Thematic analysis of psychiatric patients' perceptions of nursing staff

Abstract

Therapeutic and informal interactions with nurses are integral to the quality of care that psychiatric patients receive. How well these interactions are performed, and their impact on the experience and outcomes of inpatient care, have not been subject to systematic evaluation. The aim of the present study was to examine patients' perceptions of the personal and professional qualities of nursing staff and how these contribute to the ward environment. Patients (n = 119) from 16 acute psychiatric wards were interviewed using a schedule developed by a service-user researcher. Transcriptions of interviews were coded and organized into six themes: staff duties, staff disposition, control, communication and engagement, therapeutic ward environment, and consistency. Patients recognized that nurses have a difficult and stressful job, but frequently expressed feelings of anger, frustration, and hopelessness about their experience of the wards. Patients frequently felt that nursing staff did not understand issues from their perspective or attempt to empathize with them. The findings indicate poorly-communicated and inconsistent care. Initiatives to improve patients' experiences of acute psychiatric wards are urgently needed.

<b>Perceptions on psychiatric nursing care at a general hospital inpatient unit

“…While interviewing 119 psychiatric patients hospitalized in psychiatric units in England, the authors found that interaction with nursing professionals favors the development of security and confidence. A patient being treated with respect helps with their recovery (Stewart et al, 2015).…”

A systematic review of factors associated with service user satisfaction with psychiatric inpatient services

“…Studies reported a positive association between the quality of the therapeutic relationship and satisfaction with services (Howard et al, 2003;Kuosmanen et al, 2006;Olusina et al, 2002;Sweeney et al, 2014;Zendjidjian et al, 2014). In particular, staff supportiveness (Middelboe et al, 2001), accessibility (Rose et al, 2015;Wallace et al, 1999), and capability (Stewart et al, 2015) were related to satisfaction. Satisfaction with different professions varied, with nursing care being rated as most satisfactory, and medical care as least satisfactory (Brunero et al, 2009;Cleary et al, 2009).…”

“…They also did not score highly regarding representativeness of the sample, mainly due to a failure to report the number of people who had declined to participate, and the associated reasons. Of the qualitative studies, one scored 25% (Duggins and Shaw, 2006) and three scored 50% (Rose et al, 2015;Stewart et al, 2015;Wallace et al, 1999). The qualitative papers generally scored well for reporting the analysis used, but there was little or no acknowledgement of the impact of the researcher on the research process.…”

Mental health nurses and mental health peer workers: Self‐perceptions of role‐related clinical competences

“…Hospitalized mental health patients perceive that nurses are often too involved in rule enforcement, medication administration, and ensuring security in wards, while they want nurses to focus on genuine therapeutic engagement (Santangelo et al 2017;Stewart et al 2014). They invest a lot in discussing and checking their actions with their team members.…”