabilities and dementia (NMAHP) resources.
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (2019) 'SIGN mental health guidelines (2006-2019)'. Edinburgh: SIGN.
  • Guidelines 157, 145 and 131 cover mental health and behavioural conditions.
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Books on Prescription
  • A reading list of expert endorsed books about mental health, providing 13 to 18 year olds with advice and information about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams. The books have all been recommended by young people and health professionals, and are available to borrow for free from public libraries.
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Legislation and statutory guidance

Please check that resources are applicable for your country.

Department of Health and Social Care (2015) Code of practice: Mental Health Act 1983. Norwich: HMSO.
Parliament (1983) Mental Health Act 1983. London: HMSO.
Parliament (2005) Mental Capacity Act 2005. London: HMSO.
Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) (1986) The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order. Belfast: HMSO.
Scottish Executive (2003) Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act. Edinburgh: HMSO.
Welsh Government (2016) Mental Health Act 1983: code of practice. Cardiff: Llywodraeth Cymru.

National strategies

Scottish Government (2017) Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027. Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.
Department of Health (Northern Ireland) (2020) Mental Health Action Plan. Belfast: Department of Health.
Welsh Government (2012) Together for mental health: a strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales. Cardiff: Welsh Government.
NHS England Mental Health Taskforce (2016) Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. Redditch: NHS England.
  • Includes "Five Year Forward View for Mental Health - one year on" report
    View page
We would like to thank the RCN Mental Health member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.

Books

Barber P, Brown R and Martin D (2020) Mental health law in England and Wales: a guide for mental health professionals. 4th edn. London: Learning Matters. Barber P, Brown R and Martin D (2020) Mental health law in England and Wales: a guide for mental health professionals. 4th edn. London: Learning Matters.
Callaghan, P. & Gamble, C (2015) Oxford handbook of mental health nursing, 2nd;Second; edn, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Callaghan P and Gamble C (2015) Oxford handbook of mental health nursing. 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


Chambers, M (2017) Psychiatric and mental health nursing: the craft of caring, Third edn, CRC Press, Boca Raton. Chambers M (2017) Psychiatric and mental health nursing: the craft of caring. 3rd edn. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
 
Mucic D & Hilty D (eds) (2015) e-Mental Health, Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Mucic D and Hilty D M (eds.) (2015) E-mental health. London: Springer. 

 

Murphy R (2013) Mental health law in nursing, London: SAGE. Murphy R and Wales P (2013) Mental health law in nursing. London: SAGE.
Roberts D (2013) Psychosocial nursing care: a guide to nursing the whole person, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Roberts D (2013) Psychosocial nursing care: a guide to nursing the whole person. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Norman I (2013) The art and science of mental health nursing: principles and practice, Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Norman I and Ryrie I (2013) The art and science of mental health nursing: principles and practice. 3rd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.


Patel V (2014) Global mental health: principles and practice, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Patel V, Prince M, Patel V and Minas, I H (2014) Global mental health: principles and practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


Stickley T (2014) Theories for mental health nursing: a guide for practice, London: SAGE. Stickley T, Wright N and Freshwater D (2014) Theories for mental health nursing: a guide for practice. London: SAGE.
Townsend M (2011) Essentials of psychiatric mental health nursing: concepts of care in evidence-based practice, Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis. Townsend M (2014) Psychiatric nursing: assessment, care plans, and medications. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: F A Davis Company.
Walker S (2015) Psychosocial interventions in mental health nursing, London: Learning Matters.

Walker S (ed.) (2015) Psychosocial interventions in mental health nursing. London: Learning Matters.



Wrycraft N (2015) Assessment and care planning in mental health nursing, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Wrycraft N (2015) Assessment and care planning in mental health nursing. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Book subject searches

Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.

Journal articles

Use these links to see details of journal articles on each topic.

Journals

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Journal titles of interest for mental health. Use these links to see details of availability.

The Mental Elf

The Mental Elf: "No bias, no misinformation, no spin, just what you need."
  • This website aims to find you just what you need to keep up-to-date with all of the important and reliable mental health research and guidance. It includes short summaries that highlight evidence-based publications relevant to mental health practice in the UK and further afield.
    View page

Reading Well - Books on Prescription

Reading Well: Books on Prescription for common mental health conditions.
  • These books provide helpful information and step-by-step self-help techniques for managing a variety of common mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. They are endorsed by health professionals.
    View page

Other further reading

Filer, N (2019) The heartland: finding and losing schizophrenia. London: Faber & Faber. Filer, N (2019) The heartland: finding and losing schizophrenia. London: Faber & Faber. 

Nursing History Collection

Barker P (1999) From the ashes of experience: reflections on madness, survival and growth, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Barker P J R F, Campbell P and Davidson B (1999) From the ashes of experience: reflections on madness, survival and growth. London: Whurr.
Norman I (2013) The art and science of mental health nursing: principles and practice, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Nolan P (1993) A history of mental health nursing. London: Chapman & Hall.
McCrae N (2016) The story of nursing in British mental hospitals: echoes from the corridors, Abingdon: Routledge McCrae N (2016) The story of nursing in British mental hospitals: echoes from the corridors. Abingdon: Routledge.

Special Collections

Medico-Psychological Association (1893) Handbook for attendants on the insane. 2nd edn. London: Bailliere, Tindall and Cox.

Beardshaw V (1981) Conscientious objectors at work: mental hospital nurses : a case study. London: Social Audit.
Rippere V (1985) Wounded healers: mental health workers' experiences of depression, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Rippere V and Williams R (1985) Wounded healers: mental health workers’ experiences of depression. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

Historical Journals

Nursing Record/British Journal of Nursing (1888-1956)
Trained Attendant (1895) ‘Association of asylum workers [Letter to the Editor]’, The Nursing Record & Hospital World, 31 August, pp. 138–139
Ministry of Health (1944) War and mental health: few cases of ‘Blitz’ neurosis, The British Journal of Nursing, 92(December), p. 139.
Board of Control (1946) The Mental Health Service in war time. 1945 admissions highest on record: record number of discharges, The British Journal of Nursing, 94(December), p. 140.

Anonymous (1955) From madhouse to mental hospital, The British Journal of Nursing, (July).

This subject guide relates to:

Mental Health
Mental Health Forum

International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference

In association with Mental Health Nursing Academics UK, an exciting and informative programme of talks, debates and presentations about transforming mental health care services.
 
9-10 June 2021, online
RCN library staff

Lee Kattenhorn

Editor of this guide

RCN Library and Archive Service

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Page last updated - 18/03/2021

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