The use of information and communication technologies in mental health nursing

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are part of everyday nursing practice. They are routinely used to store patient data and provide the foundation by which teams and health professionals communicate (e.g. mental health nurses use email as part of their daily practice). This paper discusses the use of ICTs by mental health nurses and their impact on mental health nursing practice. While some benefits of ICTs—information management, access to health services, quality improvement and cost containment—are well documented, others have yet to be fully realised. The paper looks at the possible reasons for this and examines why mental health nurses should concern themselves with this technological revolution.