Addiction to surgery: a nursing dilemma

Factitious disorder is either a rare or underdiagnosed disorder and therefore, not one the nursing staff anticipates. Once the disorder is diagnosed, the intense feelings of the nursing staff may overwhelm them. Therefore, the staff should be able to participate in discussion sessions conducted by a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist or another qualified person. Such sessions should focus on recognition of feelings, comparison of one's feelings with those of other staff members, and sharing of perceptions about the situation.