Mental Health Nurse Consultants in general hospitals face barriers and

A new study in BMC Nursing highlights a “quiet but consequential” barrier facing Mental Health Nurse Consultants (MHNCs) in general hospitals in China: structural obstacles that prevent them from delivering needed psychological care. Conducted in a large tertiary hospital in September 2024, the descriptive qualitative research involved nine participants across hospital administration, physicians, nursing management, and the MHNCs themselves. Using focus groups, researchers found MHNC roles undermined by workload pressure, unclear professional boundaries, and missing infrastructure—including, notably, the absence of even a dedicated consultation room. The findings argue MHNCs require recognition, protected time, and formal integration into care teams for medically complex patients.