Behavioral health unit gratitude intervention study: Patient and nurse perceptions

Gratitude is the positive experience of feeling thankful and appreciative when receiving something beneficial and is linked to psychological wellbeing. More evidence about the impact of gratitude on physical well-being is needed. An inpatient, adult behavioral health, nurse-led gratitude intervention was studied based on research that has demonstrated its helpfulness in medical surgical patients and improved hospitalization experience. In this mixed-methods study, researchers evaluated patient (N=75) and RN (N=16) rankings and comments of a nurse-led, interprofessional gratitude intervention, incorporating resulting actions based on patient responses of what the patient is grateful/thankful for. Several findings were statistically significant. Patients ranked the intervention as helpful to improve the inpatient hospitalization experience, and recommended frequency on every shift basis. Most (84.0%) patients' grateful comments were hospital-related (e.g., compassionate care; condition-related resources); 16.0% were life-related (e.g., family; being alive). RN participants also ranked the intervention as significantly helpful and valuable to patient centered care. Behavioral health nurses or those aiming to provide more holistic healthcare for hospitalized patients can consider incorporating the gratitude intervention every shift.