Nurses’ perceptions of care received by older people with mental health issues in an acute hospital environment

Abstract

A qualitative methodology using focus groups was used to access the views of 14 nurses in one NHS trust about caring for older people with mental health issues in an acute hospital setting. The findings suggest that communication about mental health disorders between healthcare professionals and with patients and relatives in the acute general hospital setting needs to be improved and that assessment throughout the care pathway is often inadequate.