Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Core Competencies: Communication Skills

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the core skills and competencies of psychiatric/mental health nurses with a particular emphasis on interpersonal communication skills. The use and application of these skills is embedded in the context of person-centered, interpersonal P/MH nursing. As a result, the authors focus on core competencies such as experiencing and conveying a sense of empathy, possessing and communicating unconditional positive regard, and active listening. Following this, the authors review and discuss the evidence concerning the impacts and effects of interpersonal relationships with P/MH nurses from the service users’ perspectives. Effective interpersonal communication skills are then embedded or contextualized within the “recovery movement” and then also within the theory of hope inspiration and maintenance. The chapter concludes by pointing out how given the fact that human beings can be thought of as “systems of interrelated parts,” the holistic view confirms that the whole is more than just the sum of its parts. The challenge lies in moving from a disease-centered approach to a more effective person-centered approach. A new understanding of the meaning of mental health problems or so-called mental disorders is also urgent in order to align the professionals’ roles and skills with the more effective strategies to help the person’s recovery.