Psychiatric Inpatients’ Experience of Nursing Observation: a United Kingdom Perspective

This article presents findings from a pilot study that aimed to gain an understanding of psychiatric inpatients?experience of being closely watched by mental health nurses in acute psychiatric inpatient units. The purpose of nursing observation is to regard patients attentively & to prevent potentially suicidal, violent, or vulnerable patients from harming themselves or others, or from being harmed or exploited by others. The procedure is implemented according to different prescribed Òlevels?of observation, which vary in intensity according to the degree of perceived risk. (16 refs)