Principles of Psychiatric Nursing

1. PRINCIPLES OF
PSYCHIATRIC
NURSING
PRESENTED BY:
MS. KIRAN
NAYYAR

2. 1.ACCEPT THE PATIENT AS HE IS
This is the basic principles of Psychiatric
nursing. As a nurse be non-judgemental and
non-punitive, show your interest in the patient
as a patient. Recognise and reflect on feeling
which the patient may express. Talk with a
purpose and permit the patient to express
strongly held feeling.

3. 2. USE SELF-UNDERSTANDING AS
THERAPEUTIC TOOL
A psychiatric nurse needs to develop a strong
sense of self understanding and self- awareness.
This act as a therapeutic tool and leads to
understanding of the patient as well.

4. 3. USE CONSISTENT BEHAVIOUR
Consistent behaviour of a psychiatric nurse enables
the patient to develop confidence in the nurse. It
increases the patient’s emotional security.
Consistent behaviour must reflect in our attitude,
ward routine and defining limitations placed on the
patient.

5. 4. GIVE REASSURANCE TO
PATIENT IN SUBTLE AND
ACCEPTABLE MANNER
Never give false reassurance to the psychiatric
patient. Always give reassurance in subtle and
acceptable manner to restore or build up patient’s
confidence.

6. 5.CHANGE PATIENT’S BEHAVIOUR
THROUGH EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCE
•Major focus in psychiatry is on feeling and not on
the intellectual aspect.
•Role play, socio-drama are some ways of creating
emotional experience in the patient about his own
behaviour.

7. 6.AVOID UNNECESSARY
INCREASE IN PATIENT’S ANXIETY
•Unnecessary increase in patient’s anxiety should be
avoided because psychiatric patient already have
some amount of anxiety due to their illness, social
disapproval and seclusion from the family.

8. 7. MAINTAIN REALISTIC NURSE-
PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
•Such relationship focuses upon the personal and
emotional needs of the patient and not on the
nurse’s needs. The nurse-patient relationship
should be therapy oriented.

9. 8.AVIOD PHYSICAL OR VERBAL
FORCE
•Physical or verbal force should be avoided as
much as possible. Any kind of force applied on
the patient results in psychological trauma,
unless it is a patient who needs and welcome
punishment.
Example: A depressed patient welcomes
punishment.

10. 9. PROVIDE CARE TO THE
PATIENT AS A PERSON
Nursing care should be provided by considering
the patient as a person and not merely to
control the symptoms of disease or symptoms
that he has. Two patient showing the same
symptoms may be expressing two different
needs as every individual is different.

11. 10.GIVE EXPLANATION AT THE
PATIENT’S LEVEL OF
UNDERSTANDING
They have a right to know what is being done to
him and why it is being done. Explain routines
and procedures at the patient’s level of
understanding. Explanation reduce patient’s
anxiety and help in developing therapeutic
relationship.

12. 11. FOCUS ON STRENGTHS OF
THE PATIENT
Every individual has strengths and weakness.

13. 12. MAINTAIN BASIC NURSING
PRINCIPLES
Basic nursing principles should be maintained
while following any procedures like providing
safety, comfort, individual care, economy of
time, energy and material.

14. RECAPTULIZATION

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY
•Neeraj Sethi . Essentials of Psychiatry For
Nurses. Published by Lotus .Edition 3rd
.Page No.10-11
•www.Wikipedia.com