Influencing Undergraduate Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Mental Health Nursing: Acknowledging the Role of Theory

Abstract

Most research designed to explore undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards mental health nursing tends to uphold clinical experience as the decisive factor, with much less attention paid to the theoretical component. This paper presents the findings of a state-wide study conducted with undergraduate nursing students in Victoria, Australia. A pre- and post-test design was used to measure students' attitudes toward people with a mental illness and toward mental health nursing and their sense of preparedness for mental health practice. A questionnaire was administered at two time points; the first time point was following completion of the mental health nursing theoretical component, and the second was following the completion of clinical experience. An additional scale was added at the second time point to evaluate students' opinions about their clinical placement. The findings indicated significantly different attitudes and opinions depending on the university students attended. The amount of theory undertaken in the course accounts for some, but not all, of this variance. However, generally the students taking courses with a larger theoretical component tended to demonstrate higher scores (suggestive of more favourable attitudes) on all of the subscales, and that these differences were sustained following the completion of the clinical placement. These findings suggest that the amount of theory students receive in mental health nursing may be more influential than the relevant literature suggests.

Undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes toward mental health nursing

“…Consistent with existing literature (Gough and Happell, 2009;Happell, 2009;Happell et al, 2008a,b), our findings suggest an influence of educational preparation on attitudes and readiness for practices in mental health fields. In this study, senior students and students receiving preparation either in theory or in clinical practices demonstrated a greater sense of preparedness for practice in mental health nursing, fewer stereotypes associated with mental illness, and lower levels of anxiety while working with people with mental illnesses.…”

“…In this study, we did not examine how specific components of mental health educational preparation either in theory (e.g., contents, numbers of credit hours, or pedagogy of teaching) or in clinical practices (e.g., practice setting, numbers of days/weeks in practice) promote the sense of preparedness and reduce negative stereotypes and anxiety associated with mental illness. Investigators of prior studies noted that more extensive components of theory, positive clinical experiences, and longer hours of clinical practice tended to foster a sense of preparedness and more favorable attitudes, toward mental health nursing (Happell, 2008(Happell, , 2009Henderson et al, 2007).…”

“…Initiatives aimed at reducing students' anxiety addressing stereotypes associated with mental illnesses and promoting a sense of preparedness for practice in the mental health field are important to include in the education of nurses. Nurse educators and healthcare policy makers should acknowledge that there is a clear need for students to have essential learning experiences in mental health nursing theory and clinical practice (Happell, 2009). In this study, we did not examine how specific components of mental health educational preparation either in theory (e.g., contents, numbers of credit hours, or pedagogy of teaching) or in clinical practices (e.g., practice setting, numbers of days/weeks in practice) promote the sense of preparedness and reduce negative stereotypes and anxiety associated with mental illness.…”

Effects of the Psychiatric Nursing Course on Students' Attitudes Towards Mental Illnesses, Perceptions of Psychiatric Nursing and Career Choices

“…34 In a study in which students' attitudes towards psychiatric nursing before and after the theoretical course and clinical experience were compared, it was determined that their attitudes were positively affected after the theoretical course. 25 In another study it was found that the positive development in the students' knowledge, skills and attitudes towards psychiatric nursing assessed after the training was higher than that assessed before the training and after the clinical experience. 35 It has been reported that as the time spent by nursing students on the theory and practice of psychiatric increases, their attitudes towards mental illnesses are affected positively.…”

“…Mental health and psychiatric nursing education shows variations between countries. 16,25 Mental health and psychiatric nursing was first included in undergraduate education programs in Turkey in 1964. After the start of academic nursing and increases in the number of academic staff in nursing, nursing education started to include psychiatric nursing concepts and information rather than medical information.…”