Clinical Instruction in Mental Health Nursing: Students' Perceptions of Best Practices

Abstract

Negative clinical educational experiences for student nurses are predictors of negative attitudes and perceptions towards mental health. In clinical education, instructors take on this important role often with little to no formal training. This qualitative descriptive inquiry was grounded in a constructivist conceptual framework, with the aim of exploring what students perceived as best practices for mental health clinical instructors. Data from semi-structured interviews was collected from 10 Canadian baccalaureate of nursing (BN) students. Through thematic analysis of the data, three themes emerged. First, students valued feeling prepared at the beginning of the clinical placement. Second, students felt empowered when instructors encouraged self-direction. Third, students appreciated positive role modeling by their instructors. Suggestions for clinical teaching strategies are made to mitigate student stress, increase confidence, and address the influence of mental health stigma on learning. The research contributes to the conceptualization of best practices for clinical instruction.