Impact of a Mental Health Nursing Training-Programme on the Perceived Recovery-Orientation of Patients and Nurses on Acute Psychiatric Wards: Results of a Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

In mental health nursing, recovery-orientation is regarded as a best practice approach for patient care. To assess the effect of an intervention utilising a recovery-oriented approach in acute practice, a controlled pilot trial was conducted. On intervention wards, mental health nurses received special training. Recovery Self-Assessment Scale was used to assess the effects of the training. No statistically significant effects were found, between the experimental conditions. Reasons for this result may be methodological, practical or due an intervention that was not powerful enough. Recovery-oriented intervention studies in mental health nursing should be conducted with caution.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the patients and the mental health nurses for their engagement in the study. Many thanks go Tannys Helfer and Rebekah Moser for editorial assistance.

Funding

Financial support from Bern University of Applied Sciences is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Clinical trials registry

The trial is registered with the German Clinical Trial Registery number: DRKS00009769.

Contributions to the paper

GZ: Study Conception, Data-Analysis & Writing

SH: Study Conception & Supervision, Writing & Revision

TS: Study Conception, Data-Analysis & Revision

PW, Study Conception & Supervision, Revision

DR: Study Conception, Data Analysis, Supervision, Writing & Revision