The importance of clinical experience for mental health nursing – Part 1: Undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes, preparedness and satisfaction

Abstract

Government inquiries and workforce data continue to draw attention to the current and impending crisis in mental health nursing. While undergraduate nursing education has been found at least partially responsible for the negative attitudes nursing students tend to hold towards mental health nursing, clinical experience has been identified as a potential strategy in enhancing more positive attitudes. However, research to date has not focused on the impact of clinical experience on specific factors such as attitudes to mental health nursing to people experiencing mental illness and perceived preparedness for the mental health field. This quasi-experimental study measured changes in students' attitudes to the three factors, including satisfaction with clinical experience following a placement in mental health nursing. A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate nursing students on the first and last day of a mental health clinical placement. This, the first of a two-part paper, compares student responses over the two-time periods and describes satisfaction with the clinical experience. The findings suggest that clinical experience in mental health nursing experience can positively influence attitudes, preparedness for practice, and the popularity of mental health nursing. Satisfaction with clinical experience was also high.

The Relationship between Five Factor Personalities and Alienation to Work of Nurses in Teaching and Research Hospitals

“…Because nurses who have this characteristic may not be able to perform their duties and may alienate to work due to special circumstances such as uninterrupted service, shifts, duty and performing a job which has the obligation to serve sick individuals and has high-stress. The post-test results of Happell (2008) demonstrate a strong and statistically significant increase in the popularity of psychiatric nursing and the educational precautions in the field. It is argued by Duffield et.all (2001) that their teaching at unit levels of hospitals should focus on their role as leader, mentor, preceptor and coach.…”

Clinical placements in Australian general practice: (Part 1) the experiences of pre-registration nursing students

“…The length and timing of clinical experience in the nursing curriculum is a subject of further debate (Betony, 2011;Happell, 2008;Turner et al, 2006). In the United Kingdom (UK) up to 50% of pre-registration nursing education is undertaken in the clinical setting (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2010).…”

Resilience in Adolescents Who Survived a Suicide Attempt from the Perspective of Registered Nurses in Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities

“…However, after completing a mental health clinical rotation, roughly half (47%) were able to relate to the individuals with mental illness and had a decreased fear of individuals with a mental health condition (Ketola & Stein, 2013). Similarly, Happell's (2008a) study using responses from 687 undergraduate nursing students before and after their mental health clinical found that the clinical experience increased confidence in the mental health field. Also, there was a positive correlation between students feeling more prepared to work in mental health and choosing mental health as a career as a result of an exposure to mental health clinical (Happell, 2008b).…”