Hollywood in the classroom: using feature films to teach

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing

Background:

• Feature films are underutilized in nursing education despite their success in other academic fields.
• There is a need for innovative teaching methods in psychiatric mental-health nursing to engage students with complex material.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students' perceptions of using films as a substitute for clinical time.
• To assess the value and appeal of films as a learning tool in a psychiatric mental-health nursing course.

Main Methods:

• A 12-item, 7-point Likert-type scale was developed and validated by an experienced faculty member.
• The scale measured students' beliefs regarding the educational value of films.
• The internal consistency of the scale was confirmed with a coefficient alpha of .95.

Main Results:

• Students reported highly positive perceptions of the film-based learning experience.
• The film experience was rated favorably for both learning engagement and student enjoyment.
• The developed instrument demonstrated excellent reliability for assessing student perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Utilizing feature films is a creative and effective strategy for teaching complex nursing concepts.
• Films can be a valuable supplement or alternative to traditional clinical experiences in nursing education.
• This approach enhances student engagement and learning in psychiatric mental-health nursing.