Understanding Psychology in Nursing: Patient Care Improvement

This essay discusses the crucial role of psychology in nursing, highlighting how a nurse's understanding of psychological principles can significantly improve patient care and mental well-being. It emphasizes the importance of nurses being trained in psychological counseling to effectively interact with patients and their families, addressing their emotional and mental states. The essay references Wilhelm Wundt, the 'father of psychology,' and underscores the importance of psychology as a science in the healthcare field. The knowledge of psychology enables nurses to better understand and manage patient conditions, providing positive support and care during challenging times. Desklib offers a range of study tools and resources for students to further explore this topic.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY IN NURSING
PSYCHOLOGY IN NURSING
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1PSYCHOLOGY IN NURSING
Psychology is a branch of study that deals with science behind behavior and mind. The
study of psychology includes a detailed analysis and study of the conscious and unconscious
phenomenon as well as the feelings and thoughts that emerge from a human being or an
organism. Psychology is an academic discipline that deals with different dimensions of human
mind, their mental condition and the “normalities” and “abnormalities” that an individual or a
group of individuals exhibit due to certain physiological, environmental or genetic phenomenon
and effects thereafter. Wilhelm Wundt, who is also known as the “father of psychology’, has
defined psychology as an academic discipline which is distinguishable from philosophy or
biology, and was the first person who denoted that psychology is a branch of “science” as well as
“para-science”. Psychology is an intense subject which has a plethora of sub- disciplines such as
“cultural psychology”, “applied psychology”, “criminal psychology” and so on (Feldman, 2005).
Psychology in nursing is important because as a health care professional, a nurse has to
take an active part in the process of interacting with people who are sick and ill on one side and
on the other side, he/ she also has to deal with the relatives of the patients. In such a situation, a
good knowledge and insight of psychology helps the nurse to understand the patients and their
mental conditions better. A proper training in psychological counseling by the nurses not only
helps the patients to regain their peace of mind, but also the relatives of the patients as positive
implications are provided to pacify or tackle them (Feldman, 2005).

2PSYCHOLOGY IN NURSING
References:
Feldman, R. S. (2005). Essentials of understanding psychology. McGraw-Hill.