Mental health in nursing: A student's perspective

Area of Science:

• Healthcare professional well-being
• Nursing mental health
• Occupational psychology

Background:

• A pervasive stigma surrounding mental health exists within the healthcare and nursing professions.
• This stigma fosters a culture of perfectionism, pressuring nurses to meet unrealistic expectations.
• Nurses often suppress their own feelings, thoughts, and needs to maintain this facade.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mental health issues commonly encountered by nurses.
• To shed light on the impact of workplace culture on nurses' psychological well-being.
• To provide a narrative-driven examination of these challenges, inspired by personal experience.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploration of mental health issues in nursing.
• Analysis of the influence of perfectionism and stigma.
• Personal narrative as a primary source of insight.

Main Results:

• Nurses experience significant psychological distress due to workplace pressures.
• The culture of perfectionism exacerbates mental health struggles.
• Suppression of personal needs is a common coping mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Addressing mental health stigma in nursing is critical.
• Creating a supportive environment is essential for nurses' well-being.
• Further research and intervention are needed to support nurses' mental health.