Fundamentals of mental health care in nursing practice

The aim of this project is to develop a culturally informed understanding of the differences and similarities in undergraduate student nurses' perspectives on the fundamentals of mental health care in nursing practice.

This comparative qualitative study, using focus groups, will make comparisons between the experiences of purposively sampled student nurses in Wales, UK and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Undergraduate nurse training in Aotearoa takes a comprehensive approach that includes elements of mental health in nursing care whereas the UK offers specialist undergraduate mental health nurse teaching and training. The theoretical framework that informs this research will include holism, systems theory and social-ecological approaches to healthcare.

The objectives are to understand how student nurses exposed to different models of nurse education construct their identity as nurses, and what fundamentals of mental health care in nursing practice transcend or are specific to local contexts. Findings will underlie a program of research that will have important implications for nurse education with a potential impact on mental health nursing care in local and international settings.