Emergency Nurses' Experiences in Treating Patients With Mental Illness: A Qualitative, Interpretive Metasynthesis

Each year, emergency departments are seeing an increase in the number of patients with mental illness. Nurses often do not feel equipped with the knowledge or skills for this patient population while caring for them. Although there is published literature about nurses caring for patients with mental illness, there is a gap in knowledge about the lived experiences of these frontline workers.

To gain a better understanding of the experiences of emergency nurses in treating patients presenting with psychiatric issues, a qualitative interpretive metasynthesis of 5 qualitative articles was conducted.

Three themes emerged from the synthesis: (1) feeling unprepared and unqualified, (2) feeling anxious and hesitant, and (3) the need to keep the patient environment safe.

The overarching finding in our QIMS was the prevalent feeling of general concern regarding treating patients with mental illness despite the nurses' own preconceptions and apprehensions. It is important to understand the lived experiences of nurses treating patients with mental illness to learn be better prepared for future encounters.