The effect of mental health nursing theory, clinical experience and anti-stigma program on students’ attitudes towards mental illnesses

Title : The effect of mental health nursing theory, clinical experience and anti-stigma program on students’ attitudes towards mental illnesses

Abstract:

Objectives: To examine the effect of mental health nursing theory, clinical experience and anti-stigma program on students’ attitudes towards mental illnesses.

Design and setting: One group quasi-experimental design was used. The study was performed at the faculty of nursing in Turkey. Data was collected using Beliefs toward Mental Illness Scale and Social Distance Scale. The measurements were conducted before theory (baseline) and after theory (post-test 1), after clinical practice (post-test 2) and antistigma program (post-test 3).

Results: The students’ total score of the Beliefs toward Mental Illness Scale decreased meaningfully after the clinical experience and anti-stigma program. However, there was not a significant difference in the mean scores for the shaming subscale across baseline, post-test 1, post-test 2 and post-test 3 (p: .806). Results demonstrated significant positive differences in the mean scores for the sosyal mesafe scale after theory, practice and anti-stigma program. There is significant difference in the mean scores of the Social Distance Scale of students according to time (F:124.69, p:.000). Repeated-measures showed that mean scores of subscale decreased meaningfully in every measurements.

Conclusions: Psychiatric nursing curriculum should be focused on the aim of changing the stereotypes with real information. It should be empower the positive interactions of students with patients at clinical dimension. Also, after the mental health course, anti stigma programme supported the positive attitudes. It is suggested that standart mental health nursing course includes such as these programmes.

 Audience Take Away:

• The results of this study showed that mental health nursing course ve anti-stigma training provided insight on attitudes towards mental illnesses and social distance.

• Psychiatric nursing curriculum should be focused on the aim of changing the stereotypes with real information.

• It should be empower the positive interactions of students with patients at clinical dimension.

• After the mental health course, anti stigma programme supported the positive attitudes.

• It is suggested that standart mental health nursing course includes such as these programmes.

Biography:

Melike Ertem was born in Ankara in 12 September 1985. She got her bachelor’s degree at Ege University Nursing Faculty in 2008. After graduation, she started to work at Dokuz Eylul University Hospital Newborn Premature intensive care unit. At the beginning of 2009, she started to work as a research assistant at Bolu Health School at Psychiatric Nursing Programme in Bolu. She completed her master education at Duzce University. She voluntarily counselled psychological at Elder Health Center in Bolu. During this time, she studied with elderly diagnosed cancer, Alzheimer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc. She studied at Europen Union Grundving Life Long Lerning Project which named “Training and Psyco-Social Therapy for Informal Caretakers of Bedridden Disabled Individuals”. After getting postgraduate degree in 2012, she had her PhD degree at Dokuz Eylul University Psychiatric Nursing Department in izmir and completed in 2016. She has been studying motivational interviews with patients diagnosed chronic mental diseases, transactional analysis theory and nursing. She has published papers in reputed journals and oral–poster presentations at conferences.