The experiences of people with borderline personality disorder admitted to acute psychiatric inpatient wards: a meta-synthesis

Stapleton, Anna; Wright, Nicola

Abstract

Background: Acute psychiatric inpatient care is recommended for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) to manage a crisis. Qualitative research exploring service user experience is valuable for the development of evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Aim: To conduct a meta-synthesis of qualitative research exploring the experiences of people with BPD on acute psychiatric inpatient wards.
Methods: Literatures searches of five electronic databases. Data were analysed using a three stage theme identification process.
Results: Eight primary studies and three first-hand accounts met the inclusion criteria. Four overarching themes were found to explain the data: contact with staff and fellow inpatients; staff attitudes and knowledge; admission as a refuge; and the admission and discharge journey.
Conclusions: Similar experiences of acute psychiatric inpatient care were reported by people with BPD across the studies. Opportunities to be listened to and to talk to staff and fellow inpatients, time-out from daily life and feelings of safety and control were perceived as positive elements of inpatient care. Negative experiences were attributed to: a lack of contact with staff, negative staff attitudes, staff’s lack of knowledge about BPD, coercive involuntary admission
and poor discharge planning.

Citation

Stapleton, A., & Wright, N. (2017). The experiences of people with borderline personality disorder admitted to acute psychiatric inpatient wards: a meta-synthesis. Journal of Mental Health, 28(4), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2017.1340594

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 5, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 7, 2017
• Publication Date: Jul 6, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 13, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 13, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Mental Health
• Print ISSN: 0963-8237
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0567
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 1-15
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2017.1340594
• Keywords: borderline personality disorder; acute psychiatric; meta-synthesis; qualitative; systematic review; lived experience; inpatient; narrative accounts; health services research; crisis intervention
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1411005
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638237.2017.1340594
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Mental Health on 07.07.2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09638237.2017.1340594