A medical-surgical nurse's perceptions of caring for a person with severe mental illness.

Background: When hospitalized for medical conditions, many people with severe mental illness (SMI) have poor outcomes, yet little is known about contributing factors. Studies exploring the care experience from nurses' perspectives described care processes as "difficult." None of these studies were conducted in the United States, and sociocultural contexts significantly affect perceptions of SMI.

Exploring lived experiences of persons with severe mental illness: a review of the literature.

This paper describes a literature review concerning the use of phenomenology to explore the experiences of persons with severe mental illness. Data from 35 publications were abstracted and summarized. The congruence between philosophical underpinnings and methods are critiqued.

Negotiating safety when staffing falls short.

Adequate nurse staffing is inextricably linked to patient outcomes and, although optimal staffing levels for inpatient hospital units are widely debated, staffing standards for critical care areas such as intensive care units may be less variable. Even established staffing levels cannot guarantee adequate staffing. The nursing workforce shortage has affected all areas of nursing practice, but perhaps no area more severely than critical care.

Non-psychiatric hospitalization of people with mental illness: systematic review.

Aim: This paper is a report of a literature review of the evidence regarding outcomes experienced by severely mentally ill individuals hospitalized in general medical-surgical settings for non-psychiatric conditions.

Background: Severely mentally ill individuals experience chronic medical illnesses at a rate greater than the general population. When hospitalized in non-psychiatric settings, they tend to be experienced as 'difficult' by nurses and to have longer lengths of stay.