Nurse competencies for health promotion in the mental health context

Objective: To identify the competencies of nurses to health promotion in psychiatric and mental health context. Methods: Integrative review of literature performed through search using the keywords: "mental health" and "professional competence", in the databases SciELO, LILACS, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane, in the period of 2003 to 2011. 215 studies were identified, of these, six followed the inclusion criteria. Results: Based on the National Panel for Psychiatric Mental Health NP Competencies, the competencies were identified on the evaluated studies: Monitoring and ensuring the quality of health care practice, management of patient health/illness status, cultural competence, managing and negotiating health care delivery systems, the nurse practitioner-patient relationship. Conclusion: The studies analysis evidenced the need for education and training so that nurses may develop the competencies of health promotion in diverse psychiatric care and mental health contexts, in order to broaden knowledge and skills.