Staff Education to Improve Hygiene in Psychiatric Inpatients with Depression

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project was to enhance psychiatric nursing staff's knowledge and attitudes regarding the promotion of hygiene among adult behavioral health inpatients. Hygiene neglect is a widespread concern in psychiatric units as patients often experience psychomotor retardation, hopelessness, and low motivation that hinder self-care. To address this gap, a staff education program was implemented. Staff members (N = 35) participated in live huddle-based education sessions that included case discussions, demonstrations, and reflection exercises. Participants completed pre- and posttests measuring knowledge (10 items) and attitudes (6 Likert-scale items). Following the education, staff demonstrated an increase in both knowledge and confidence in applying hygiene interventions. The mean knowledge score increased by 25.72 points (Z = -5.331, p