Associated factors of nurse-sensitive patient outcomes: A multicentred cross-sectional study in psychiatric inpatient hospitals

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN?: The nurse-patient relationship in mental health care is an important focus of mental health nursing theories and research. There is limited evidence about which factors influence nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse-patient relationship. This hinders the development, planning, delivering, and quality assurance of the nurse-patient relationship in nursing practice and nursing education. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: To our best knowledge, this is the first study to examine associations between nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse-patient relationship and a range of patient characteristics and relationship-contextual factors. In this study, we found that gender, age, hospital characteristics, nurse availability when needed, nurse contact, and nurse stimulation were associated with the scores on the nurse-sensitive patient outcome scale. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Having insight into the factors associated with nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse-patient relationship can help nurses, nursing students, nursing management and also patients to enhance the nurse-patient relationship, trying to influence outcomes of nursing care. ABSTRACT: Introduction The lack of evidence on patient characteristics and relational-contextual factors influencing nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of a nurse-patient relationship is a possible threat to the quality and education of the nurse-patient relationship. Aim To measure nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse-patient relationship and to explore the associations between nurse-sensitive patient outcomes and a range of patient characteristics and relational-contextual factors. Method In a multicenter cross-sectional study, 340 inpatients from 30 units in five psychiatric hospitals completed the Mental Health Nurse-Sensitive Patient Outcome Scale. Descriptive, univariate and Linear Mixed Model analyses were conducted. Results Overall, patient-reported outcomes were moderate to good. Female participants, nurse availability when needed, more nurse contact and nurse stimulation were associated with higher outcomes. Age differences were observed for some of the outcomes. Outcomes also varied across hospitals but were not related to the number of times patients were hospitalized or to their current length of stay in the hospital. Discussion The results may help nurses to become more sensitive and responsive to factors associated with nurse-sensitive patient outcomes of the nurse-patient relationship. Implications The nurse-sensitive results can support nurses in designing future nurse-patient relationships.