Patients’ subjective perspective on recovery orientation on an acute psychiatric unit
Sammanfattning
Background: Evaluations of the recovery orientation of mental health services have focused on
outpatient and rehabilitative rather than acute inpatient facilities. Aim: This naturalistic observational
study seeks to evaluate the subjective perspective and functional outcome of inpatients before and
after structural alterations. The changes made were the introduction of treatment conferences and
conjoint treatment planning, reduction of the total time spent on reports about patients (in their
absence), and recovery-oriented staff training on an acute psychiatric unit of the University Hospital
of Psychiatry, Zurich, Switzerland. Methods: During 1 year (2011/2012) eligible patients on the study
unit were interviewed on a voluntary basis using established instruments to assess several
recovery-relevant aspects. Two different samples (before and after the project; n = 34 and n = 29)
were compared with regard to subjective parameters (e.g. patients’ attitudes toward recovery, quality
of life, perceived coercion, treatment satisfaction, and hope), clinical and socio-demographic basic
data, as well as the functional outcome according to the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales
(HoNOS). Results: Some patient attitudes towards recovery and their self-assessment of the recovery
process improved during the study. Other subjective parameters remained stable between samples.
Functional outcome was better in subjects who were treated after the implementation of the new
concept. The length of stay remained unchanged. Conclusions: The implementation of recovery-
oriented structures and providing the necessary theoretical underpinning on an acute psychiatric unit
is feasible and can have an impact on attitudes and knowledge of personal recovery.