Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 25, 2026

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Medication administration in inpatient psychiatric care--get control and leave control

K Haglund1, L von Essen, L von Knorring

  • 1Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Section of Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden. kristina.haglund@pubcare.uu.se

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
|March 11, 2004
PubMed

Insights

In psychiatric care, patients often entrust nurses with medication administration (MA), finding comfort in this transfer of control. Strong interpersonal connections and nurses

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Nursing
  • Qualitative Research

Background:

  • Medication administration (MA) is a critical component of inpatient psychiatric care.
  • Understanding the patient-nurse dynamics during MA is essential for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the process of medication administration in short-term inpatient psychiatric settings.
  • To explore patient and nurse perspectives on medication administration.

Main Methods:

  • A mini-ethnographic study was conducted on two psychiatric wards.
  • Data collection involved direct observation, field notes, and interviews with 15 patients and 9 nurses.
  • Data analysis employed a dialectical and interactive process to generate thematic categories.

Main Results:

  • Two central categories emerged: 'get control' and 'leave control'.
  • Patients expressed a willingness to relinquish control over their medication to nurses.
  • Interpersonal contact and nurses' knowledge were identified as crucial factors influencing the 'get control' and 'leave control' dynamics.
  • Medication administration was found to be a complex task offering a communication opportunity between patients and nurses.

Conclusions:

  • Medication administration in psychiatric care extends beyond dispensing medication; it involves a complex interpersonal process.
  • The transfer of control in medication administration is facilitated by strong patient-nurse relationships and perceived nursing expertise.
  • MA serves as a vital point for patient-nurse communication and trust-building in psychiatric settings.

Related Concept Videos

Drug Therapy01:28

Drug Therapy

The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications
Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy01:26

Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy

Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation. For...
Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview01:28

Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview

The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic symptoms in all...
Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview01:24

Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview

Mania, a psychological condition characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced sleep need, is part of the bipolar disorder cycle. The exact cause of mania isn't entirely known, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Bipolar disorder involves alternating manic and depressive episodes. Mood stabilizers like lithium, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants help manage these episodes. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective as a...
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients01:15

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...