Background: Mental illness and psychiatric disorders are an increasing problem in Sweden. Somatic and psychiatric multimorbidity is not uncommon and creates problems within somatic healthcare. Stigmatization of psychiatric illnesses also plays a role in how these patients are treated. Earlier research shows that somatic and generalist nurses faced with these patients often are unprepared, resulting in insufficient care. The role and responsibility of nurses are described with six areas of competence, regulated by laws. Three central concepts of care are health, suffering and responsibility, which further describes the nurses’ role.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with psychiatric diagnoses in somatic inpatient wards.

Method: The method used was a qualitative literature study.

Results: Nurses experience frustration associated with lack of knowledge, lack of support from the institution, stress and communication with both patients and colleagues. Furthermore, they experience fear of high-risk situations and facing a foreign area in care. Lastly, they expresspreconceived ideas of psychiatric patients and values, rooted in a societal impact.

Conclusion: Nurses experience frustration, fear and preconceived ideas when caring for patients with psychiatric illness in somatic hospital departments. This indicates a knowledge gap rooted in education, institutional problems and stigmatization. Further research is needed to identify strategies to improve the situation for generalist nurses and improving care for patients with psychiatric and somatic multimorbidity.