Building a Mental Health–Ready Nursing Workforce: A Scoping Review of Preparatory Interventions

Abstract

The rising prevalence of mental health conditions (MHCs), coupled with increased public awareness, has led to greater help-seeking behaviours and heightened demands on nurses across healthcare settings. However, many general trained nurses report feeling inadequately prepared to care for individuals with MHCs due to limited training and clinical exposure. This lack of preparedness may result in compromised quality of care, reduced professional satisfaction and poorer recovery outcomes for clients. Existing systematic reviews have predominantly focused on psychosocial interventions for psychiatric nurses, limiting insights into interventions relevant to the broader nursing workforce. This review aimed to map the available evidence on interventions that prepare general trained nurses to care for individuals with MHCs. A comprehensive search was conducted across eight electronic databases between August and September 2024, alongside grey literature sources, including ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and ClinicalTrials.gov, searched between September and October 2024. A total of 7646 records were identified. Following title and abstract screening, 38 full-text articles were reviewed, of which 24 met the inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis was undertaken, with findings organised into delivery methods, intervention domains and implementation challenges. The review found that interventions targeting mental health literacy, stigma reduction, interpersonal and communication skills, and nurse safety and resilience were associated with improved confidence, empathy, therapeutic relationships and willingness to provide care. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of multifaceted, contextually relevant approaches, including digital literacy training, ongoing evaluation and stronger organisational support, to enhance nurses' preparedness and well-being in mental health care.