[The care approach in psychiatry]

The author proposes a reflection on the type of human qualities and of specific preparation which are requested from the nursing personnel working in psychiatry. Substantial changes have occurred with the closure of psychiatric hospitals. The traditional functions of control and custody have been substituted by the need of attention and intelligent understanding, the capacity of actively interacting with the problems of the patient while keeping at a distance, a proper control of emotions, a collaborative attitude within a team. The specificity of these requirements with respect to those which are more common in the medical area are stressed.