Service user involvement in an undergraduate nursing programme.

Abstract

This article highlights the impacts that service user involvement can have on the education of UK undergraduate student mental health nurses both personally and professionally. It reports the findings from a short module evaluation of a collaboratively delivered theory unit using a qualitative approach. It reports the findings from a short module evaluation of a collaboratively delivered theory unit using a qualitative approach embracing two focus groups. The findings from the two focus groups highlight that the service user input (‘expert by experience’) offered a positive learning experience for the students, enabled them to appreciate the meaning of recovery and hope, facilitated the identification as to the importance of their role in terms of connecting meaningfully with those they are supporting plus reconsidering key priorities for practice. They suggest also that there is theory/practice gap reduction as students were able to connect the service user narratives to the evidence base for deeper understanding and application. Although only a brief evaluation of a short theory module within a wider mental health programme including a limited number of students, the findings echo the wider literature and offer further rationale to support direct service user involvement in mental health education across other professions, perhaps interesting at this time as increasingly, learning/teaching programmes implement blended learning with significant online teaching and less face to face facilitation of learning. This article highlights the positive impact not only of service user input into healthcare education but also the benevolent influence skilled narratives can have as a pedagogical approach for learning. Although there is much in the literature as to the benefits for student learning in involving service users within HEI education, there is limited information as to ‘how’ and ‘why’ this is the case, this article seeks to bridge that gap