Exploring the Experiences of Nurses in Rendering Care to Psychiatric Patients

This qualitative exploratory study examined the experiences of nurses in rendering care to psychiatric patients. Specifically, it explored nurses' experiences in psychiatric care, the challenges they encountered, coping strategies they utilized, therapeutic relationships they established, and the insights they gained from their practice. Purposive sampling was used to select registered nurses from Maimbung District Hospital with direct experience in psychiatric nursing. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that nurses viewed psychiatric nursing as both challenging and rewarding. Participants identified aggressive patient behaviors, emotional demands, communication barriers, and workplace stress as common challenges. Despite these difficulties, nurses maintained compassionate care through emotional resilience, teamwork, self-care, and effective therapeutic communication. They also reported that psychiatric nursing strengthened their professional competence, empathy, patience, and understanding of mental health. The study highlights the importance of continuous professional development, adequate staffing, emotional support programs, and organizational commitment to strengthen psychiatric nursing practice. Although limited to one healthcare institution, the findings provide valuable insights that may guide future mental health policies, nursing education, and workforce support programs.