Role of enhanced therapeutic observations and care in maintaining the well-being and safety of mental health inpatients.

  • Published In: Mental Health Practice, 2026, v. 29, n. 2. P. 33 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Rees, Helen; Chapman, Sam 3 of 3

Abstract

Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge of the role of enhanced therapeutic observations and care (ETOC) in mental health settings • To understand the principles of therapeutic observation and how you might undertake ETOC in a way that supports patient safety • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers). Enhanced therapeutic observations and care (ETOC) enable mental health professionals to observe patients receiving inpatient care. However, while enhanced observations have an important role in risk assessment and management, patients may experience them as isolating, restrictive, lacking privacy and distressing. This article promotes best practice by considering the legal, ethical and professional duties of mental health nurses carrying out ETOC so that they can perform this clinical skill in a way that supports patient safety and adheres to the principles of therapeutic observation. It also emphasises the need for assessment and therapeutic engagement when conducting ETOC, and explains why this should be a priority for mental health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Mental Health Practice. 2026/03, Vol. 29, Issue 2, p33
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Nursing and Allied Health
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1465-8720
  • DOI:10.7748/mhp.2026.e1761
  • Accession Number:192048118
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Mental Health Practice is the property of Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom (The) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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