The influence of staffing levels on the use of seclusion.
This study focussed on the relationship between the use of seclusion and staff characteristics, such as number of nurses on shift, male-female staff ratio, level of education and level of work experience. A retrospective analysis of staff characteristics was applied to administrative data from ten wards in four mid-sized general psychiatric hospitals in the Netherlands. The data show that two variables were associated with seclusion rates: the male-female staff ratio and the variability in team's work experience. More female and less male nurses in a shift and less variability in team's work experience predicted an increase in seclusion rates.
Janssen
Wim
W
GGNet, Warnsveld, The Netherlands. wim.janssen@ggnet.nl
Noorthoorn
Eric
E
Linge
Roland van
Rv
Lendemeijer
Bert
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010356:Patient Isolation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control