Qualitative study on the placement of Huntington disease patients in a psychiatric hospital: Perceptions of Maltese nurses

Individuals with adult or juvenile Huntington disease can be cared for within psychiatric hospitals. In this paper, nurses' perceptions about the appropriateness of a psychiatric setting for these patients were explored. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 Maltese nurses involved i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nursing & health sciences 2013-12, Vol.15 (4), p.444-448
Main Authors: Scerri, Josianne, Cassar, Rebecca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age of Onset
Caregivers - psychology
Clinical Competence
Equipment and Supplies
Female
Hospitals, Psychiatric - utilization
Humans
Huntington disease
Huntington Disease - complications
Huntington Disease - nursing
Huntington's chorea
Huntingtons disease
Insight
Interviews as Topic
Male
Malta
Middle Aged
Nurse patient relationships
Nurse-Patient Relations
Nurses
Nursing
Nursing Assessment
Nursing Staff, Hospital - education
Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology
Perceptions
perceptions of nurses
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric-mental health nursing
qualitative
Qualitative Research
Quality of Health Care - standards
Social Perception
Social Support
thematic analysis
Young Adult
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Summary:Individuals with adult or juvenile Huntington disease can be cared for within psychiatric hospitals. In this paper, nurses' perceptions about the appropriateness of a psychiatric setting for these patients were explored. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 Maltese nurses involved in the care of these individuals. Their responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified from this study: (i) Huntington disease is not a mental illness; (ii) the lack of specialized staff and equipment within a psychiatric setting; and (iii) a need for alternative care options. The findings provide an insight into the perceptions of nurses, as they play a key role in the care and management of individuals with Huntington disease in a psychiatric setting. The findings demonstrated the need to provide alternative residential options in the community, and to improve the care and support provided both within psychiatric hospitals and the community through staff education and the provision of necessary facilities and equipment.
ISSN:1441-0745
1442-2018
DOI:10.1111/nhs.12053