Study on perception towards psychiatry among nursing students in a tertiary care hospital

Introduction: Nursing fraternity plays a pivotal role in psychiatric services. Psychiatric conditions and persons suffering from them may elicit the different kinds of attitudinal responses. While there are multiple factors leading to an individual's decision to specialize in psychiatry, the individual's perceptions and attitudes toward psychiatry tend to play an essential role Aim: The current study aimed at assessing the attitude toward psychiatry among nursing students at a tertiary care hospital. Design: Cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven nursing students from Tertiary care teaching hospital were recruited the study and administered attitudes assessed using Attitudes toward Psychiatry-18 Scale. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistics version 23. Results: Majority of respondents showed favorable attitudes toward 14 items and unfavorable attitudes in remaining 4 items. Only 29.9% participants expressed their willingness to specialize in psychiatric nursing. Conclusions: A study found majority of students having favorable attitudes toward psychiatry. More can be done in the present education and training curriculum to develop empathetic attitudes toward people with mental illness, as it will affect the way these prospective nursing students deliver care toward their patients.