Background: Adolescents in need of care that cannot be provided by Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, or by other aid provided by the Social service can be placed and cared for at the youth facilities of the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care (SiS). Adolescents being cared for at the youth facilities of SiS have complex needs of care, including both psychiatric conditions and psychosocial issues. At every institution at least one nurse with responsibility of the adolescents' care is employed. There is a lack of research on how these nurses experience the care which they provide at the youth facilities.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to describe the experiences of the nurses caring for adolescents in the SiS.

Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted. Eight nurses employed by the SiS were interviewed. The data was then analyzed according to Lundberg and Graneheim's model for qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results are presented in three main themes and nine subthemes: Challenges and opportunities with working within SiS. Lack of collaboration and information, resources and competence and the work environment within SiS. The role of the nurse. Experience of working under different laws and assuming different work roles, leading and training other staff. Meeting the care needs of adolescents. To be able to see the entire adolescent, create an alliance and educate the youth about their own health.

Conclusion: The nurses experienced an inexplicit health care assignment within SiS. They experienced a lack of health care competence among the staff working at the wards. A better collaboration with other health care departments, such as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and primary care centers, was considered desirable. The adolescents are considered to present with great suffering and complexcare needs, and their psychiatric needs are considered the most difficult to meet. The nurses need to create an alliance with the adolescents, and to see the individual beyond criminal history, diagnosis and social issues. This essay contributes to the visibility of the nurses' perspective and of how they can contribute to the development of health care within the institutions, but more studies and more extensive research on the subject are sorely needed.