A recovery-oriented approach for an acute psychiatric ward: is it feasible and how does it affect staff satisfaction?

To evaluate professionals' attitudes to recovery and coercion, as well their satisfaction with working conditions before and after the implementation of a recovery-oriented ward concept on an admission ward. Longitudinal study design with two measurement times of the study sample, with a control group assessed at study end. Evaluating the implementation of the recovery concept, attitudes towards recovery, coercion, perceptions of the ward and working satisfaction were assessed with questionnaires and computed using Chi square and ANOVA variance analyses. The members of the intervention ward (n = 17) did not differ from the control group (n = 21), except that control group members were younger. The recovery-orientation of the study ward (ROSE questionnaire) increased significantly (alpha level = 0.05) from study begin to study end (p = 0.003), and compared to the control group (p = 0.002). The attitudes towards coercion did not change significantly in the intervention group, but did so compared to the control group. The contentedness (GMI) and the satisfaction with working conditions (ABB) of the intervention group members compared to control group was significantly higher (GMI: p = 0.004, ABB subscale working conditions: p = 0.043, satisfaction: p = 0.023). The study indicates that recovery-oriented principles can be implemented even in an acute admission ward, increasing team satisfaction with work, while attitudes towards coercion did not change significantly within this single-unit project.