<\/span><\/h3>\nFirst and foremost, as a nurse, your priority should always be your patients. For that, you must understand the behaviour and emotions of your patients and cope with them calmly. Psychology will help you understand why a patient behaves, thinks, or feels in a specific way. Additionally, deep knowledge of psychological principles might also help you identify whether the behaviour is in response to illness, stress, or trauma. To help patients dealing with stress or trauma, you should:<\/p>\n
\n- Show empathy<\/li>\n
- Reassure them<\/li>\n
- Provide emotional validation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>For Example:<\/span><\/h4>\nIf a patient is anxiously waiting outside the operating theatre for their turn, you must calm them. Ask them about their fears, give a brief on the procedure of surgery in a calm tone, and assure them that the surgery is not complicated. This will help you reduce the patient\u2019s stress.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Enhancing Patient Adherence and Motivation:<\/span><\/h3>\nIn addition to this, one of the most challenging tasks for nurses is motivating patients to follow treatment plans and take medication regularly. This is when you should use psychology in your practice.<\/p>\n
<\/span>For Example:<\/span><\/h4>\nYou can use psychological principles to help patients with chronic illness stick to their diet and participate in their treatment plan. You can also educate them about the future aspects of the illness if not treated. This might motivate them to take medications regularly and change their lifestyle. This will also help you improve patient recovery.<\/p>\n