Patient‐reported outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship in psychiatric inpatient hospitals: A multicentred descriptive cross‐sectional study
Authors: Desmet Karel , Bracke Piet , Deproost Eddy , Goossens Peter J. J. , Vandewalle Joeri , Vercruysse Lieke , Beeckman Dimitri , Van Hecke Ann , Kinnaer Lise‐Marie , Verhaeghe Sofie 
Published: January 2023

Accessible Summary

What is known on the subject?

Psychiatric and/or mental health nurses are struggling to measure the outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship.

Collecting nurse‐sensitive patient outcomes is a strategy to provide outcomes of a nurse–patient relationship from patients' perspectives.

Because there was no validated scale, the Mental Health Nurse‐Sensitive Patient Outcome‐Scale (six‐point Likert‐scale) was recently developed and psychometrically evaluated.

What the paper adds to existing knowledge?

This is the first study using the Mental Health Nurse‐Sensitive Patient Outcome‐scale to measure nurse‐sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship in psychiatric hospitals.

Moderate to good average scores for the MH‐NURSE‐POS total (4.42) and domains scores (≥4.09). are observed. Especially outcomes related to ‘motivation’ to follow and stay committed to the treatment received high average scores (≥4.60).

Our results are consistent with the patient‐reported effect(s) of relation‐based nursing in qualitative research.

The scores generate evidence to support the outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship and implicates that further investment in (re)defining and elaborating nurse–patient relationships in mental healthcare is meaningful and justified.

More comparative patient‐reported data can determine how nurse‐sensitive patient outcomes are affected by the patient, nurse, and context.

What are the implications for practice?

Demonstrating patient‐reported outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship can be important to enhance the therapeutic alliance between nurses and patients, organize responsive nursing care, and create nursing visibility in mental healthcare.

Further nursing staff training on interpersonal competencies, such as self‐awareness and cultural sensitivity, can be pivotal to achieving the patient‐reported outcomes for inpatients with mental health problems.

Introduction

Identifying patient‐reported outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship is a priority in inpatient mental healthcare to guide clinical decision‐making and quality improvement initiatives. Moreover, demonstrating nurse‐sensitive patient outcomes can be a strategy to avoid further erosion of the specialism of psychiatric and/or mental health nursing.

Aim/Question

To measure nurse‐sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse–patient relationship.

Method

In a multicentred cross‐sectional study, 296 inpatients admitted to five psychiatric hospitals completed the recently developed and validated Mental Health Nurse‐Sensitive Patient Outcome‐Scale (MH‐NURSE‐POS). The MH‐NURSE‐POS consists of 21 items (six‐point Likert‐scale) in four domains: ‘growth’, ‘expression’, ‘control’, and ‘motivation’.

Results

Participants displayed moderate to good average scores for the MH‐NURSE‐POS total (4.42) and domain scores (≥4.09). Especially outcomes related to ‘motivation’ to follow and stay committed to the treatment received high average scores (≥4.60).

Discussion

The results demonstrate that patients perceive the nurse–patient relationship and the care given by psychiatric and/or mental health nurses as contributing to their treatment.

Implications for Practices

Patient‐reported outcomes can guide nurses and managers to provide and organize nursing care and to build a nurse–patient relationship that has a positive impact on these outcomes. Additionally, outcomes can create nursing visibility as a profession in‐ and outside mental healthcare.