Inpatient admission may be necessary and effective in treatment of mental illness in people with intellectual disabilities. Although risk of mental illness is increased in this population, adaptations of inpatient treatment and ward atmosphere for this population remain sparsely described. For the current qualitative study, family members were interviewed about their experiences of ward atmosphere and mental health nursing in a specialised inpatient ward for adults with intellectual disabilities. Using thematic analysis, four themes were identified. Two concerned participants’ perceptions of the patient’s experience (patients’ therapeutic relationships with staff members, and staff attitudes and specific expertise in working with people with intellectual disabilities), while two concerned the patients’ own experiences (feeling safe and involved, and gaining new knowledge and understanding). These findings indicate that trust in staff is important for family members to feel safe, and that extra effort may be necessary to build such trust among the families of inpatients with intellectual disabilities. Developing good 1:1 therapeutic relationships with the patient, helping the patient feel safe and understood, demonstrating specific experience and skills relating to mental health care for this specific population, family involvement, and understanding inpatient treatment as a collaborative effort, may all contribute to facilitating this trust.
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