Earlier studies show that when psychiatric out- and in-patient care units work together the risk for hospitalization decreases, leads to increased flexibility and shorter in-patient periods. At a psychiatric clinic in western Sweden there are routines in place regarding the transfer of patients from in-patient to out-patient care. The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experience of how out-and in-patient clinics collaborate during patients in-patient care.

This is a qualitative study with an inductive approach. Ten nurses participated through semi structured interviews. The result ended up in two domains and eight subthemes and one theme, the diffuse responsibility – makes us not understand each other. Nurses in both out- and in-patient care experience uncertainty as to who has the responsibility for patients' treatment-plans and also uncertainty in how communication between the two parties works.

Nurses in in-patient care experience that the out-patient care are uninterested, and nurses in out-patient care experience that in-patient care does not follow treatment-plans.

In Conclusion both nurses in out- and in-patient care describe a need for an improved partnership. Some find that they are unsure of their role and their responsibility in the partnership. Structures for an improved partnership need to be implemented from the staff leadership, to be able to live up to the national guidelines and ensure that patients receive the treatment which serious psychiatric illness needs.