Role of Licensed Practical Nursing Schools in Supporting Mental Health

Many factors can affect nurses’ ability and motivation to do their job well. Nurses face multiple daily stressors, including long shifts and difficult patient care situations. These stressors can have a negative impact on their mental health. Poor job performance can cause mental health problems, leading to lower patient satisfaction, poor outcomes, and possibly even increased mortality.

The issue of nurses’ mental health has been an important one for many years. Many resources can help nurses deal with the demands of their profession. These include peer support groups and self-care strategies, which you can know in licensed practical nursing schools.

The Link between Nursing and Mental Health

A nursing career can be physically and psychologically exhausting. Nursing professionals may be exposed to a variety of stressors during a shift. Their mental health may suffer as a result of this.

• High workload -There is a nationwide shortage of nurses. This has been partly caused by increased demand for health services and a wave of nursing leader retirements which causes nursing shortages.
• Long shifts – Nurses are often required to work 10- to 12-hour internship hours, sometimes even overnight, due to staff shortages. These disrupt nurses’ natural sleep patterns and cause fatigue.
• Safety and health concerns -During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were at great risk because of insufficient staffing and inadequate resources.
• Death of a patient – This is one of the most challenging aspects of being a nurse and can cause significant emotional and mental distress.
• Bullying at work – Just like in other professions, bullying of nurses at work by clients or colleagues is a possibility. Mental health can also be affected by a hostile work environment.

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Importance of Mental Health Nurses

Stressors like those mentioned can cause anxiety and depression in nursing staff. Healthcare workers often report poor mental health as a contributing factor to burnout. This is defined as feeling exhausted, disengaged, and ineffective in the nursing field.

Nursing care and nurses’ mental health are closely linked. If the former is poor, then the quality of the latter will often suffer. Multiple studies have shown a strong link between nurses’ mental well-being and patient care quality. Depression is the most common reason. A higher chance of being sued for medical malpractice is also associated with poor mental health in healthcare workers in the healthcare industry or healthcare organizations.

Not only can this affect patient care, but it can also lead to increased turnover and absenteeism in nurses, increasing staffing shortages and reducing patient satisfaction. It is also costly for hospitals to lose their nurses. Know more from the best nursing colleges in Illinois also for an online program about licensed practical nursing schools in supporting mental health.

Nursing Support for Mental Health

Healthcare providers are responsible for providing mental health support for nurses. Besides the potential benefits of patient care, nurses who receive mental health support can also enjoy many other benefits.

1. Nursing staff that is more engaged and productive in a degree program.
2. Reduced turnover rates for risk prevention in health care systems.
3. Reduced time nurses spend on mental health issues can result in cost savings.
4. Patient satisfaction improved with nursing skills.

Although healthcare providers have been more focused on nurses’ mental health, a stigma is still attached to the topic. According to the survey, 36% of nurses feel stigmatized when seeking mental health support.

Prioritizing Nurses’ Mental Health

Nurses must have good mental health. This profoundly impacts everything, from job satisfaction and performance to retention and, ultimately, patient outcomes. Nursing professionals who manage stress and anxiety better are better equipped to deliver optimal patient care. Those with mental disorders are more likely to make mistakes and compromise patient safety in medical professional goals.

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Long shifts, staff shortages, and lack of resources affect nurses’ mental health. Healthcare organizations must support nurses. Promoting a culture of mental health in the workplace and providing access to mental health resources are ways to reduce stigmatization. Peer support groups for nurses and self-care strategies are great ways to protect and improve their mental health. This will allow them to perform at their best medical practice and clinical care.

Future nurse leaders will play key roles in health care to create workplace cultures that support mental health. Learning more about the practical nursing program near me will help you become an LPN and get an advanced degree in nursing.