Activity PRN: Establishing Meaningful Occupation as and When Required Across Acute Inpatient Mental Health and Psychiatric Intensive Care Units

Design

A quasi-experimental mixed methods design research study will be conducted within:

Pippin Ward, a 10 bed Female PICU within Cygnet Appletree (data collected January - June 2022).

Haywood Ward, a 16 Male Acute within Cygnet Kewstoke. Nash Ward, a 12 bed Male PICU within Cygnet Kewstoke. Sandford Ward, a 16 bed Female Acute within Cygnet Kewstoke. Juniper Ward, a 17 bed Male Acute within Cygnet Churchill. Castle Ward, a 12 bed Female PICU within Cygnet Godden Green. Oakwood ward, a 15 bed Female Acute within Cygnet Godden Green.

The study will measure the change in provision of meaningful activity types, and frequency of participation within meaningful activities, as a result of the intervention, 'Activity PRN', on participating wards within Cygnet Healthcare Ltd.

Activity PRN, is an approach that uses occupational therapy approaches to facilitate meaningful activities as and when required. A 'prn activity' is any personally meaningful activity which can be facilitated as and when required, and is not a timetabled activity or session.

To show the effect of the intervention, a three month control period, pre-intervention, will measure the number of meaningful activity types provided, facilitated on an 'ad-hoc' basis, and participation frequency. A two week period will follow, in which ward based staff will receive training to implement Activity PRN. A further three month intervention period will measure the number of prn activity types provided, and the participation frequency of prn activities, as a result of delivering Activity PRN. It is hoped that about 60 patients will consent to receive the intervention.