Ombudsman: a new role for advanced practice nurses in psychiatric-mental health nursing

TOPIC: The role of ombudsman for advanced practice nurses in psychiatric mental health nursing. PURPOSE: To describe the role of ombudsman and its fit with nursing as seen in the Price Spratlen Ombudsing Model. SOURCE: The author's own experiences as both an advanced practice nurse and an ombudsman. CONCLUSION: Because of downsizing, reorganization, and a general trend toward mutual distrust in large organizations, being an ombudsman has been named one of the "25 hottest careers." Advanced practice nurses in psychiatric mental health nursing, by virtue of their knowledge of interpersonal, preventive, and systems theories, are in a unique position to fill this role.