Treatment considerations for the patient with borderline personality disorder

BPD is a major health problem. The high prevalence of patients with BPD in primary care and mental health settings contributes to their high use of resources in these practice settings. Recurrent suicidal behaviors and threats and self-injurious behaviors increase demands on nurses and other health care providers. Regardless of how often the patient presents with these behaviors, nurses must assess acute risk. Because suicidal behavior is often a cry of distress, nurses must avoid personalizing their reactions and monitor their own responses to ensure a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. This article has focused on the challenge of caring for the patient with BPD. It has delineated important nursing interventions that enable the nurse to assess the patient's immediate needs and manage distressful and overwhelming emotional states and impulsivity.