Seeking professional psychological help in international undergraduate nursing students based on gender: An experimental study

BACKGROUND: The acceleration in the number of undergraduate students experiencing mental illness necessitates action to prevent negative prognosis. AIM: This study aims to examine the impact of gender on the attitude of undergraduate nursing students toward seeking professional psychological help. METHOD: The study used a pretest-posttest design in nursing school in Hashemite University. Students were followed up approximately 4 months after completing a psychiatric course to determine whether their attitude toward seeking professional psychological help had changed. RESULTS: There were significant differences among females in respect of seeking help from professionals between pretest and posttest for overall score of seeking help from professionals, confidence in helper, recognition of need for help, and openness with professional. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES: The findings offer strong evidence on the importance of including a psychiatric course in nursing degree programs to enhance the attitude of undergraduate nursing students toward professional psychological help and overall health and well-being. The findings of this study regarding the impact of an educational psychiatric program provide future healthcare providers with an evidence-based intervention. This intervention can be implemented in all healthcare facilities and may lead to a significant change in mental health practices in Jordan, which is the inclusion of the education within routine care.