Examining attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of effective practices in psychiatric rehabilitation in a hospital setting

Objective: This brief report presents a staff training program based on psychiatric rehabilitation principles used in a hospital setting. The training program intervention significantly promoted the belief that mental illness does not necessarily limit functioning and also improved awareness of research findings, evidence-based practices and community services. Methods: A randomized controlled study assessed the impact of the program on the staff's attitudes regarding psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery. Results: Findings suggest that in-service training programs within a hospital setting can change staff attitudes in order to support psychiatric rehabilitation. Conclusions: A psychiatric rehabilitation forum, made up of representatives from all disciplines, including the medical directors of every ward, was set up in the hospital following the training program and has become the main avenue to disseminate information, messages, and goals to the staff at large and to the hospital administration. It is the forum that creates the shared vision about psychiatric rehabilitation within the hospital and has the task of facilitating implementation of services according to that vision.