Forensic psychiatric nursing: a literature review and thematic analysis of role tensions

This literature review was undertaken to explore the emergent issues relating to the difficulties encountered in forensic psychiatric nursing. The rationale for the study revolved around the paucity of research undertaken to identify the constituent parts of this professional practice. The aims included both a thematic analysis of the literature and the construction of a theoretical framework to guide further research. The method was a snowballing collection of literature and a computerized database search. The results were the identification of a series of major issues, which were broadly categorized as negative and positive views, security vs. therapy, management of violence, therapeutic efficacy, training and cultural formation. From this the six binary oppositions, or domains of practice, emerged as a theoretical framework to develop further research. These were medical vs. lay knowledge, transference vs. counter‐transference, win vs. lose, success vs. failure, use vs. abuse, and confidence vs. fear. Further research is currently underway.