Psychiatric nursing and compulsory psychiatric care

Community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) have long been involved in the operatio ns of the English Mental Health Acts. Research has shown that compulsory de tention is not used uniformly or consistently. Rates of involuntary hospita lization are reported to vary widely across Europe, but there is some conse nsus on patient profiles. The ethnicity, social status and gender of the pa tient, the involvement of the police, the availability of care, problems ca used to relatives, and the country and particular legislative system where these judgements take place, all influence who is compulsorily detained. This article reviews recent evidence from Europe and argues that involuntar y psychiatric care can no longer be seen as entirely dependent on the sympt oms and behaviour of the patient and that CPNs should be aware of and refle ct upon these factors before invoking the detention process.