Service user involvement in nurse education: perceptions of mental health nursing students

Abstract

Increasingly providers of mental health nurse education are required to demonstrate user involvement in all aspects of these programmes including student selection, programme design and student assessment. There has been limited analysis of how nursing students perceive user involvement in nurse education programmes. The aim of this study has been to explore mental health nursing student's perceptions of involving users in all aspects of pre-registration mental health nursing programme. Researchers completed a number of focus group interviews with 12 ex-mental health nursing students who had been recruited by purposeful sampling. Each focus group interview was recorded and analysed using a series of data reduction, data display and verification methods. The study confirms many of the findings reported in earlier user participation in education studies. Three main themes related to user involvement have been identified: the protection of users, enhanced student learning and the added value benefits associated with user involvement.

Mental health consumer participation in undergraduate occupational therapy student assessment: No negative impact

“…Although not statistically significant, the group that trended towards higher self‐reported levels of engagement was the control group and not the consumer group. This finding, however, although unexpected, is consistent with the literature on consumer involvement in health practitioner higher education that suggests that students may be dismissive of consumer involvement and less engaged (Babu et al ., ; Morgan & Jones, ; O'Donnell & Gormley, ). The absence of a negative effect on student effort does, however, lend support to the notion of including mental health consumers in assessment panels.…”

“…Student anxiety is a complex and multifaceted state that can be influenced by numerous factors. A potential source of student anxiety was hypothesised to be related to the consumers' role on the panel, specifically students’ perception of their capacity to undertake the assessment task in a manner that was equitable, reliable and valid (Babu et al ., ; Morgan & Jones, ; O'Donnell & Gormley, ). Results indicated no significant difference in the anxiety scores between the control and consumer groups: consumer involvement in the assessment process did not increase student anxiety in this process.…”

“…Students consider consumers to be subjective, and question the reliability and validity of their contributions due to student perceptions of the consumers’ mental state (Babu et al ., ; Happell, Bennetts, Platania‐Phung & Tohotoa, ; Morgan & Jones, ). In some extreme cases, students view consumer involvement in assessment as potentially leading to a reduction in the academic rigour and quality of these assessments (O'Donnell & Gormley, ). These concerns may heighten the anxiety students experience in relation to an already stressful situation (Babu et al .).…”

Service user involvement in pre-registration children’s nursing education: the impact and influence on practice: a case study on the student perspective

“…Whilst Stickley et al (2009) noted improvement in awareness and empathy with ideas for practice in mental health nursing students following mainstream participation in education from service users. Moreover, O'Donnell and Gormley (2012) found recently graduated mental health nursing students, who experienced involvement throughout their programme, were supportive of user involvement, recognising the value with clear benefits to personal and service development Additionally, literature on user involvement in interprofessional education includes the evaluation of a practice based initiative (Furness et al, 2011), undertaken with 13 professions in health and social care; with thematic results in the categories of reaction, learning, behaviour change and impact. Furthermore, Tew el al (2012) detail how dialogue, between students from different professional disciplines, students and service users and carers, had a major impact on professional development.…”

‘It is meant to be heart rather than head’; International perspectives of teaching from lived experience in mental health nursing programs

“…Despite the limited yet growing body of research indicating a positive impact on student learning (Happell et al . ; O'Donnell & Gormley ), established academic roles are rare (Happell et al . ).…”