Teaching Professionalism by Vignettes in Psychiatry for Nursing Students

M. Al-Eraky, Mohamed; Mohamed Fouad Kamel, Neama; Al-Qahtani, Abdullah; Abu Madini, Mahdi; Hussin, Ahlam

doi:10.21608/ejhc.2016.197441

Teaching Professionalism by Vignettes in Psychiatry for Nursing Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ University of Dammam, Medical Education Unit– P.O. Box 40344 Al-Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia. Zigzag University, Egypt

² Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt

³ Department of psychiatry, University of Dammam, College of medicine Psychiatric department .

⁴ Department of psychiatry, University of Dammam. Acting President, Arab Board of Psychiatry.

⁵ Paediatric Nursing, Zagzagiz University, Egypt.

10.21608/ejhc.2016.197441

Abstract

Background: Professionalism has recently gained attention in nursing education,
particularly in psychiatry. Despite it was used to be part of the hidden curriculum, scholars
advocate teaching professionalism explicitly in a safe educational environment. Vignettes were
used to demonstrate professionalism dilemmas and with the use of triggers for reflection, students
can learn the basis for decision making in critical situations though their experiential learning
process. Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) emphasizes the central role that experience plays in
the learning process. Aim:- This study aims at using a module of vignettes and stimulates student
reflection and discussion to help them in constructing the meaning of professionalism in
psychiatric practice. Method:- Vignettes were developed based on common situations that
psychiatric nurses used to encounter in daily clinical practice. The Authors developed a list
questions to trigger their reflection on the Vignettes and guide them to learn about specific
elements of professionalism. Students‟ learning outcomes and feedback were reported as a
measure of module effectiveness. The results:- A total of seven vignettes was reported to
represent common professionalism dilemmas in clinical psychiatric nursing. The study confirms
the feasibility and effectiveness of teaching professionalism by the use of vignettes and the
effectiveness of self constructed learning outcomes. The process for the development and the use
of vignettes was reported and students debate about the ethical, personal and cultural dimensions
of each scenario that drive their decision making. In conclusion, teaching professionalism in
Psychiatric education can acknowledge humanistic values such as: respect and altruism. It is
essential to prepare nursing students for conflicting situations by discussion of professionalism
dilemmas in a safe educational environment and provide them options for decisions. Students
need to learn the consequences of their decisions and anticipate the impact of their choices on
patients, colleagues and themselves. We need to graduate nurses who will meet the societal
expectations from them and they have to learn gradually how to feel, think and act as nurses to
develop their professional identity.

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