There is an increased interest in exploring the use of sensory rooms in psychiatric inpatient care. Sensory rooms can provide stimulation via sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste in a demand-free environment that is controlled by the patient. The rooms may reduce patients' distress and agitation, as well as rates of seclusion and restraint. Successful implementation of sensory rooms is influenced by the attitudes and approach of staff. This paper presents a study of the experiences of 126 staff members who worked with sensory rooms in a Swedish inpatient psychiatry setting. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. Data were collected by a web based self-report 12-item questionnaire that included both open- and closed-ended questions. Our findings strengthen the results of previous research in this area in many ways. Content analyses revealed three main categories: hopes and concerns, focusing on patients' self-care, and the room as a sanctuary. Although staff initially described both negative and positive expectations of sensory rooms, after working with the rooms, there was a strong emphasis on more positive experiences, such as letting go of control and observing an increase in patients' self-confidence, emotional self-care and well-being. Our findings support the important principals of person-centred nursing and recovery-oriented mental health and the ability of staff to implement these principles by working with sensory rooms.

Previous studies report that individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder have been met by negative attitudes from healthcare professionals and their care needs have often been neglected during hospitalizations. When symptoms of emotional instability are combined with self-harm, the resulting crisis often becomes difficult to handle for patients and healthcare professionals. To meet their care needs during these crises, an intervention called 'brief admission' (BA) has been developed. The purpose of BA is to provide a timeout, in situations of increased stress and threat, in order to foster self-management in a safe environment. In the present study, we explored the following research questions: What are patients' experiences with BA? What do patients consider to be the key components of BA? What improvements are considered relevant by patients? A qualitative design was employed, and 15 patients (13 females, 2 males; mean age 38.5 ± 12.9, range 20-67 years) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analyses were performed, which yielded four themes related to the patients' experiences: 'a timeout when life is tough', 'it is comforting to know that help exists', 'encouraged to take personal responsibility', and 'it is helpful to see the problems from a different perspective'. Four themes also described the key components: 'a clear treatment plan', 'a smooth admission procedure', 'a friendly and welcoming approach from the staff', and 'daily conversations'. Lastly, three themes described areas for improvements: 'feeling guilty about seeking BA', 'room occupancy issues', and 'differences in staff's competence'. Collectively, the findings indicate that BA constructively supports patients with emotional instability and self-harm during a period of crisis.

The use of sensory rooms and similar sensory approaches in psychiatric inpatient settings is becoming increasingly common. In sensory rooms, patients can choose different sensory stimulating items that may help regulate distress and enhance well-being. Outcomes are often measured as effects on patients' self-rated distress and rates of seclusion and restraint. The subjective experiences of patients using sensory rooms have been less explored. This paper presents a qualitative study of the experiences of 28 patients who chose to use sensory rooms on seven different types of psychiatric inpatient wards. Data were collected by individual patient interviews and by texts written by patients. A qualitative content analysis resulted in four categories: emotional calm, bodily calm, empowerment, and unexpected effects. A majority of the participants described several positive experiences, such as enhanced well-being, reduced anxiety, increased self-management, and enhanced self-esteem. Our findings align with previous research that has shown similar positive patient experiences, and support the use of sensory rooms as part of person-centred care.