Mental Health & Psychiatric Nursing Post Graduate Nursing Students Clinical Posting Experience in the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

This report is on the experience of some Post- post-graduate nursing Students during their 6-week clinical placement in the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Rumuigbo, South- South Nigeria. The students are students of the Rivers State University Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The students were in various stages of their M. Sc and PhD studies in Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing. Benner’s Novice to Expert Theoretical model is the philosophical framework that guided the students’ activities throughout their stay in the hospital. The qualitative data for the report were collected through a triangulation of historical analyses, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions, and observations. The study identifies an acute shortage of nurses and other logistics for quality care of patients. It also made some recommendations that will mitigate the problems that were identified.