This pilot study in a specialist mental health crisis assessment
and treatment setting compared patients’ outcomes and level of satisfaction
in nurse-initiated care and in treatment as usual. 
There were no significant differences between nurse-initiated
care and treatment as usual in terms of HoNOS scores or consumer
and caregiver satisfaction. This was not due to clinical or demographic
differences between the two groups nor to an inadequate sample
size. Overall, the nurse was found to follow best or acceptable clinical
practices. The findings indicate that the nurse practitioner
role can potentially initiate safe and effective mental health care
and treatment that is as satisfying as that initiated by a physician. Additional,
larger-scale research is required to determine the generalizability
of these findings.