Experiences by student nurses during clinical placement in psychiatric units in a hospital

W.J.C Van Rhyn,M.R Gontsana

doi:10.4102/curationis.v27i4.1014

Abstract

An exploratory study was conducted with the aim of discovering and describing experiences of psychiatric nursing students during clinical placement in a psychiatric unit. For the purpose of the study an unstructured interview was conducted with each participant during their first placement in a psychiatric unit to identify the factors experienced as stressful. The results indicated that all eight participants experienced average to high stress. Sources of stress identified included, among others, ineffective teaching and learning programmes, poor managerial governance of the service, detachment of professional nurses from their teaching role, poor relationships among staff, over-reliance on the medical model of care and patient neglect. Psychiatric nursing students sampled indicated universal support for in-service education and training for professional nurses, attitude change of professional nurses towards students, support for student initiatives, student involvement in patient care and adequate allocation of resources for patient care and nurse training. The exploration and description of experiences of the psychiatric nursing students will help nurse educators plan clinical learning opportunities in such a way that they are less stressful, thus ensuring that psychiatric nursing students are equipped to utilise themselves as therapeutic instruments.

Highlights

Introduction and problem statementThe system of nursing education has laid down extensive preparatory requirements for aspirant nurses in both the theoretical and practical components of their basic nursing education programs (Setsoe, 1992:32).The acquisition of knowledge and experience in nursing specialities, used for selected learning experiences, allow these students to acquire increasing levels of skill in prac tice, and to emerge as expert nurses ready to provide a service of a comprehensive nature
The authors reported that students who experience unre solved stress and lack of emotional support are likely to experience impaired learning and performance ability, Most of the studies on stress experienced in psychiatric settings focused on registered psychiatric nurses and psy chiatrists (Gray & Diers, 1992; Handy, 1991:44; Jones, Janman, Payne & Rick, 1987:131)
It is reasonable to assume that student nurses working in mental health settings are as susceptible to stress as other mental health practitioners

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and problem statementThe system of nursing education has laid down extensive preparatory requirements for aspirant nurses in both the theoretical and practical components of their basic nursing education programs (Setsoe, 1992:32).The acquisition of knowledge and experience in nursing specialities, used for selected learning experiences, allow these students to acquire increasing levels of skill in prac tice, and to emerge as expert nurses ready to provide a service of a comprehensive nature. The authors reported that students who experience unre solved stress and lack of emotional support are likely to experience impaired learning and performance ability, Most of the studies on stress experienced in psychiatric settings focused on registered psychiatric nurses and psy chiatrists (Gray & Diers, 1992; Handy, 1991:44; Jones, Janman, Payne & Rick, 1987:131) These groups of mental health professionals reported experiencing greater inter personal involvement with their patients. This intimate con tact and often intense relationship with disturbed people accounted for high levels of stress. The stressors experienced by student nurses in the psy chiatric units of the North West Province in South Africa have not been researched

Objectives

Results

Conclusion