Achieving Excellence Through Contemporary and Relevant Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Standards of Practice

Standards of practice (SOPs) comprise competency statements, which are grounded in current knowledge and research, and provide foundations for performance that support professional accountability. The nursing profession, and specifically the psychiatric-mental health specialty of nursing practice in Canada, develops and revises practice standards regularly. The current article describes the collaborative, evidence-informed journey of the Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses during its fourth revision of the Canadian Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing SOPs. An intraprofessional team of psychiatric-mental health nurses from the clinical, academic, research, and policy areas developed and nurtured collaborative processes that emphasize collegial and authentic relationships. Effective communication and a respectful learning environment supported the process for all members of the team. The current article provides recommendations for other professional organizations considering developing and/or revising SOPs.