The Effect of Psychiatric Nursing Education and Experience on the Student Nurse' Attitudes Towards Mental Illness

Sub-title
AuthorJosephine Anne Bason
AbstractThe 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; and 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 (1) an educational programme for society; (2) in-service training for staff working at Mount Carmel Hospital; (3) educational clinical audit of wards in Mount Carmel Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital and St. Vincent de Pau1e Hospital; and 4) psychiatric nursing branch programme.

Published in:
Journal
Volume
Pages -
Date
Link to journal

Key wordsNursing, Education, Student Nurse, Mental Illness, Thesis

Compiled by: Dr. I. Stabile    Dr. J. Pace