Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: Patients with conversion symptoms on neurology wards often report negative interactions with nursing staff. OBJECTIVE/METHOD: The authors therefore systematically studied, by means of an anonymous questionnaire, the attitudes of neuroscience nurses (N=68) toward these patients. RESULTS: Negative attitudes were common: 16% disagreed that conversion symptoms were "real;" 46% thought the patients were "manipulative;" and 34% disagreed that neurology was "an appropriate place" for these patients. Levels of self-perceived knowledge were low. CONCLUSION: These negative attitudes toward patients are likely to impair effective management. Illness beliefs of patients with conversion symptoms need to be understood in the context of the beliefs of the health professionals looking after them.

Original publication

DOI

10.1176/appi.psy.50.4.336

Type

Journal article

Journal

Psychosomatics

Publication Date

07/2009

Volume

50

Pages

336 - 339

Keywords

Attitude of Health Personnel, Conversion Disorder, Humans, Nurse-Patient Relations, Nursing Staff, Hospital, Surveys and Questionnaires