Impact of theory and clinical placement on undergraduate students' mental health nursing knowledge, skills and attitudes

This study explored the influence of the mental health component of a Bachelor of Nursing course on second-year nursing students, self-reported knowledge, skills, and attitudes in relation to mental health nursing. The study used a quasi-experimental research design involving questionnaires and individual interviews to determine nursing students, self-reported knowledge, skills, attitudes. Questionnaires were administered prior to undertaking the mental health theory, repeated prior to undertaking a clinical placement in either a community or inpatient mental health setting, and again after the clinical placement. The findings of the study indicated that a positive clinical placement had the greatest influence on nursing students? self-reported knowledge, skills, and attitudes and interest in nursing people experiencing mental health problems; however, the quantity of theoretical education also emerged as an influencing variable.