The Role and Role Activities of Professional Nurses Practicing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Units in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Background: In South Africa’s healthcare system, the rise in mental health challenges among children and adolescents underscores the need for effective, specialized services. Central to psychiatric care are multidisciplinary teams, with child and adolescent professional nurses playing crucial roles in supporting positive health outcomes. However, the specific roles and activities of these nurses remain unclear within the South African context. Purpose: This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the roles and activities of child and adolescent professional nurse practitioners in South Africa. Through semi- structured interviews, the study explores the various dimensions of their roles. Research Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used semi structured interviews and thematic analysis to gather and analyse data, 17 interviews were conducted and analysed. A scoping literature review was also conducted, following Arksey and O'Malley’s (2005) framework, to map the role of child and adolescent professional nurses internationally over the past decade. The review, conducted across databases including Ebsco Host, Scopus, and ProQuest, resulted in six articles after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings: Interview data revealed that nurses’ roles include patient support, crisis management, independent admission processes, medication administration, and therapy sessions. Their responsibilities span ensuring safety, collaborating in multidisciplinary teams, managing high-risk patients, and maintaining records. Administrative duties involve delegation, supervision, training, advocacy, and referrals. The main challenges identified were training gaps in psychology, burnout, resource limitations, and facility constraints. The scoping review echoed similar themes, including professional roles, patient care, therapeutic interventions, safety measures, collaborative practices, training needs, and skills development for CAMH nurses. Conclusion: This study illuminates the diverse and essential roles of child and adolescent professional nurses within the healthcare team, underscoring the need to integrate these responsibilities into training curricula. By synthesising literature and xii empirical data, the study offers a comprehensive view of these nurses’ roles and challenges, contributing valuable insights for future practice and education in the field.