When a nursing student expresses concerns about how mental health nurses "lose all their nursing skills," the best response by the mental health nurse is:
a. "Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient ratios must be better because of the nature of the patients' problems."
b. "Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills as well as critical thinking to solve multidimensional problems. I am challenged by those situations."
c. "That's a misconception. Psychiatric nurses frequently use high technology monitoring equipment and manage complex intravenous therapies."
d. "Psychiatric nurses do not have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical-surgical nurses do. That appeals to me."
ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical-surgical nursing, though there is substantial overlap. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients with medical as well as mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, just like other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not just documentation. Psychosocial pain and suffering are as real as physical pain and suffering.
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