Experiences of Hospitalization of Patients With Psychotic Disorders on Medical-Surgical Units: A Thematic Analysis.

The study used a convenience sample of 20 patients from one safety-net academic hospital in Philadelphia, so the themes may not apply to other hospitals or patient groups. Sixty percent were African American, 65% unmarried, and 70% relied on disability income; average age was more than 55 years, and 20% had been admitted for an unintentional overdose. Patients in ICU, with dementia or delirium, with severe cognitive delay, with high symptoms interfering with screening, with low consent capacity, or unable to speak English were excluded, so the voices of more impaired or acutely ill patients are missing. Interviews happened during hospitalization, not after discharge, so participants could not reflect on the full stay or later outcomes. No follow-up interviews were conducted because the team did not have permission to collect contact information. The interviewer was a White, cisgender male in his early 30s with nursing experience, which may have affected what participants were willing to share.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The publication types list NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.

Do not read the violence theme as evidence that patients with psychotic disorders are dangerous. Only four participants reported threats or violence, and they linked it to fear, frustration, and disrespectful interactions, not to the diagnosis alone.