Abstract
Since the addition of borderline personality disorder (BPD) to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, negative connotations have been attached to patients presenting with the disorder. Professional and governmental guidelines state that BPD should not be a diagnosis of exclusion, advocating instead for development of services, training and education. The aim of this review is to explore how psychiatric nurses' attitudes towards patients with BPD impact on care delivery. A two-fold search strategy was undertaken consisting of a database and ancestry search, nine papers were identified. A thematic analysis was undertaken, resulting in four themes: labelling and negative experiences; seeing the person; standard vs personalised care and the impact on care delivery. Psychiatric nurses experience a diverse range of emotional and behavioural responses to BPD patients. Both positive and negative attitudes resulted in significant impacts on care delivery, the therapeutic relationship, individuals and the team. Additional training and support is needed to promote understanding and foster more positive attitudes.
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