Abstract: Objective: To investigate the psychiatric nursing staff's understanding and practice of Standard for Nursing Classification WS/T 431-2023, a national standard for health services, so as to provide a basis for further improvement of psychiatric nursing classification. Methods: From March to April 2024, 6925 psychiatric nurses in 308 psychiatric institutions at different levels in 31 provinces and regions were surveyed on their perception of Standard for Nursing Classification. Results: Totally 89.86% of psychiatric nurses knew the Standard for Nursing Classification, but grasped the nursing grading standard, among which the correct rate of primary and secondary nursing grading was only 61.42% and 66.76%, respectively. According to 44.98% of the psychiatric nurses surveyed, the standard was very suitable for psychiatric department, while 47.49% of the nurses thought that the current nursing classification used in their hospitals was very proper for clinical practice. There were differences in the knowledge and grasp of standards between nursing managers and clinical nurses (P<0.05). The evaluation of nursing classification was determined jointly by doctors and nurses, accounting for 54.11%, and the basis for issuing medical orders for nursing classification was dominated by doctors, accounting for 88.14%. Conclusion: Standard for Nursing Classification WS/T 431-2023 is well known in psychiatric institutions yet with limitations in clinical practice. It is necessary to explore more suitable methods for psychiatric nursing classification and constantly improve the evaluation basis of psychiatric nursing classification.

Key words: nursing classification; psychiatric nurse; knowledge; industry standard