The effect of psychiatric nursing education and experience on the student nurses' attitudes towards mental illness

Abstract

The aims of this study are: 1) to identify nursing students' attitudes towards mental illness prior to the psychiatric nursing module. 2) to identify nursing students' attitudes towards mental illness after the psychiatric nursing module. 3) to compare the pretest and post-test attitudes and see whether there is any difference between them. To achieve these aims a questionnaire was administered to a group of nursing students following a Diploma in Nursing course prior to a 10-week psychiatric nursing module. An almost identical questionnaire was administered to them after the module. The results from these two questionnaires were compared. The results of this study show that the students held many stereotypes of the mentally ill and their illness prior to the module and that they were afraid that getting close to these people would place them in risk of physical harm. However these attitudes changed towards the positive direction following the module. Recommendations include: - an educational programme for society, - in-service training for staff working at Mount Carmel Hospital, - a mentorship system for students undertaking psychiatric nursing experience. educational I clinical audit of wards in Mount Carmel Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital and St. Vincent de Paule Hospital. psychiatric nursing branch programme. - further research regarding the topic.