Academic literature on the topic 'Psychiatric nurse'

Communication Skills of Novice Psychiatric Nurses with Aggressive Psychiatric Patients by Rose L. Moss MS, University of Hartford, 1996 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University March 2015 The transition from novice nurse to a competent psychiatric staff nurse is often associated with major communication challenges, primarily when caring for aggressive patients. Guided by Peplau's theory, this quantitative study assessed the communication skills of novice psychiatric nurses (N = 25) who worked 24 months or less in the state psychiatric hospital with aggressive psychiatric patients. Additionally, certain demographic data such as gender, age range, level of education, and length of time working were analyzed to determine their impact on communication skills. The survey consisted of 20 questions which assessed demographic data, communications skills, and hospital-based orientation. Based on ANOVA, novice nurses did not differ on hospital-based orientation based on gender, age, level of education, or length of time working. Novice nurses' communication skills did not differ by gender, age or level of education; however, novice psychiatric nurses who had worked 19-24 months had stronger communication skills than those working less time with aggressive patients (F = 6.9, p < 0.005). A communication skills class during hospital orientation to prepare novice nurses to communicate effectively with aggressive patient was recommended to nursing leadership and staff. A communication skills class held during hospital orientation could enhance the nurse-patient relationship, cultivate a safer and secure milieu, and improve patient outcomes. The findings have implications for positive social change for staff development to improve the hospital orientation for novice psychiatric nurses to become better equipped as effective communicators with aggressive psychiatric patients.

Many psychiatric nurses working in the community are changing their occupational base. They are working increasingly as members of a mental health multi-disciplinary team. This is a report on aspects of the role of the psychiatric nurse working in such teams. Freidson's professional-dominance thesis is used as a theoretical framework to assess the occupational status of psychiatric nurses working in the community mental health team. In particular, the levels of clinical autonomy experienced by the nurse are explored. Four community mental health teams are examined, using Diary-interview Schedules to record how new clients are processed by the psychiatric nurse. The other members of the teams were interviewed (as were the managers to whom the nurses were accountable) using Focused-interview Schedules. Furthermore, Field-notes were made of substantive, methodological, and pre-analytical observations made during visits to the team centres. The report concludes that although there is an occupational hierarchy and inter-disciplinary rivalry in the teams, the psychiatric nurse enjoys a large amount of de facto clinical autonomy. The psychiatric nurse has also a dynamic and invariably unsupervised influence on the creation and pathway of psychiatric careers for those who are referred to her or him. Recommendations include the need to affirm authoritative leadership in the team, and for formal supervisory procedures to be installed. It is also recommended that psychiatric nurses in the community should re-assess their occupational strategy of professionalisation, with a view to a re-alignment with medical practitioners.

According to recent research, more than 75% of newly employed nurses leave employment within 6 months. Changes in organizational training programs are needed in order to improve psychiatric nurse retention, nationally and globally. A healthy work environment (HWE) has been described as an environment that includes mentoring for good communication skills; it is also one that explores collaborative strategies for safe practice; professional advancement; and empowerment through research, education, and skill development. Examination of the impact of this HWE psychiatric nurse orientation training program on nurse retention was done using Rogers' theory of diffusion. Study variables included the length of training and retention rates pre- and post-training to help identify the impact of the HWE training program on retention using different methods of policy review. The project included 88 nurses and outcomes were measured through review of hire and termination rates for the targeted facility 3 months pre- and post-intervention. An independent samples t test revealed that the average retention rate for nurses trained in the current versus HWE program differed significantly by program (p > .05). Training also was shown to improve clinical practice and increase awareness of existing evidence about strategies to improve psychiatric nurse retention. Social change implications include potentially decreasing the costs associated with hiring and training nurses, improving clinical practice, adding to the nursing knowledge base and skill set, and enhancing workflow processes for quality outcomes.

Magister Curationis - MCur<br>The frequent readmission of patients in psychiatric hospitals is caused by the relapse in their different psychiatric conditions. With a shortage of professional nurses, lack of resources, and an ever-increasing workload, the frequent readmission of psychiatric patients further worsens the situation.