Implementing Peer Support in Community Mental Health Nursing Teams: Qualitative Evaluation

Introduction: Peer support (PS) is considered central in the recovery for people with mental health problems. While PS is established in the inpatient setting in Switzerland, it is rarely available in outpatient settings. Aim: To evaluate the implementation of PS within Swiss community mental health nursing (CMHN) teams, focusing on its content and impact, as well as the factors contributing to its successful implementation and the potential barriers. Methods: We conducted a qualitative, participatory study using implementation research principles in three CMHN teams. Data collection included interviews with managers, peer support workers (PSWs) and nurses, along with participant observations. Findings were analysed using qualitative content analysis. This article follows SRQR guidelines. Results: Clients and staff reported high satisfaction with PSWs but PS was only implemented at the client level. Challenges included unclear job descriptions, low PSW working hours, limited understanding of PS and financial constraints. Discussion: There was a lack of adequate training on PS and recovery. PSW were seen somewhat externally by the CMHN teams which weakened integration. Conclusion: Aligning with best practice guidelines, our findings suggest that successful implementation of PS requires standardised PSW training, financial recognition, comprehensive team training and internal efforts on PSW team integration. Relevance Statement: This study provides practice-based insights into implementing peer support in Swiss community mental health nursing teams, a newly emerging area of practice. It highlights key factors influencing peer support worker integration, including role clarity, training gaps and nursing team preparation. The findings offer guidance for community mental health nurses to strengthen recovery-oriented care through the effective implementation of peer support. By addressing practical barriers and facilitators, this study directly supports the advancement of mental health nursing in community settings. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.