Experience Process of Reducing Prejudices against People with Mental Illness by Nursing Students during Clinical Training in Psychiatric Wards / 정신간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand nursing students' experience process of reducing prejudices against people with mental illness. METHODS: Participants were 9 nursing students who showed positive changes in prejudices against people with mental illness. Data were collected from September 2014 to February 2015 through in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed following Colazzi (1978) phenomenological method. RESULTS: Analysis showed that for the students' lived experiences of reducing prejudice, there were 47 constructed meanings as 17 subjects in 6 groups fear, terrifying, relaxation, pitifulness, realization, and sense of kinship. Fear included harm, unpredictability, and wackiness, while terrifying included handshakes without facial expression and unfocused eyes. For relaxation, the content included doing things together, receiving consideration, and being helpful, while for pitifulness it was feeling pathetic, sorry, and anger instead concern for patient. The content for surprise included tenderness, awareness of reality, self-assertiveness, and excellent ability, and for sense of kinship, the same as me and doing with me. CONCLUSION: Clinical practice instructors or field leaders should provide enough opportunities for students to understand and express their feelings about mental illness. Providing proactive education and programs to reduce prejudices about mental illness before the mental health nursing practicum are also suggested.