Abstract
In the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Uselu, Benin, psychiatric nurses' attitudes and prejudices about relapse are the subject of this study. One of the most important aspects of mental health treatment is relapse prevention, and the attitudes of nurses are vital to its success. The study investigated three main areas: (1) evaluating nurses' attitudes toward relapse; (2) evaluating nurses’ prejudices towards patients who relapse; and (3) identifying the factors affecting their attitudes and prejudices. To conduct a cross-sectional study, 154 psychiatric nurses received structured questionnaires. The study’s conclusion that training and ongoing education had a beneficial effect on attitudes (mean score = 2.86, SD = 0.899) supports the importance of education and training. Another important factor is experience, which has a modest impact on attitudes (mean score = 2.85, SD = 0.833). furthermore, workplace characteristics that have a significant impact on attitudes include management support (mean score= 2.86), SD = 0.877) and manageable workloads (mean score = 2.82, SD = 0.831). Taken together, these results show that in order to enhance the treatment given to patients who are relapsing, specific interventions in education, experience, workplace support, and cultural awareness are required. In order to improve nurses' attitudes toward relapse prevention and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes in psychiatric settings, the study concludes that it is critical to enhance ongoing professional development, create supportive work environments, and address prejudicial beliefs through targeted interventions. Key words: Attitude, Prejudice, Relapse, Psychiatric Nurses
