A sociological study of bed blocking in psychiatric rehabilitation units

Abstract

This study focuses on the reported problem of psychiatric patients who are ‘bed‐blocking’ mental health rehabilitation units. It explores the concept of individualized care within psychiatric nursing and argues that this ‘received view’ is counterproductive for some client groups. Individualized care assumes a number of mainstream social values and beliefs that may conflict radically with the attitudes to life (ideologies) of some service users. These clients may resist normalisation, independence and individualism, preferring instead a more collective, pastoral and spiritual lifestyle. Clients and nurses may reject culture‐biased care policy, using various strategies to neutralize individualized care in practice. In the absence of a coherent alternative, such action may lead to frustration, alienation and bed blocking. The study uses structured and unstructured interviews in two psychiatric units to examine this hypothesis.