Psychiatric Nurses’ Roles in Using Digital Technology in Mental Health Promotion and Psychiatric Illness Prevention

Abstract

This article presents guidelines for using digital technology to promote mental health and prevent mental illness for psychiatric nurses. Currently, the institute of mental health care has developed digital technology such as websites and apps, especially self-help digital interventions, for enhancing the mental health care skills of people, including digital technology in mental health promotion that focuses on providing information about mental health promotion; digital technology in mental illness prevention that focuses on mental health assessment and self-care guidance; and digital technology that provides online therapy for severe mental illness prevention. Therefore, psychiatric nurses who play a role in mental health services have to integrate digital technology into their services to promote mental health and prevent mental illness by supporting the use of digital media to develop personal skills in mental health promotion and prevention for people. They can also enhance the potential of their work and professional development by using digital technology in nursing services. However, the use of digital technology should include awareness of the quality of digital technology, the suitability of target groups, as well as ethics. Psychiatric nurses have to keep up the standard of psychiatric nursing services, especially with the use of technology.