Involvement of inpatient mental health clients in the practical training of mental health nursing students: does it benefit clients and students?

Introduction and Problem Statement: Despite being given a central place in psychiatric nursing education, too often the client is not involved as a formal partner when feedback is provided to students during practical training. Three questions are the starting point of this research: (1) which conditions are essential to have client feedback substantially contribute to the learning process of the student and to the well being of the patients? (2) with respect to the performance of students, what significance and value do participants attribute to feedback from patients? (3) to what extent is a patient’s feedback consistent with feedback from mentor, practice teacher and the student regarding the student’s performance? Methodology: In two psychiatric wards of two centres in Belgium, clients were actively and formally involved in providing feedback on four, third-year psychiatric nursing students during training. A practice model was developed, in order to illicit client feedback. Using a qualitative explorative research approach, results of participatory observation and 16 semi-structured interviews were analysed. Validation of research data was achieved through constant comparison, data-, methodology- and research-triangulation. Results: Analysis shows that client feedback becomes meaningful and valuable in a safe environment. The psychiatric nurse plays a key role in this process. Adequate application of client feedback requires the nurse to actively demonstrate her/his proven psychiatric nursing competences. This generates a double learning effect for the student since it builds skills in how to both obtain and use feedback from patients. For the psychiatric patient, being involved means being listened to and recognised for her/his value and vulnerability.status: publishe