Having worked in a variety of specialty areas over the years as staff nurses, clinical nurse specialists, educators, therapists, and managers, we realize that nurses aspire to become highly proficient in their area of practice. But psychosocial skills are often more difficult to perfect. Very often nurses feel inadequately prepared to deal with complex behaviors and psychiatric problems on top of the demands of providing physical care for the patient and family. Even nurses who practice in the psychiatric setting find themselves dealing with unique situations that challenge their level of expertise. And yet, a large percentage of a nurse’s time is spent dealing with these issues
