RESUMO
The aim of this study was to conduct an integrative review of the literature on the applicability of the nursing process in psychiatric nursing care. The following databases were searched for indexed articles Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde and the National Library of Medicine. Studies in English and in Portuguese between January 2002 and September 2012 were included. The final sample consisted of nine articles. The studies showed evidence of the applicability of the nursing process in psychiatric nursing, favoring qualified and systematized care. The nursing process is a methodology that promotes comprehensive patient care for those with mental illness. There are few studies on the subject and more research into this topic is needed.