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Summary
Ward atmosphere is influenced by patient age, psychosis levels, and staff turnover. Higher patient age correlated with preferred atmospheres for older individuals, while increased psychosis and patient numbers had anti-therapeutic effects. Staff turnover negatively impacted all patients.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Understanding the patient's perception of ward atmosphere is crucial for therapeutic environments.
- Ward atmosphere is influenced by various factors including patient demographics and staff dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between patient-perceived ward atmosphere and specific setting and treatment characteristics.
- To identify key variables influencing the therapeutic environment on short-term psychiatric wards.
Main Methods:
- Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed.
- Data were collected from 35 short-term psychiatric wards.
- Patient perceptions of ward atmosphere were correlated with setting and treatment variables.
Main Results:
- Mean patient age, percentage of psychotic patients, number of patients, staff turnover rate, and interaction score were significant predictors.
- Higher mean patient age was linked to atmospheres preferred by older patients.
- Increased psychosis percentage and patient numbers were associated with potentially anti-therapeutic changes for psychotic patients.
- Higher staff turnover negatively affected both psychotic and nonpsychotic patients.
- Increased interaction focus benefited nonpsychotic patients but was partly detrimental to psychotic patients.
Conclusions:
- Ward atmosphere is significantly shaped by patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and staff stability.
- Specific ward characteristics can have differential impacts on patient subgroups, necessitating tailored approaches.
- Optimizing ward atmosphere requires careful consideration of patient mix, staff retention, and interactional dynamics.