# Navigating the ethical “space in-between” nurses’ lived experiences in forensic inpatient care interpreted through Løgstrup’s ethical philosophy

## TL;DR

This study explores the ethical challenges nurses face in forensic psychiatric care, using philosophical analysis to understand how they balance trust, compassion, and institutional demands.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel philosophical interpretation of nurses' ethical experiences in forensic care using Løgstrup’s ethics and reflective lifeworld research.

## Key findings

- Five key ethical themes emerged from nurses' lived experiences in forensic psychiatric care.
- Nurses navigate a 'space in-between' ethical tensions, institutional constraints, and patient interactions.
- Structured reflection and dialogue support ethical encounters and professional growth in forensic nursing.

## Abstract

This study examines the nurse—patient relationship in forensic psychiatric care (FPC) from a philosophical perspective, with a focus on ethical complexities. Using Løgstrup’s ethical philosophy, the work explores how trust, moral responsibility, and relational tensions shape caregiving.

A theoretical analysis was conducted based on five empirical qualitative studies of nurses’ lived experiences in forensic inpatient care. These studies, rooted in phenomenology and hermeneutics, were re-analysed using reflective lifeworld research (RLR), a phenomenological approach grounded in the lifeworld theory of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty, that emphasizes openness and reflection to capture the meaning of lived experiences. The analysis was interpreted through Løgstrup’s ethical framework.

Five key themes emerged: Having Trust or Feeling Distrust, Being Compassionate or Being Indifferent, Having Courage or Being Afraid, Being Genuine or Pretending, and Being a Ballerina or Being a Bulldozer. These themes highlight the “space in-between”, where nurses navigate ethical tensions, institutional constraints, and patient interactions.

Forensic psychiatric nursing requires balancing institutional control and compassionate care. Ethical encounters emerge through both self-reflection and relational engagement. Structured reflection and dialogue help nurses navigate ethical challenges, foster professional growth, and enhance patient-centred care.