A longitudinal analysis of the experiences of nursing staff on an inpatient eating disorders unit

Abstract

The present study assessed whether nurses working in an inpatient eating disorders unit experience any increased risk as a result of treating patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and variants of these two disorders. There were 23 newly hired or just transferred primary care nurses (12 in an eating disorders program and 11 in other service areas) who were weighed monthly and completed the following instruments either monthly or semimonthly for 13 months: Beck Depression Inventory, Eating Attitudes Test, Impressions of Patient Population Survey, job Satisfaction Inventory, and Attitudes toward Patient Questionaire. Results indicated that nurses in the eating disorders program had less distorted eating attitudes, less positive impressions of their patients, and greater job satisfaction than their counterparts from other service areas. Nurses from both groups had progressively less positive impressions of their patients and lower job satisfaction over the course of the study. These findings suggest that when certain team-building experiences (e.g., inservice training, interdisciplinary team meetings) are incorporated into an eating disorders unit, nurses face no special risks in the areas of mood and eating disturbance.