Reflecting together: developing a new strategy for continuous user involvement in mental health nurse education

This paper explores the first issues encountered when establishing a method of service user involvement in the preparation of a cohort of mental health nursing students during their branch programme. The method involved the creation of a group of service users and students whose purpose was to jointly reflect upon mental health issues. To do this students are expected to use their experience from practice placements and the service users to use their experiences as recipients of mental health services. This approach is being investigated through research utilizing an evaluative case study with features of action research incorporated into the design. The findings to date, which concern the process of negotiation, pre-study attitudinal survey and the first group process, will be presented. This will offer mental health professionals the opportunity to gain insight into one approach of actively involving service users in programmes of higher education over a sustained period of time. Reflection on practice themes will include: collaborative strategy, evaluative case study, education, mental health nursing, reflection on practice, and service-user involvement.