Perceptions of nurses on the current nursing care of patients with dual diagnosis in Ghana: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Dual diagnosis accounts for about 50% of the population of persons with mental disorders. Research on nurses caring for inpatients detected with dual diagnosis is limited and the perceptions on the current nursing care of patients identified with dual diagnosis in psychiatric hospitals in Ghana is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of nurses on the current nursing care of patients classified with dual diagnosis in psychiatric hospitals in Ghana. METHODS: An exploratory-descriptive qualitative research design was used. Twenty-three participants working at the three public psychiatric hospitals of Ghana were recruited using purposive sampling technique. Individual, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data which was analysed through thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged namely: (1) Current nursing care of patients with dual diagnosis (2), Challenges in caring for patients with dual diagnosis (3), Support for improving caring for patients with dual diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the challenges and potential solutions in caring for patients with dual diagnosis in Ghana. It emphasises the need for improved training, collaboration, infrastructure, and policy support for nurses. Addressing these gaps are essential for better patient outcomes and nurses’ well-being, offering important insights for global mental health care in resource-constrained settings. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.