Activity of the nurses in a team rendering services for people with mental disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate nurses` activity in a specialist team rendering services to people with mental disorders. METHODS A quantitative research method – questionnaire survey – was used. All 30 nurses working in the Psychoneurologic CareHome of Silute took part in the research. RESULTS Many authors state that the exclusive characteristic of specialist teams can be attributed to the possession of a common purpose. The investigation results revealed that the specialist team rendering services to people with mental disorders was not actually fully formed, as the team objectives were known to only 27 % of the respondents Team maturity was expressed by the interpersonal interaction of the specialists working in a team. The situation when the nurses experienced support of their colleagues (23% always had support and understanding of their colleagues, 54% - often, and 23% - sometimes) showed the context of the culture and behaviour of the organization, benefi cial for the team development and for the smooth team work precondition security. CONCLUSIONS The staff who participated in the study are members of a team that is still in its developmental stage. This fact explains the rise of the determined factors interfering with the effective activity of the specialist team (lack of time, extreme work load). The creative and effective specialist work and function share is prevented by the following factors: inability to cooperate with other nurses and specialists. The results of the present investigation demonstrate reasons for these negative factors: the fear to experiment, try new ideas (74% of the respondents); insuffi cient regard of the subdivision leaders for team formation, etc. (93% of the respondents).