The Working Alliance Between Patients With Bipolar Disorder and the Nurse: Helpful and Obstructive Elements During a Depressive Episode From the Patients' Perspective.

Despite treatment, many patients with bipolar disorder experience impaired functioning and a decreased quality of life. Optimal collaboration between patient and mental health care providers could enhance treatment outcomes. The goal of this qualitative study, performed in a trial investigating the effect of collaborative care, was to gain more insight in patients' experiences regarding the helpful and obstructive elements of the working alliance between the patient recovering from a depressive episode and their nurse.