Improving the professional competency of psychiatric nurses: Results of a stress inoculation training program

Abstract

It is essential to conduct cognitive-behavioral interventions on nurses' professional competency. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a stress inoculation training (SIT) on professional competency of psychiatric nurses. This was an experimental study, in which 70 psychiatric nurses were allocated to two intervention and control groups (35 in each group) using cluster random design. A SIT program was conducted for the intervention group. Data were gathered by competency inventory for registered nurse (CIRN) before and one month after SIT. The participants in the intervention group reported higher scores on professional competency and its dimensions compared to those in the control group one month after SIT. The increased scores of professional competency and its dimensions after using the SIT implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the professional competences of psychiatric nurses. The higher efficiency of SIT can be determined by its application in diverse domains of medical professions.

Keywords: Clinical competence; Psychiatric nurses; Stress immunization training; Workplace stress.