The lived experiences of emergency nurses caring for patient with mental illness in the psychiatric hospital

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of emergency nurses in Saudi Arabia who care for patients with mental illness. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a qualitative descriptive phenomenology approach with 12 nurses selected purposively from Eradah Complex for Mental Health and Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Findings The main themes were “Work journey: Transition from denial to acceptance,” “Uniqueness of psychiatric department care,” “Pillars of psychiatric care,” “Challenges faced by nurses” and “Desires and Suggestions.” Nurses who care for patients with psychiatric disorders face numerous difficulties and challenges. Originality/value This is one of the few studies that adopted qualitative approaches.