LAUSR

INTRODUCTION Nurses are the largest professional disciplinary group working in mental health services and have been involved in numerous trials of nursing-specific and multidisciplinary interventions. Systematic appraisal of relevant research findings is rare. AIM To review trials from the core Anglosphere (UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) published from 2005-2020. METHOD A systematic review reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. Comprehensive electronic database searches were conducted. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials of mental health nurse-delivered interventions conducted in relevant countries. Risk of bias was independently assessed. Synthesis involved integration of descriptive statistics of standardised metrics and study bias. RESULTS Outcomes from 348 between-group comparisons were extracted from K=51 studies (N=11,266 participants), Standardised effect sizes for 68 (39 very small/small, 29 moderate/large) statistically significant outcomes from 30 studies were calculable. All moderate/large effect sizes were at risk of bias. DISCUSSION Trial evidence of effective mental health nurse-delivered interventions is limited. Many studies produced few or no measurable benefits; none demonstrated improvements related to personal recovery. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Mental health nurses should look beyond gold standard RCT evidence, and to evidence-based interventions that have not been trialled with mental health nurse delivery.