Essentials of Psychology for Nurses AN Venkatesh Reddy
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1Essentials of Psychology for Nurses2
3Essentials of Psychology for Nurses
[Based on Revised Syllabus of BSc (N) and GNM]
A. N. Venkatesh Reddy MA, PhD, PGDPC and PT Principal (Retd.) Professor of Psychology and Counselling Psychologist Visiting professor SRS, SJM, Unity and Vivekananda Colleges of Nursing Chitradurga, Karnataka (India)
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Published by
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Essentials of Psychology for Nurses
© 2009, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers
All rights reserved. No part of this publication should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author and the publisher.
First Edition: 2009
9788184484489
Typeset at JPBMP typesetting unit
Printed at5
Preface
Psychology is useful in different fields of life. Nursing is one amongst them. Psychology helps nurses to understand the patients and their diseases in a better way. As there is close relationship between mind, body and spirit, most of the physical disorders are related to mind. Hence, the treatment for only body may not help the patients.
Patients differ in their personality, motivation, intelligence attitudes, aptitudes, learning, thinking, emotions, etc. Each of these processes has its role in determining the disease condition of the patient. Knowledge of psychology helps nurses to understand the role of these psychological processes in causing different diseases. Nurses can make use of various methods, materials, tests, etc. explained in psychology to assess the patients. Accurate assessment helps in ensuring appropriate treatment, nursing care and early cure.
The frustrations, conflicts, stress and emotions cause psychosomatic disorders. Such disorders need treatment for both body and mind. Role of nurses in treatment of these patients is very important. Nurses also work in mental hospitals. Here knowledge of psychology is absolutely necessary.
As part of preventive measures, the nurses who are directly in contact with people in community can help to follow suitable measures to maintain good mental hygiene and health. Nurses can teach people (by adopting suitable teaching techniques explained in psychology) the appropriate measures in this regard.
Disease, whether physical or psychological will give rise to anxiety, worry and tension. Hence, almost all the patients need counselling and guidance. Nurses can effectively perform this job with the knowledge of psychology.
In this way, psychology helps nurses to maintain their four-fold responsibilities—promoting health, preventing illness, restoration of health and alleviation of suffering.6
In this book, most of the psychological processes which help to understand the behaviour of patients and the methods required to deal with them in effective ways are included.
The INC has done a right job by including all the essential chapters in the syllabus for students of nursing. Attempts have been made to give suitable explanation along with appropriate examples. The knowledge of nursing and long teaching experience has helped me to make the subject matter more appropriate and meaningful.
Psychology is such a vast subject that it is very difficult to include all the points in a book. Hence, the points prescribed in syllabus are explained in a precise way, so as to enable the nurses of today to enrich their knowledge and to meet the challenges they encounter in their profession.
I personally feel that this book will meet the needs of the student nurses of both BSc and GNM for whom it is specifically designed. However, this information can also be carried on by nurses throughout their career, and make their services more meaningful.
I express a deep sense of gratitude to the various writers, the views and opinions of whom I have incorporated in this book.
I thank M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd. for publishing this book. Suggestions for correction and improvement will be gracefully acknowledged and appreciated.
A. N. Venkatesh Reddy