Problem
Psychiatric nursing requires a shift in perspective and activity from what you have learned before in other acute care settings. You will have the opportunity to care for individuals experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms and reflect about your own responses to their challenges. Before the first week in your clinical setting, consider some of your current ideas about psychiatric nursing.
Reflect and respond to the following questions:
a) What do I expect to see on a psychiatric unit?
b) What are my ideas about mental health care and where do they come from?
c) How do I feel about people who have a mental health disorder?
d) What can I do to adjust to the slower pace of the psychiatric setting?
e) What skills do I already have that will help me connect with people or make me a "good"?