In their practice the authors observed a lack of research results in psychiatric nursing, brought to the nurses assistence activities. This fact stimulated them to survey the existent studies done in Brazil, in order to verify what has been investigated in the area. Data collection covered Brazilian nursing periodicals, theses and dissertations. Bringing to focus the themes already researched, the objective of this article is twofold: to stimulate nurses to incorporate the provided research knowledge to their practice, and to undertake new studies to meliorate psychiatric nursing care quality.
Research; Psychiatric nursing; Mental health