The Relationship Between Psychiatric Nurses Assertiveness And Psychiatric Nursing Care Skills

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between psychiatric nurses’ assertiveness and psychiatric nursing care skills.

[Method] I posted a questionnaire survey to 500 psychiatric nurses working in five institutions affiliated with the Japan Psychiatric Hospitals Association in Z Prefecture. The questionnaires comprised questions on basic attributes: 30 question items from the J-RAS, and 37 question items on psychiatric care skills.

[Results] I analyzed 169 effective responses (response rate: 75%). The mean ± SD assertiveness value was –7.03 ± 21.48, which was within the range of values targeted in assertiveness training. Regarding the relationship between psychiatric nursing skills and assertiveness, I performed a multiple regression analysis using basic attributes and assertiveness subscale scores as independent variables, and psychiatric nursing skills score as the dependent variable. Number of years in psychiatric nursing practical training (β = .59, p < .001) and “assertiveness at work” (β = .28, p = .05) exhibited positive standardizing coefficients (adjusted r2 = .33).

[Conclusion] The results revealed that psychiatric nursing skills were positively correlated with number of years in psychiatric nursing practical training and assertiveness at work.