The need to know: biological learning needs identified by practicing psychiatric nurses.
1. Psychiatric nursing in the 1990s requires integrating an expanding biological focus into nursing practice to accommodate both the growing biological knowledge base and changing patients' needs. 2. The following areas of learning needs for practicing psychiatric nurses were identified: knowledge of medications; recognition of interactions of patient physical conditions and medications with other substances; obtainment of skills to manage acute and chronic medical problems in the psychiatric milieu, and to differentiate medical and psychiatric concerns; maintenance of safety and management of the impact of environmental factors; and achievement of self-care for the caregiver. 3. There was widespread interest from the nurses participating in this study in knowing what nurses in other settings were experiencing in their practice and the learning needs they perceived.