Are nurses empowered to make decisions about levels of patient observation in mental health?

Background: The Clinical Resource and Audit Group (2002) guidelines emphasise that local policies should make the procedure for deciding and maintaining patient observation levels clear.

Aim: To investigate the views of nurses, doctors and other members of the multidisciplinary team on patient observation.

Method: A postal survey of all acute adultinpatient facilities and intensive patient care units in Scotland was carried out, followed by 38 interviews, 37 with staff members and one with a service user.