Opinion of B.Sc. Nursing Students & Their Teachers about Psychiatric Disorders & Psychiatric Nursing

Abstract

One of the key determinants of choice of specialization in nursing is opinion towards that speciality. The Psychiatric Disorders and Psychiatric Nursing Opinionnaire was administered to 162 subjects (both B.Sc. Nursing 3rd year students and undergraduate nursing teachers) selected using purposive sampling technique when they had participated in 3 workshops targeted at training in essential psychiatric nursing skills. Subjects from all three workshops had moderately humanistic, moderately professional and moderate acceptance opinions towards psychiatric disorders and psychiatric nursing. However, they also had moderate rejection opinion and were undecided about opinions that were custodial as well as punitive. This study has strong implications for nursing teachers and nurse administrators to focus on clinical experience and CNE programs to inculcate positive opinion which may impact on future career decisions and quality of patient care too.