The nursing of outpatients with a bipolar disorder: what nurses actually do.

This qualitative study was undertaken to gain insight into the daily practice activities of community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) involved in the nursing of outpatients with bipolar disorders in the Netherlands. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 23 CPNs, and additional focus group interviews were conducted. Information was gained on the problems encountered by the patients with a bipolar disorder, desired outcomes, interventions used, and the role of the CPNs in the treatment of these outpatients. One of the main conclusions is that a systematic approach to the nursing process is simply lacking. Recommendations for improvement are therefore presented in closing.