Background:

Psychosomatic disorders and mental illness are increasing among children and adolescents. Conceptual description of various health conditions in mental health and illness, psychosomatic and mental disorder are needed, along with an understanding of the impact of risk factors and protective factors for mental health disorders in children and adolescents. The nurse’s preventative and supportive work on mental health interventions promotes mental health and wellbeing. The psychiatric nurse's health promotion work is based on trust and respect, this to identifying mental illness and being able to direct efforts and preventing a further disease progression.

Aim:

The aim was to describe the nurse's preventive work and the mental health promoting interventions in the care of children and adolescents with mental and psychosomatic disorders. Another aim was to describe the need for the psychiatric nurse's collaboration through her specific knowledge in the care of children and adolescents with mental illness.

Method:

An integrative review of fourteen peer reviewed articles. Article searches were conducted in the databases CINAHLComplete, PSYCInfo and PubMed. Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) work process in method was applied and divided into the work in five stages. Theoretical background was Eriksson's nursing theory.

Results:

The result showed that the nurses preventive work and mental health promotion interventions with children and adolescents with mental illness and psychosomatic symptoms consisted of a variety of disease prevention measures such as prevention program, early identification of symptoms and early intervention with appropriate interventions. Further results highlight the need for the psychiatric nurse's collaboration and guidance through their specific knowledge in the care of children and adolescents with mental illness.

Conclusion:

The nurse is in a position to assist the families, children and adolescents intervening with their prevention work and interaction regarding mental illness. The result shows that empathy and responsiveness develop trusting relationships with the children for early identifying psychosomatic disorders and dealing with mental illness. Effective health promotion interventions within and outside the health sector can further build children's self-esteem and resilience. Increased constructive collaboration in mental health care creates increased quality of care. The psychiatric nurse has a collaborative role and supervisory function by supporting and contributing with her specialist knowledge in the school, child health and child health care.