title: The role of ward structure on nursing staff behaviours: an observational study of three psychiatric wards.
abstract: Variable rates of staff-patient interaction were found between three wards, which differed in the degree of programme structure, staff-patient ratios, and patient chronicity. Highest rates of staff-patient interaction occurred where a highly structured ward programme operated in a closed ward with chronically disturbed patients, and this was more likely to increase as staff-patient ratios decreased. The lowest staff-patient interaction rates occurred in acute, open and closed wards. Further, acute ward patients received negligible attention from nurses in terms of staff-patient interaction after 10 days following admission.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D014040:Token Economy