The experience of nurses moving into forensic mental health employment: A qualitative study

Abstract

While forensic mental health has seen considerable growth over the last two decades, little is known about the experience of registered nurses working in these environments. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach and interviewed 11 registered nurses to explore the interpersonal experiences of transition into a forensic mental health hospital. The data revealed three themes. ‘Observing what's safe’ examined nurses' ability to maintain safety in the context of inconsistent practices among colleagues. ‘Navigating cliques and divisions’ focused on nurses' sense of belonging and adapting to professional and personal groups. Finally, ‘gaining management support’ reflected nurses' experiences of engagement with management. This study provides new insight into nurses' experience of adapting to employment in forensic mental health settings and highlights the importance of positive support strategies for workplace transition.

Vicarious Trauma and Health Outcomes in Forensic Mental Health Nurses

“…Forensic mental health professionals have described how knowledge of patients' crimes had left them with related images in their minds that continued long after they left work (Harris et al, 2015). Nurses newly employed in forensic mental health may be particularly susceptible to vicarious trauma associated with exposure to details of patient crimes, who have described being feeling overwhelmed by this exposure (Kinghorn et al, 2023), and it may also play a part in high turnover of new forensic mental health nurses.…”

Why do nurses seek employment in forensic mental health and what are their first impressions of the clinical environment? A mixed methods study

“…This paper aims to explore why registered nurses seek forensic mental health employment and their initial impressions of working in a forensic mental health environment. The findings form part of a larger study exploring the transition experiences of registered nurses into forensic mental health employment (Kinghorn, Froggatt, et al, 2022; Kinghorn, Halcomb, et al, 2022).…”

“…This paper reports interview data exploring nurses' reasons for seeking forensic mental health employment and the theme of ‘first impressions’ of working in forensic mental health. Due to the volume of data and discrete aims, qualitative findings about the interpersonal experience of transition are reported separately (Kinghorn, Froggatt, et al, 2022).…”