Just Accepted
This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.
Improving inpatient mental health nurses practice through the use of a standardised instrument
Abstract
The role of mental health nurse’s (MHN's) working in Inpatient units involves providing care to patients with complex needs and challenging behaviours, with reporting and documenting findings from brief interactions a critical part of their duties. Despite this, there is no agreed instrument to document a patient’s mental state or recognise signs of progress or deterioration. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of implementing a standardised instrument known as the SMART card on MHN’s documentation, knowledge and self-efficacy in assessing and reporting a patients’ mental state. Methods The SMART card was implemented across eight mental health inpatient units. Completion rates of the SMART Card and quality of assessments were measured using a file/chart audit before and three months post implementation. A pre/post-implementation survey measured changes in MHN’s perceived knowledge and self-efficacy, with the post survey evaluating attitudes towards training and SMART card acceptability. Results Clinical file audits showed significant improvement in completion rates in documentation of key clinical/symptom domains. Survey results showed a positive attitude towards the SMART card, with training increasing MHN’s understanding of psychiatric terminology and significantly improved confidence and self-efficacy. Conclusions This study demonstrates how the implementation of a standardised instrument significantly improved MHN’s reporting of patient mental health status. The role of mental health nurse’s (MHN's) working in Inpatient units involves providing care to patients with complex needs and challenging behaviours, with reporting and documenting findings from brief interactions a critical part of their duties. Despite this, there is no agreed instrument to document a patient’s mental state or recognise signs of progress or deterioration. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of implementing a standardised instrument known as the SMART card on MHN’s documentation, knowledge and self-efficacy in assessing and reporting a patients’ mental state.
AH25037 Accepted 02 July 2025
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