An overview of the role and functions of a psychiatric consultation liaison nurse: an Australian perspective.

The role of the psychiatric consultation liaison nurse (PCLN) has increased substantially in popularity over the last few years. Despite the growth of this position, a paucity of literature regarding the role, functions and effectiveness of psychiatric consultation liaison nursing continues to exist. The current study was undertaken as part of the Victorian Nurse Practitioner Project. A significant aspect of this study concerned collection of data on the activities of the PCLN. This approach enabled an extensive and detailed profile of the PCLN to be formulated. The findings indicate that the PCLN provided a service to nursing, medicine and allied health in relation to patients experiencing mental health problems in the general hospital setting. Patients referred to the PCLN presented varied clinical features in terms of medical, surgical and mental health disorders. The PCLN performed a range of interventions. The results of this study make a significant contribution to address the current paucity of literature.