title: Experience of mixed-sex bays in a general hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore patients' and nurses' views on their experience of nursing care in mixed-sex bays.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a descriptive exploratory method, tape-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of patients and nurses drawn from wards where mixed-sex bays were located. The resulting transcripts were analysed to identify shared themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The key themes identified were: communication from nursing staff, first reactions, relationships in the bay, reactions of others, awareness of organisational issues and nursing in a mixed-sex ward.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While some individuals felt that the attitudes and behaviours displayed by their fellow patients were of greater significance than their gender, there was a general view that mixed-sex bays were less than ideal. Nurses also struggled to maintain patient dignity in mixed-sex bays.
authors.affiliation: Hinchingbrooke Hospital NHS Trust, Huntingdon. Debbie.bryant1@nhs.net
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009729:Nursing; D057240:Patient Preference; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018907:Privacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012752:Shame