Why Mental Health Training for Nurses is More Critical Than Ever

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In the past decade, mental health issues across all ages and demographics have been on the rise, and nurses often find themselves on the front line of screening and management. While instances of anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD, and depression are all on the rise, increased awareness by health professionals is a major contributing factor to better diagnosis and treatment.

The ability of nurses to catch these conditions early and draw on effective interprofessional resources often makes the difference between life-changing therapy and ongoing struggles. Continuing education is a key weapon in the fight against mental illness, and courses like Suicide Prevention for Healthcare Providers provide valuable insights that support families and empower individuals to seek the help they need.

With new studies emerging every day, mental health training for nurses is critical for keeping the workforce up to date on the latest challenges they’re likely to encounter. Here are some of the top areas where excellent continuing education can make a difference.

1. Men’s Mental Health

For cultural, social, and personal reasons, men have been historically reluctant to engage with mental health treatment. Whether it’s the perception of cultural pressure or a product of traditional gender roles, men seek mental healthcare (and healthcare in general) significantly less frequently than women.

Unfortunately, men are no less susceptible to serious mental health concerns. Nearly 1 in 10 men will suffer from depression and anxiety, but fewer than half will actually seek treatment. This is a serious contributing factor to men having a 400% higher suicide rate related to these issues, and skilled healthcare professionals are in a position to identify underlying conditions and offer support.

The thawing around mental health discussions and men has also brought many new topics to the fore. For instance, postpartum depression in men is nearly equal to that of women at 12 months, but its association with female patients means it’s still underdiagnosed and undertreated. Other significant areas include substance abuse and PTSD, and each requires healthcare professionals to exhibit highly tailored skillsets.

Because of all these factors, nurses need to be particularly sensitive when handling male patients exhibiting symptoms of mental illness. Success will depend on:

• Exhibiting non-judgmental listening skills
• Verbally reinforcing confidentiality
• Normalizing mental health challenges and treatment
• Following up and supporting treatment

2. ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common mental disorders among children, with diagnosis rates nearly doubling in the last 30 years. Additionally, research is uncovering new insights into how ADHD diagnosis impacts girls vs. boys. Nearly 15 million adults are also diagnosed with ADHD, although it’s estimated that nearly 75% of cases are still unidentified or misdiagnosed.

While common, ADHD can have a serious impact on the health and well-being of patients. Those affected often suffer from:

• Disorganization and procrastination
• Relationship instability
• Financial consequences
• Difficulty at work
• Socialization challenges

Additionally, young girls are disproportionately misdiagnosed because they tend to present as distracted and disengaged in classrooms—a far cry from the classic disruptive symptoms identified in young boys.

With 71% of patients struggling to fill their prescriptions for ADHD medication and 1 in 2 seeking telehealth support, nurses in all roles need to be aware of the challenges people with ADHD face in healthcare settings of all types. With proper mental health training for nurses, health institutions can promote ground-level treatment and success for all the people they serve.

3. Eating Disorders

Nurses may come into contact with patients of all ages and genders with eating disorders, both as primary and secondary reasons for seeking help. Anorexia, bulimia, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) affect nearly 30 million Americans and often require robust interprofessional support and long-term treatment strategies to overcome.

In contrast to many other mental health issues, eating disorders often present observable symptoms that can be identified by skilled nurses at first contact. Dehydration, extremely low or high weight, sialomegaly, low blood pressure, and medical history may all suggest that nurses should probe deeper into behavioral patterns and lifestyle issues.

Once diagnosed, patients may need highly structured therapeutic and medical interventions, and healthcare professionals will likely need to support and maintain a network of providers across disciplines.

4. Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression have always been some of the most prevalent mental health challenges, but in the wake of COVID-19, incidences have been on the rise. 1 in 8 people worldwide suffers from one or both of these conditions, representing a 26% increase since the pandemic.

Nurses managing patients with anxiety and depression should be aware of both physical risks and obstacles to diagnosis and treatment, including:

• Stigmatization and bias
• At-risk communities such as LGBTQIA+ and minority populations
• Inadequate psychological/interprofessional engagement
• The need for socio-occupational support
• Discontinuation of treatment and engagement
• Medication side effects

Mental health training for nurses supports diagnosis and treatment for anxiety, depression, and PTSD that respects the unique nature of each individual’s circumstances, biology, and history. All of these factors must be taken into account when evaluating a patient’s condition and progress, and materially contribute to successful treatment.

Making the Rounds with Mental Health

As training, research, and experience all inform how the healthcare industry engages with mental health, nurses will increasingly find themselves at the forefront of strategy and screening. Healthcare professionals will need to rely on high-quality training and continuing education to stay ahead of the game.

Premiere is committed to high-quality mental health training for nurses that equips them with the skills and tactics for successfully navigating nuanced conversations and coordinating care teams. Courses like Suicide Prevention for Healthcare Providers provide evidence-based practices for understanding risk and protective factors on suicide.

All of Premiere’s award-winning courses are created by industry experts and make meeting your professional obligations and building your career as simple as finding a screen.