Healthcare Staff’s Experiences of Caring for Women in Compulsory Psychiatric Inpatient Care

Abstract

Caring for women in compulsory psychiatric inpatient care entails having to make a number of different moral considerations. Using coercive measures leads to difficulties in creating a caring relationship and the care given to the women thus needs to be as ethical as possible. The aim was to describe healthcare staff’s experiences of caring for women in compulsory psychiatric inpatient care. Eleven healthcare staff were interviewed, and the material was analyzed with a Reflective Lifeworld Research approach. The results show that healthcare staff move between self-examination and examining their colleagues closely and are also careful about protecting the women’s privacy. An emotional rollercoaster is set in motion when the women’s life situation affects the healthcare staff. Bridges are built, both with the next of kin but also with other authorities. It can be challenging to include the next of kin in the care for women in compulsory care since they may have a different view to that of the healthcare staff. Providing the healthcare staff with professional support and a supportive care environment may enhance their ability to provide a personalized care for the women in compulsory care.