Abstract

This paper details an action research study that was carried out with nurses and patients in a community mental health service in Ireland. People with mental illnesses who receive antipsychotic medications have excess mortality which is two to three times higher than the general population, shortening their life expectancy of 20 -30 years. An action research methodology was specifically chosen to enact two cycles of action used in this study assisted in examining metabolic risk in patient’s receiving long acting typical injectable antipsychotic medication. This methodology was practical because it identified the people i.e. the patients and the nurses who could help to improve it and, this study was consciousness raising and allowed practice transformation to occur. Two action cycles took place and was led by with community mental health nurses (n=8) and patients who participated (n=45). The first cycle of action was obtaining metabolic screening data of the patient’s metabolic markers. Metabolic screening of risk factors utilized NCEP ATP III criteria [1]. The second cycle of action involved obtaining a second round of screening data on the patient’s metabolic markers to determine if there was an improved health status. At baseline, fourteen patients 31% met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. At the 2nd screening metabolic screening just eight patients 17 % met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Action research has assisted nurses and patients to identify the problem and subsequently to develop a way forward that was aimed towards changing and improving the physical health and wellbeing of the patients. By engaging in this meaningful activity, the nurses became catalysts in empowering others to bring about real change and that is now improving the lives of patients with severe mental illness, who badly need it.