Psychiatric nurse's image in Egypt: access for development

ABSTRACT

Nurses, working in the field of mental health, are mostly of general qualification [technical certificate]. The very few highly qualified, who got masters and doctoral degrees in psychiatric nursing, do not pursue clinical settings for work. Consequently, the mental health service lacks the important contribution of specialized psychiatric nurse. Among the many factors that influence acceptance or rejection of nursing certain speciality, is the image of that job. This study investigated three dimensions of the psychiatric nurse's image in Egypt, i.e. the educational preparation for a Bachelor Degree in nursing in Egypt, the society perception of mental illness and mental health personnel, and the government input and attitude regarding the provision of the essential facilities required for this service. Results revealed high interest of the qualified nurses in the field of psychiatry, yet the poor public image of the psychiatric nurse, stopped them from joining this profession. A number of recommendations were suggested to deal with this problem: