Applied research directly impacts what mental health nurses do in their routine practice, so it is essential that more mental health nurses should be involved in informing, contributing to, or even leading this research (“nothing about us, without us”).

Mental health nurses may believe that research is only for those with special skills in statistics or trial design. However, the best quality research requires a team that represents methodological expertise, clinical expertise and the lived experience. We are working together to co-produce the research question, the design of the study, and the interpretation and implications of the findings. Good quality mental health care should be based on the best available evidence. Doing research is not a distraction from clinical work, its essential for evolution and development of better care.