Mental health nursing: Difference between revisions

Understanding and empathy from psychiatric nurses reinforces a positive psychological balance for patients. Conveying an understanding is important because it provides patients with a sense of importance.<ref name=pmid12956021>{{cite journal |doi=10.1046/j.1440-0979.2003.00276.x |pmid=12956021 |title=Nurse-patient relationship: A dichotomy of expectations |journal=International Journal of Mental Health Nursing |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=103–9 |year=2003 |last1=Moyle |first1=Wendy }}</ref> The expression of thoughts and feelings should be encouraged without blaming, judging, or belittling.<ref name="transformative2002">{{cite journal |doi=10.1046/j.1440-0979.2002.00245.x |pmid=12510595 |title=Transformative change of self: The unique focus of (adolescent) mental health nursing? |journal=International Journal of Mental Health Nursing |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=174–85 |year=2002 |last1=Geanellos |first1=Rene }}</ref> Feeling important is significant to the lives of people who live in a structured society, who often [[social stigma|stigmatise]] the mentally ill because of their disorder.<ref name=pmid17635627>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1447-0349.2007.00477.x |pmid=17635627 |title='Take my hand, help me out': Mental health service recipients' experience of the therapeutic relationship |journal=International Journal of Mental Health Nursing |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=274–84 |year=2007 |last1=Shattell |first1=Mona M |last2=Starr |first2=Sharon S |last3=Thomas |first3=Sandra P |url=https://works.bepress.com/mona_shattell/26/download/ }}</ref> Empowering patients with feelings of importance will bring them closer to the normality they had before the onset of their disorder. When subjected to fierce personal attacks, the psychiatric nurse retained the desire and ability to understand the patient. The ability to quickly empathise with unfortunate situations proves essential. Involvedness is also required when patients expect nursing staff to understand even when they are unable to express their needs verbally.<ref name=Berg/> When a psychiatric nurse gains understanding of the patient, the chances of improving overall treatment greatly increases.