Earlier studies show that when psychiatric out- and in-patient care units work together the risk for hospitalization decreases, leads to increased flexibility and shorter in-patient periods. At a psychiatric clinic in western Sweden there are routines in place regarding the transfer of patients from in-patient to out-patient care. The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experience of how out-and in-patient clinics collaborate during patients in-patient care. This is a qualitative study with an inductive approach. Ten nurses participated through semi structured interviews. The result ended up in two domains and eight subthemes and one theme, the diffuse responsibility – makes us not understand each other. Nurses in both out- and in-patient care experience uncertainty as to who has the responsibility for patients' treatment-plans and also uncertainty in how communication between the two parties works. Nurses in in-patient care experience that the out-patient care are uninterested, and nurses in out-patient care experience that in-patient care does not follow treatment-plans. In Conclusion both nurses in out- and in-patient care describe a need for an improved partnership. Some find that they are unsure of their role and their responsibility in the partnership. Structures for an improved partnership need to be implemented from the staff leadership, to be able to live up to the national guidelines and ensure that patients receive the treatment which serious psychiatric illness needs.

Bakgrund: Psykiatri betyder vetenskapen om psykiska sjukdomar och deras botande. Enligt socialstyrelsen vårdades nästan 50 000 individer under 2008 inom psykiatrisk slutenvård i Sverige. Stort intresse finns om hur dessa patienter upplever psykiatrisk vård och behandling. För vårdpersonal som jobbar inom psykiatri är det av stor vikt att förstå patienternas upplevelse och tillfredställelse av vården. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva patienters upplevelse av den psykiatriska slutenvården. Metod: Litteraturstudien baserades på åtta vetenskapliga artiklar, både kvantitativa och kvalitativa. Resultat: Delades upp i fyra huvudkategorier. I Upplevelse av miljön under vårdtiden presenterades fynd som beskriver patienternas betydelse för varandra och hur tiden på avdelningen fick dem att koppla av. I Upplevda känslor under vårdtiden beskrevs känslor som isolering, ensamhet och bekräftelse. Patienternas upplevelse av behandlingen visade brist på information och delaktighet. I sista kategorin, Personalens inverkan på patienterna, uppskattades kontinuitet med personal samt empati och omtänksamhet. Diskussion: I diskussionen diskuterades fynd som delaktighet, stressade personal och patienternas betydelse för varandra. Slutsats: Omvårdnad handlar inte bara om sjuksköterskans förhållningssätt och empati, utan även om omgivande miljö och patientens egna upplevda världsbild. / Background: Psychiatry means knowledge of psychiatric diagnosis and its treatment. According to the National Board of Health and Welfare almost 50 000 individuals was treated for psychiatric in-patient care during 2008. There is a big interest in patients’ experience of psychiatric care and treatment. It is important to staff working with psychiatric care to understand the patients experience and their satisfaction with the nursing they receive. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe in-patients experience of psychiatric care. Method: The literature study is based on eight articles, both qualitative and quantitative. Result: The result is divided into four main categories. Environment experience during in-patient care presents findings which describe patient’s impact on each other and how time spent in the ward helped many to relax. Experience of emotions during in-patient care describes emotions as isolation, loneliness and confirmation. Patient’s experience of treatment showed lack of information and participation. The last category, how patient experiences the influence of the staff, shows that patients appreciate continuities, empathy and caring from the staff. Discussion: The discussion discusses findings as participation, overstrained staff and patient’s impact on each other. Conclusion: Nursing is not just about the nurses’ attitude and empathy, it is also about the environment that surrounds the patients and the patients own experience of their perceived world picture.