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Using research to implement change: the introduction of group activities on a psychiatric unit
Author(s) -
PARAHOO K.,
McGURN A.,
McDONNELL R.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2702.1995.tb00205.x
Subject(s) - casual , unit (ring theory) , psychiatric ward , nursing , psychology , medicine , psychiatry , medical education , applied psychology , materials science , mathematics education , composite material
Summary• Staff in a psychiatric unit of a general hospital proposed the introduction of a programme of structured group activities, based on their casual observation that patients were sometimes unoccupied and bored. It was decided to collect data systematically in order to inform the implementation of activities. • An activities record sheet was developed to list all activities taking place over a 1‐week period. Questionnaires were administered to patients ( n = 23) and staff ( n = 20) on the unit to seek their views on the value, type, timing, frequency and location of activities as well as on other related aspects. • Overall, staff made practical and realistic suggestions regarding the implementation of structured group activities. The data collected, although useful in planning change, raised questions about the poor quality of patients' responses and the low response rate (50%) from staff. Implications of these and other issues are discussed.