Caring as a resilient practice in mental health nursing

Abstract

This paper will develop a discussion about caring as a modern mental health nurse. We argue that the demands of mental health nursing today extend beyond the more traditional skills of care and caring. We believe that in order to meet mental health needs in the 21st century that caring should be extended to encompass the additional expertise of emotional intelligence and resilience. Emotional intelligence, resilience, and resilient behaviours have the potential to assist individuals to transcend negative experiences and transform these experiences into positive self-enhancing ones. This has implications for improved consumer outcomes through role-modelling and educational processes, but also may hold implications in supporting a strong workforce in mental health.

Impact of emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence on the caring behavior of nurses: a dimension-level exploratory study among public hospitals in Malaysia

“…Emotional Intelligence is a key component of competent nursing practice (Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2007;Warelow & Edward, 2007) and it enables a nurse to think and function in a constructive and rational way in the clinical setting (Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2007;Kaur et al, 2013). Sumner and Townsend-Rocchiccioli (2003) have asserted that the ability to effectively manage one's own and others' emotions is critical to the provision of excellent patient care.…”

Emotional intelligence and caring behaviour in nursing

“…Several authors have also suggested that EI is crucial for building, nourishing, and sustaining the emotionally demanding labour that nurses are required to carry out in their interactions with patients (e.g. Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2004, 2007Cadman & Brewer, 2001;Freshwater & Stickley, 2004;Hurley, 2008;McQueen, 2004;Warelow & Edward, 2007). Nurses are expected to possess not only professional competence, but also the necessary sensitivity to meet patients' vulnerability and anxiety, EI being an important source of such sensitivity (Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2004).…”

Emotional Intelligence Levels of Nursing Students and Affecting Factors

“…[5] Ayrıca, hemşirelerin DZ becerilerinin gelişmesi, stresle başetme mekanizmalarını da geliştirdiğinden hastalarla yaşanan olumsuz duyguları olumluya dönüştürmede ve kişisel güçlenmeyi artıracağı bildirilmektedir. [6] Duygusal zeka insan hayatının farklı yönlerini etkileyen en ö-nemli faktörlerden bir tanesi olmakla birlikte hemşirelik uygulamaları için de temel öneme sahiptir. [7] Hemşirelerin yaptıkları işin kalitesini etkileyen, eleştirel düşünme ve klinik karar verebilme becerilerini etkileyebilmektedir.…”