Psychological stress and educational effect during bedside practice on psychiatric nursing

The aim of this study is to analyze the educational effect and the factors of psychological stress of bedside practice on psychiatric nursing. The subjects studied were 76 nursing students in a nursing college. They answered a questionnaire and underwent the STAI-test before and after the periods of their bedside practice during psychiatric nursing. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The awareness structure of the nursing students was composed of 6 factors, that is, anxiety and detestation factor, understanding and acceptance factor, social alienation factor, denial factor, affirmation factor and closed society factor. 2. The changes in their awareness were observed before and after the periods of bedside practice. 3. The STAI-test showed that the nursing students frequently complained of anxiety before the bedside practice because they had only studied about the psychoses. 4. The nursing students who had strong anxiety also showed a deep fear and detestation. 5. Some nursing students who had had a deep anxiety before the bedside practice found their anxiety reduced because of the direct contact with psychotic patients. 6. Although the nursing students had psychological stress, they were also interested in the psychiatric nursing.