The value of physical examination in mental health nursing

•Nurse educators must prepare graduates that integrate physical and mental health.•A physical examination assignment assists students with the mind-body connection.•Students' initial bias towards toward patients with mental illness was minimized.•Students reported increased comfort conducting a physical examination on patients.•Nurses must take an active role in formal assessment in the practice setting.

This article explores the use of a physical examination assignment in a mental health general nursing clinical placement course that addresses the poor physical health of people with mental illness and the barriers traditionally impeding health care provision for this population. A descriptive qualitative approach utilizes inductive content analysis to investigate 145 student survey responses. The assignment assists student nurses in understanding that physical and mental well-being are intrinsically linked. Students report increased comfort performing a physical examination on patients with mental illness post assignment. Students' initial bias towards this population was minimized post the clinical assignment. Poor physical health is common among people with mental health problems. Many view the provision of care as a major public health issue. Nurses are the front line caregivers of mental health service consumers and are well positioned to assess their physical needs. Their assessment may be the first step in recognizing health care issues in this population.