The Perspectives of Psychiatric Nurses in Turkey on Malpractice: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Background: lawsuits related to malpractice are increasingly common in medical fields, though less frequently in psychiatric clinics. However, this does not imply that malpractice is absent in these settings. Mental health nurses play an important role in preventing malpractice cases experienced within clinics.To our knowledge, there are no existing studies on the experiences and awareness of mental health nurses regarding malpractice cases. Aim: This study aims to explore the perspectives of psychiatric nurses in Turkey on malpractice. Methods: A qualitative research design was employed for this study, conducted in Turkey. Purposeful sampling was used to select mental health nurses for inclusion in the sample. Data were collected from 31 nurses through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically. Results: Two main themes emerged:. (1)Feeling and thoughts which included the meaning of malpractice, factors contributing to malpractice, individuals responsible for malpractice, nurses’ feelings related to malpractice, and the impact of malpractice on patients. (2)Malpractice experiences which coveredtheme the nurses’ experiences with situations that could lead to malpractice. Conclusion: Mental health nurses exhibitedinsufficient awareness of malpractice, although those who were graduate students showed better awareness. Mental health nurses should develop and integrate clinical standards to prevent malpractice, incorporating these standards into their routine care. Nurses should also accept their responsbilities by adhering to professional standards and documenting their observations and communications. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2024; 38(1): 00-00] Keywords: Malpractice, mental health, nursing role, psychiatric nursing, qualitative methodology