Safe and sound: orienting nurses to psychiatry

Nurses without prior psychiatric experience need to acquire certain information and skills if they are to practice with a sense of competence as they begin their careers in psychiatric/mental health nursing. Essential content for a suggested orientation program includes: key theoretical concepts; maintenance of a safe environment; and interacting with clients who are delusional/hallucinating, behaving seductively, or are suicidal. The importance of clinical supervision is addressed.