The development and evaluation of a structured learning format introduction to behaviour therapy for psychiatric nurses

Abstract

A 5-day in-service course in behavior therapy for psychiatric nurses is described. The course utilized a structured learning format and systematized the progression from classroom to ward by introducing supervised single-case studies, although these were carried out by only a minority of trainees. This paper describes the comprehensive evaluation of a large-scale training program, incorporating a control group design and 10 outcome measures. Structured learning was effective in promoting knowledge and skills with behavioral techniques in the experimental group nurses (n = 41). There were no significant improvements in the scores obtained by the matched control group of nurses (n = 18). Results were maintained at a 1-yr follow-up assessment. Psychiatric nurses can acquire and maintain behavioral techniques and can apply them successfully with their long-stay patients. The proportion of nurses actually conducting the single-case study projects was low. The implications of this are discussed in terms of the setting events for projects in the ward.