Refocusing on physical health: community psychiatric nurses' perceptions of using enhanced health checks for people with severe mental illness

This qualitative descriptive study explores Hong Kong Community Psychiatric Nurses' (CPNs) perceptions of using comprehensive physical health checks for service users diagnosed with severe mental illness. Research interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of eleven CPNs in order to explore their perceptions about the use of the Health Improvement Profile (HIP) over a one year period. Interview data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that the majority of CPNs appreciated the comprehensive focus on the physical health of their clients and reported positive changes in their clinical practice. Many of them observed an increase in the motivation of their clients to improve their physical health and also noted observable benefits in service users' well-being. The use of the HIP also helped the CPNs identify implementation barriers and highlighted areas of the tool that required modifications to suit the local cultural and clinical context. To our knowledge this is the first study conducted in an Asian mental health service that explores nurses' views about using comprehensive health checks for people with severe mental illness. The findings suggest that such approaches are viewed as being acceptable, feasible and potentially beneficial in the community mental health setting.