Other Titles
Recognizing Non-Verbal Ques for Safety in Mental Health Clinic: A Student Perspective [Title Slide]
Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Preparing nursing students for clinical in the Mental/Behavioral Health field is always challenging. Students are often fearful of the experience which narrows their opportunities for learning in the clinical setting. One pre-licensure baccalaureate program in the South East United States (SE US) sought to elay some of those fears through preparation techniques before the clinical experience. One of the techniques was an increase in the awareness of Non-Verbal Communication in clients as to allow the student to be prepared for potential violence.
The students were first given a pre-clinical questionaire to see where their baseline was with knowledge and attitudes surrounding mental health clinical. The students were then introduced to the environment of the locked units through slides and pictures of what is different compared to a medical surgical unit. Discussions of safety and empathy surrounded these introductions. Basic safety precautions were taught such as elopement procedures, crisis intervention, and verbal de-escalation. After the students felt comfortable enough with the basics, therapeutic communication and verbal/non-verbal cues were announced and practiced in the simulation lab. One early assignment involved students being sent out into a public space to observe people for behavior, non-verbal communication and "tells" to changes in behavior.
Students learned how to respect the client and how to gain respect from the client via stance, body openness, eye contact, and relaxation techniques. Practice on each other in the classroom recognizing non-verbal communication or lack of in some circumstances proved an eye opening activity for many of them.
The final test was a simulation with live actors that the student had to recognize the non-verbal cues that may lead to safety issues and violence. After the simulation, a debriefing took place to discuss what went well and what could have been changed for the next circumstance like that.
At the end, students took a post- clinical questionnaire looking at knowledge and attitudes since the course had been taught. The results were overwhelmingly positive that they felt less fearful of the experience after the lectures, discussions, and simulations. Many students even discussed that this may be a field that they would seek upon graduation when no one had stated they would at the pre questionnaire.
Notes
References:
Abbas, M., Khan, S.M. Nonverbal Communication and Affectivity: A Scale for Detecting Emotions Through Nonverbal Behavior. Psychol Stud 68, 472–480 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-023-00714-w
Dragomir, G., Farcasiu, M., & Simon, S. (2021). Students’ perceptions of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors before and after Covid 19 Pandemic. DOAJ Vol. 11, no. 18, p. 8282. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11188282
Metin, A., & Dogan, T. (2024). Nonverbal behavior training program: A pilot study on psychological counselors. 13(3), 646-656. doi:https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1234085
Sharkiya, S. H. (2023). Quality communication can improve patient-centered health outcomes among older patients: A rapid review. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 1-14. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09869-8
Tahir, Y., Yang, Z., Chakraborty, D., Thalmann, N., Thalmann, D., Maniam, Y., . . . Dauwels, J. (2019). Non-verbal speech cues as objective measures for negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. PLoS One, 14(4) doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214314
Sigma Membership
Mu Psi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Simulation, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Academic-clinical Partnerships, Nursing Students, Non-Verbal Communication, Mental Health Nursing
Recommended Citation
Cornelius, Sheryl, "Awareness of Non-Verbal Communication for Safety in Mental Health Nursing Students" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 34.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/34
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-18
Awareness of Non-Verbal Communication for Safety in Mental Health Nursing Students
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Preparing nursing students for clinical in the Mental/Behavioral Health field is always challenging. Students are often fearful of the experience which narrows their opportunities for learning in the clinical setting. One pre-licensure baccalaureate program in the South East United States (SE US) sought to elay some of those fears through preparation techniques before the clinical experience. One of the techniques was an increase in the awareness of Non-Verbal Communication in clients as to allow the student to be prepared for potential violence.
The students were first given a pre-clinical questionaire to see where their baseline was with knowledge and attitudes surrounding mental health clinical. The students were then introduced to the environment of the locked units through slides and pictures of what is different compared to a medical surgical unit. Discussions of safety and empathy surrounded these introductions. Basic safety precautions were taught such as elopement procedures, crisis intervention, and verbal de-escalation. After the students felt comfortable enough with the basics, therapeutic communication and verbal/non-verbal cues were announced and practiced in the simulation lab. One early assignment involved students being sent out into a public space to observe people for behavior, non-verbal communication and "tells" to changes in behavior.
Students learned how to respect the client and how to gain respect from the client via stance, body openness, eye contact, and relaxation techniques. Practice on each other in the classroom recognizing non-verbal communication or lack of in some circumstances proved an eye opening activity for many of them.
The final test was a simulation with live actors that the student had to recognize the non-verbal cues that may lead to safety issues and violence. After the simulation, a debriefing took place to discuss what went well and what could have been changed for the next circumstance like that.
At the end, students took a post- clinical questionnaire looking at knowledge and attitudes since the course had been taught. The results were overwhelmingly positive that they felt less fearful of the experience after the lectures, discussions, and simulations. Many students even discussed that this may be a field that they would seek upon graduation when no one had stated they would at the pre questionnaire.
Description
Pre-licensure students are uncomfortable with Mental/Behavioral health clinical due to fear of the unknown. Faculty want to ensure students are prepared for whatever may happen to the safety of the students and other clients. One SE US nursing program went to increased application of theory to ensure its students were aware of the non-verbal communications that could lead to violence. Through discussion, activity, and simulations, students increased their comfort in the clinical setting.