Chapter 1 SelfAwareness Copyright 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health

Chapter 1 Self-Awareness Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Self-awareness had been widely accepted as an important part of nurses’ repertoire of skills and has been said to be an important factor in a successful nurse-patient relationship. Eckroth-Bucher, 2006 Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to • Define the concept, self-awareness • Differentiate between external and internal factors that contribute to the development of self-awareness • Describe at least two personality traits in yourself that could affect your ability to interact with clients in the clinical setting • Articulate how self-awareness can be an effective tool in the clinical setting • Determine whether your personal issues and concerns about your psychiatric nursing clinical experience have been resolved Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Student nurses have described psychiatric-mental health nursing as a challenging experience that provides an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Frequently Asked Questions • Will the client know that I am a student nurse? • How do I introduce myself? • What do I wear? • What if I say the wrong thing? • Will I be left alone with a client? • What if the client becomes violent? Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Recommendations by Student Nurses • Avoid making assumptions about any client’s medical or psychiatric history. • Do not hesitate to approach your clinical supervisor or a staff member with questions about your assigned client’s needs or plan of care. • Discuss any feelings that you have about your clinical rotation or your assigned client with your instructor. • Take time to adjust to a slower pace. Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Recommendations by Student Nurses (cont. ) • Do not become frustrated with a client who refuses to speak to you. • Be patient with a client who requires repeated prompting to complete a task. • Recognize that listening, observing, and self-awareness are important tools that you possess when providing care. Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Self-Awareness and Introspection • Self-awareness refers to the ability to recognize the nature of one’s attitudes, emotions, and behaviors. • Introspection, or self-reflection, prior to clinical experience in the psychiatric setting will enhance your personal and professional growth. Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Personality Traits (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) • Extrovert • Introvert • Open-minded • Judgmental • Emotional stability Practicing selfawareness is an effective way to prepare for interactions with various clients in the psychiatric setting. Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Key Terms • Emotionally stable • Judgmental • Extrovert • Open-minded • Facilitate • Personality traits • Introspection • Prejudice • Introvert • Self-awareness • Stereotyped Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Reflection Consider the quote, “It takes so much more skill to understand the human mind and emotions than it does to give a shot. ” • What does this mean in your role as you learn psychiatric–mental health nursing? ? Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins