Encounters with Persons Who Frequently Use Psychiatric Emergency Services: Healthcare Professionals’ Views

Manuela Schmidt, Sigrid Stjernswärd, Pernilla Garmy and Ann-Christin Janlöv
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Manuela Schmidt: Faculty of Health Science, Kristianstad University, 291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
Sigrid Stjernswärd: Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
Pernilla Garmy: Faculty of Health Science, Kristianstad University, 291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
Ann-Christin Janlöv: Faculty of Health Science, Kristianstad University, 291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Encounters and interactions between healthcare professionals and patients are central in healthcare services and delivery. Encountering persons who frequently use psychiatric emergency services (PES), a complex patient group in a complex context, may be particularly challenging for healthcare professionals. The aim of the study was to explore healthcare professionals’ experiences of such encounters. Data were collected via individual interviews (N = 19) and a focus group interview with healthcare professionals consisting of psychiatric nurses, assistant nurses, and physicians. The data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. This study focused on the latent content of the interview data to gain a rich understanding of the professionals’ experiences of the encounters. Two themes were identified: “Nurturing the encounter with oneself and colleagues for continuous, professional improvement” and “Striving for a meaningful connection with the patient”. The professionals experienced their encounters with persons who frequently use PES as caring, professional, and humane processes. Prerequisites to those encounters were knowing and understanding oneself, having self-acceptance and self-compassion, and working within person-centered cultures and care environments.

Keywords: caring; content analysis; emergency care; encounter; experiences; interpersonal communication; person-centeredness; mental health nursing; therapeutic relationships (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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