Psychiatric nurse and educator perspectives on professional boundaries in nursing education: An interpretive description study

Background

Psychiatric nurses are responsible for maintaining professional boundaries. However, professional boundaries are as described as unclear and psychiatric nursing students are at risk of crossing these boundaries. Educational instruction regarding professional boundaries within psychiatric nursing often lacks foundational structure placing students at risk of transgressions.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to describe boundaries in psychiatric nursing practice, identify strategies effective in teaching professional boundaries, and inform curriculum development in psychiatric nursing education.

Method

Interpretive description was utilized to answer: How do psychiatric nurse educators interpret and explain professional boundaries in psychiatric nursing undergraduate education? Psychiatric nurse educators and psychiatric nurses were recruited from an academic institution in western Canada. Twenty participants engaged in semi-structured interviews. Eight of those participants also attended a focus group.

Result

Participants reported that ‘textbook’ definitions of boundaries were insufficient in illustrating the complexities of the construct. Rather, relational forms of learning such as educators sharing clinical stories, role play activities, clinical supervision, and clinical debriefing were described as helpful strategies.

Conclusion

Foundational knowledge regarding professional boundaries in psychiatric nursing practice appears to be incorporated in the formal curriculum. However, learning is enhanced through the informal and hidden curriculum.