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P.r.n. medication use in a psychiatric high‐dependency unit following the introduction of a nurse‐led activity programme
Author(s) -
Thomas Ben,
Jones Margaret,
Johns Paul,
Trauer Tom
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.911
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1447-0349
pISSN - 1445-8330
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2006.00433.x
Subject(s) - pro re nata , intervention (counseling) , dependency (uml) , medicine , nursing , psychiatry , bevacizumab , ranibizumab , systems engineering , chemotherapy , engineering
This paper describes the introduction of a daily activity programme with clients who require psychiatric intensive care in two locked high‐dependency units (HDUs). To evaluate the programme, a crossover study between the two units was undertaken with a convenience sample of clients. Baseline data of pro re nata (p.r.n.) medication dispensed to patients were collected for a period of 2 weeks from both locked units before the introduction of the programme. The programme was conducted for a period of 1 month in alternate locked units. Both non‐intervention and active programme data were collected throughout the 6‐month period of the study. Findings from the study demonstrated that an activity‐based nursing intervention was effective in reducing the number of p.r.n. medications dispensed in a HDU compared with control conditions. The effects were statistically significant in one of the units and absent in the other. This study shows that a purposeful activity programme for severely disturbed psychiatric clients in a HDU setting can be effective in reducing disturbed behaviour and therefore the need for p.r.n. medication.