Nursing Students\u27 Perceptions of Mental Health Patients and Mental Health Nursing

This Capstone project evaluated the impact of a simulation-based learning experience on nursing students\u27 anxiety levels, preparedness for psychiatric practicum, and stereotypical views towards individuals with mental illness. A sample of 15 bachelor level nursing students was utilized. The experimental group (n=8) was exposed to a four-hour simulation-based learning experience prior to the beginning of their clinical experience. The control group (n=7) began their clinical rotation without any simulation exposure. A pretest, posttest design utilizing the Mental Health Nursing Survey Part 1 (MHN-1) and the Mental Health Nursing Survey Part 2 (MHN-2) was used to measure the students\u27 stereotypical views, anxiety levels, and feelings of preparedness. This study revealed that a simulation-based learning experience did not have an effect on the nursing students\u27 levels of anxiety or feelings of preparedness. Clinical and theory positively impacted the students\u27 feelings of preparedness and levels of anxiety and negatively impacted perceptions of mental health nurses