Implementing recovery-oriented interventions with staff in a psychiatric hospital: A mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services Research
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Healthcare Training and Education

Background:

• Recovery-oriented care (ROC) emphasizes patient needs and self-involvement, contrasting with traditional symptom-reduction models in psychiatric hospitals.
• Implementing ROC presents challenges in inpatient psychiatric settings, necessitating evaluation of staff training interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of three recovery-oriented training programs (Illness Management and Recovery, Peer Support, Psychiatric Advance Directives) on mental health staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
• To identify the benefits and challenges associated with implementing ROC interventions in psychiatric wards.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study compared trained staff (n=37) with untrained staff (n=35) on recovery knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
• Qualitative interviews with 15 trained staff explored their experiences, benefits, and challenges with ROC interventions.

Main Results:

• Illness Management and Recovery training positively influenced staff attitudes and some practices, fostering a person-centred approach and supporting patient autonomy.
• Peer support training led to a more humane and positive patient approach among staff.
• Psychiatric Advance Directives were found to be challenging to implement with limited impact.
• No significant differences were found between trained and untrained groups in practices supporting personal goals or tailored services.

Conclusions:

• Recovery-oriented training can be effectively integrated into traditional psychiatric settings, improving staff attitudes and some practices.
• Implementation challenges persist, particularly for psychiatric nurses in acute wards.
• A multi-faceted approach combining various ROC interventions, ongoing training, and strong administrative support is crucial for sustaining change.