An evaluation of the implementation of case management in the community psychiatric nursing service

Abstract

This paper reports the preliminary results of a study on the implementation of case management in the community psychiatric nursing service (CPNS). The purpose of the study is to compare the outcome of case management service with the conventional practice of CPNS in the care of chronic schizophrenic clients. The impact of case management service on clients' clinical status, functional level and satisfaction was measured. A matched, pre-post, case-control group design was used to compare case management and conventional care groups. A specific case management model based on the practice at Carondelet Saint Mary's Hospital and Health Centre in Tucson has been developed to care for the schizophrenic clients in the community. Subjects in the experimental group were cared for by CPNs using this case management model. Subjects in the control group were cared for by CPNs based on current practices in the CPNS. Pre- and post-measures were taken upon recruitment and at 5 months later. Findings showed that the experimental group had better outcome in terms of their mental status and functional level when compared with the control group. They were generally more satisfied with the service. When comparing case managers' role with that of conventional CPNs, case managers performed more in areas such as assessment, liaison, case discussion and life skills training. This study demonstrates that this particular model of case management can be effective in caring for clients with long-term mental health problems in Hong Kong.

Evaluation of a psychoeducation program for Chinese clients with schizophrenia and their family caregivers

“…A higher score indicates a poorer mental condition. This instrument has been widely used in Hong Kong among clients with characteristics similar to those of the participants in this study [35]. The inter-rater reliabilities of the subscales range from 0.62 to 0.87 [34].…”

Clinical correlates of clozapine prescription for schizophrenia in China

“…Psychiatric symptoms were assessed with the 18-item BPRS. It has solid psychometric properties (Andersen et al, 1989), and has been widely used in HK (Chan et al, 2000) and Mainland China (Phillips et al, 1990). For this study, the following six mean scores were used: (1) sum score of BPRS; (2) positive symptoms of conceptual disorganization, grandiosity, hallucinatory behavior, and unusual thought content; (3) negative symptoms of emotional withdrawal, motor retardation, and blunted affect; (4) affective symptoms of anxiety, guilt, depression, and somatic; (5) resistance symptoms of hostility, uncooperativeness, and suspiciousness; (6) activation symptoms of excitement, tension, and mannerisms (Shafer, 2005 The WHOQOL-Brief version (WHO, 1998) is a 26-item, self-administered generic questionnaire, which covers four domains: physical and psychological health, social relationships and environmental factors.…”

Psychosocial Burden Among Caregivers of Patients With Schizophrenia in Egypt

“…In combination S with the lack of personal, financial, and emotional resources, many caregivers often experience tremendous stress, depression, and/or anxiety in the year after garegiving begins (6) . The adverse consequences of taking care of relatives with severe mental illnesses have been studied since early 1950s, when psychiatric institutions began discharging patients to the community (10,11) . Burden on the family refers to the consequences for those in close contact with a severely disturbed person with mental health problems.…”