Effect of immersive workplace experience on undergraduate nurses’ mental health clinical confidence

Abstract

Preregistration education needs to ensure that student nurses are properly trained with the required skills and knowledge, and have the confidence to work with people who have a mental illness. With increased attention on non-traditional mental health clinical placements, further research is required to determine the effects of non-traditional mental health clinical placements on mental health clinical confidence. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of a non-traditional mental health clinical placement on mental health nursing clinical confidence compared to nursing students undergoing traditional clinical placements. Using the Mental Health Nursing Clinical Confidence Scale, the study investigated the relative effects of two placement programmes on the mental health clinical confidence of 79 nursing students. The two placement programmes included a non-traditional clinical placement of Recovery Camp and a comparison group that attended traditional clinical placements. Overall, the results indicated that, for both groups, mental health placement had a significant effect on improving mean mental health clinical confidence, both immediately upon conclusion of placement and at the 3-month follow up. Students who attended Recovery Camp reported a significant positive difference, compared to the comparison group, for ratings related to communicating effectively with clients with a mental illness, having a basic knowledge of antipsychotic medications and their side-effects, and providing client education regarding the effects and side-effects of medications. The findings suggest that a unique clinical placement, such as Recovery Camp, can improve and maintain facets of mental health clinical confidence for students of nursing.

Non-conventional clinical placements and the experience of the facilitator: a phenomenology study

“…Mental health clinical placements expose students to the roles and responsibilities involved with this specialty area of nursing (Madianos, et al, 2005), while preparing them to work with people experiencing mental health issues. A number of benefits have been associated with partaking in mental health clinical placements, such as improved understanding surrounding mental health and recovery (Patterson et al, 2016), clinical confidence (Patterson et al, 2017) and positive attitudes toward people with lived experience of mental illness (Moxham et al, 2016). Unfortunately, many student nurses possess negatives views of people with mental illness (Stuhlmiller and Tolchard, 2019), which is often attributable to anxiety and negative stereotypes surrounding mental illness (Happell et al, 2014;Happell et al, 2015).…”

Undergraduate student nurses’ perspectives of an integrated clinical learning model in the mental health environment

“…In addition, block placements undertaken in acute inpatient or community settings may leave students with the perception that patients are constantly in an acute state of mental illness (Patterson et al . ). In contrast, Gillespie and McLaren () highlight the importance of enhancing students’ awareness of social and political influences on health, to provide a more holistic understanding of the care of vulnerable groups, including those experiencing mental illness.…”

“…Hence, nontraditional mental health placements that facilitate students’ presence in patients’ daily lives have the potential to promote discovery and reflection, while reducing fear and anxiety in students (Happell & Gaskin ; Patterson et al . ).…”

Preceptors’ perspectives of an integrated clinical learning model in a mental health environment

“…Positive experiences during clinical placements are strongly associated with higher levels of perceived clinical confidence (Patterson et al . ), which has, in turn, been linked to greater interest in working in the mental health setting (Happell & Gaskin ; Harrison et al . ; Moxham et al .…”

“…Positive experiences during clinical placements are strongly associated with higher levels of perceived clinical confidence (Patterson et al 2017), which has, in turn, been linked to greater interest in working in the mental health setting (Happell & Gaskin 2013;Harrison et al 2017;Moxham et al 2011). Mental health nurses and supervisors play an important role in promoting this specialist area of nursing during student placements (Happell & McAllister 2014).…”