Impact of collaborative nursing care on health outcomes of mental health day hospital users: A mixed methods study

Introduction: Given that recovery-oriented care focuses on empowering individuals with mental health challenges, collaborative care can be an effective tool for nurses in mental health day hospitals. Aim: To deepen knowledge about the impact of collaborative nursing care for improving health outcomes of mental health day hospital users. Methods: A sequential and transformative mixed methods study was designed. In the first phase of this mixed methods study, quantitative data were collected from 144 users of mental health day hospitals. In phase two, a group of users underwent an intervention based on collaborative nursing care, through participatory action research, and qualitative data were collected. Finally, quantitative data were again collected from all users. Results: The users who participated in the intervention group improved quantitatively in terms of the quality of the therapeutic relationship. They also improved at different stages of the recovery process, thus the qualitative results confirmed that collaborative nursing care was an essential component in their recovery process. Discussion: The findings highlight the critical role of collaborative nursing care in health outcomes. The therapeutic relationship was identified as a key factor in facilitating patient empowerment. Implications: The study supports implementing collaborative nursing care models in mental health settings to enhance patient outcomes.