학술논문

Assessment of a Unit-Level Acuity Tool in Inpatient Psychiatry
Document Type
Report
Source
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. January, 2024, Vol. 62 Issue 1, p13, 6 p.
Subject
United States
Language
English
ISSN
0279-3695
Abstract
Assessing acuity is deemed essential to staffing in intensive care nursing; however, it has not received sufficient attention in inpatient psychiatry, where acuity can fluctuate greatly within shifts. Staffing and admission decisions rely on the accuracy of this information. The current mixed methods study surveyed nurses from two hospitals within the same hospital system: one using an acuity tool and one naïve to acuity tools. The survey was followed by a focus group on the specific factors influencing acuity and nurses' assessment of needs. Results suggest that the current tool is not satisfactory for nurses who use it to help with staffing or admission decisions and it is not user-friendly. Most nurses from both hospitals indicated they would prefer an electronic version with automated features reflecting up-to-date patient and unit acuity that would assist in interprofessional collaborative admissions decisions and staffing. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(1), 13–18.]
In inpatient psychiatry, patients are mobile and encouraged to participate in therapeutic activities. The shared social environment—or milieu—is considered a form of therapy that provides safety, structure, socialization, and a [...]