Experience of Psychiatric Nurses in Managing Patient Transference: A Qualitative Study

Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2026 Jan 23:1-7. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2025.2596207. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In psychiatric nursing, patients often develop strong transference toward nurses due to intense psychological needs. How nurses managed this transference while maintaining professionalism remained an important issue. This study aimed to explore psychiatric nurses’ experience in dealing with patients’ transference. A qualitative design was employed. Fourteen psychiatric nurses from the psychiatric ward of Hospital were recruited. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify core concepts. Four themes were constructed; 1. Invisible boundaries, 2. self-reflection, 3. seeking help and responding, and 4. adjustment and relearning. Through self-reflection, nurses integrated personal experiences, individual characteristics, and professional skills, transforming explicit textbook knowledge into tacit clinical knowledge, which enhanced their understanding and learning in nurse-patient interactions. The study revealed that psychiatric nurses transformed the potential challenges of transference into resources that promoted therapeutic relationships. Nursing education was recommended to strengthen awareness, self-reflection, and boundary-setting skills. Role-playing and group discussions were suggested to guide nurses in establishing flexible and professional nurse-patient relationships.

PMID:41576365 | DOI:10.1080/01612840.2025.2596207