title: Ward Climate Within a High Secure Forensic Psychiatric Hospital: Perceptions of Patients and Nursing Staff and the Role of Patient Characteristics.
abstract: Within this study the relationship between patient characteristics (age, length of stay, risk, psychopathy) and individual perceived ward climate (n=83), and differences between staff's and patient perceptions of climate (n=185) was investigated within a high secure forensic hospital. Results show that therapeutic hold was rated higher among staff compared to patients, while patients held a more favorable view on patient cohesion and experienced safety. Furthermore, patient characteristics (age, risk and psychopathy) were found to be related with individual ratings of ward climate. The findings underline the importance of assessing ward climate among both patients and staff in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Pompestichting, Division Diagnostics Research and Education, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.de.vries01@pompestichting.nl.
authors.forename: Meike Godelieve
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Pompestichting, Division Diagnostics Research and Education, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Inti Angelo
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Brazil
authors.affiliation: Birmingham City University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonkin
authors.affiliation: Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Pompestichting, Division Diagnostics Research and Education, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute (BSI) of Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Berend Hendrik
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Bulten
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D061214:Patient Safety; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires