Background: Increased frequency and length of hospital stay in schizophrenic patients in psychiatric hospitals lead to many problems including the increased hospital costs for the health care system and their families. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nursing process education on the nursing care quality of schizophrenic patients.

Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study 30 nurses in psychiatric ward of Shahid Lavasani Hospital in Tehran were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The nursing care quality in both groups was evaluated using the quality patient care scale (Qual PacS). The experimental group was trained for nursing process of schizophrenic patients. After one month the quality of nursing care was assessed again.

Results: The results of this study indicated that the rate of the nursing care quality in experimental group after training improved from poor to good in physical needs (P<0.0001), from poor to moderate in psychological needs (P<0.0001), from poor to moderate in the relationship with the patient (P=0.002) and poor to good in the presented cares (P<0.0001). The overall nursing care quality improved from poor to good (P<0.0001), but there was no statistically significant difference in the control group before and after training (P<0.80).

Conclusion: Nursing process education can improve the nursing care quality of patients with schizophrenia.