Easing transitions in care delivery with a core training group.

A collaborative approach was used by the nursing staff of a state psychiatric hospital to make a transition from traditional nursing services to a self-care model on one ward. The core training group, including representatives from all levels of nursing staff, developed and evaluated a personal hygiene protocol for 30 patients with chronic mental illness. Underwood's adaptation of Orem's self-care model of nursing was modified to provide the framework for this protocol. Evaluation of the project demonstrated both improved personal hygiene for the patients and greater job satisfaction for the nursing staff. The collaborative core training group approach was effective in facilitating the transition to the self-care nursing model.