Sjuksköterskors attityder till och upplevelser av att vårda personer med emotionellt instabil personlighetsstörning

Detta är en Kandidat-uppsats från Ersta Sköndal högskola/Institutionen för vårdvetenskap; Ersta Sköndal högskola/Institutionen för vårdvetenskap


Background: Patients with borderline personality disorder represent a large group in healthcare who are struggling with painful emotions in life. Caring should be based on strengthening health processes by focusing on the patients, but research made by the patient's perspective has shown that this population rather felt that their health processes was counteracted, than promoted. The patients felt that the nurses displayed a negative attitude towards them. Attitudes are defined as a system of values, emotions and actions towards others.


Aim:the purpose of this study was to highlight the attitudes and experiences of nurses towards caring for people with borderline personality disorder


Methods:A study on the literature based on nine scientific papers was performed. The articles have been analyzed, systematically coded and compiled into a new unit.


Results:This study shows that nurses have an overall negative attitude towards patients with borderline personality disorder. Three main categories emerged, which was lack of knowledge, difficult patients and experiences influence. The nurses expressed the lack of knowledge as a feeling of not being competent enough to provide the right care and because of the fact that they had little faith in the care options that existed. Difficult patients was the biggest theme which showed that patients were seen as strong, dangerous ruthless forces that evokes powerlessness among nurses. Something that was seen as consistent throughout the study was that the patients were seen as dishonest and manipulative. The third main theme

”experiences influence” showed that experiences affects and touches the nurse that then contributes to the selection of treatment strategies.


Discussions: It appears that there is a gap between nurses' attitudes and the needs of patients resulting in health suffering. This is discussed by Katie Erikson's theory of care suffering from nursing science theory of health and care, patients 'and nurses' views on health promotion.


Keywords: Borderline personality disorder, experiences, attitudes, nursing, nurse, nurses.


