Table 1 Themes and sub-themes

The open door

• feeling of freedom and therapeutic atmosphere

• trust and collaboration

• enhanced socialization

• reduced likelihood for aggression and conflict

• service users’ empowerment and nurses’ increased self-awareness

The invisible door

• limit setting

• safety and privacy

• meaningful staff-patient interactions

The restrictive door

• a strong impression of “prison like” environment

• difficulty in building trust and therapeutic alliances

• conflict and aggressionincidents

• stigma

• service users’ disempowerment and nurses’compassion fatigue

The revolving door

• service users’ relapse and nurses’compassion fatigue

• lack of care continuity

• substance misuse

• limited resources and containment in the context of multidisciplinary team

• guilt and fear of litigation