A description and evaluation of a challenging behaviour workshop.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services
• Staff Training

Background:

• Effective staff-patient relationships are crucial in long-stay inpatient psychiatric settings.
• Understanding patient needs and managing challenging behaviors are essential for staff.
• Improving the therapeutic environment requires skilled and supported staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a workshop designed for psychiatric staff.
• To assess the impact of the training on staff-patient relationships, burnout, and ward atmosphere.
• To gauge staff satisfaction with the intervention aimed at managing challenging behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed with pre- and post-intervention assessments.
• The workshop was delivered to staff in a low secure psychiatric unit.
• Data collected included outcome measures, attendance rates, and staff satisfaction questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Workshop attendance was moderate (42%), with lower completion rates for follow-up measures (34%).
• The training did not yield statistically significant improvements in assessed outcomes like staff-patient relationships or burnout.
• Despite the lack of outcome effects, staff expressed generally positive satisfaction with the training program.

Conclusions:

• Barriers to training in psychiatric settings can be reduced by fostering positive staff relationships and securing management support.
• Addressing staff's negative expectations is vital for successful training implementation.
• While this specific workshop showed limited impact, staff satisfaction suggests potential for future training initiatives with modifications.