Structured learning and self-reflection: strategies to decrease anxiety in the psychiatric mental health clinical...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Mental Health Nursing
• Student Well-being

Background:

• Undergraduate nursing students often experience significant stress before psychiatric mental health clinical practicums.
• A high-stress learning environment can negatively impact clinical performance and student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel teaching-learning strategy designed to alleviate stress and anxiety in nursing students.
• To investigate the impact of this strategy on the psychiatric mental health clinical experience.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving thirty undergraduate nursing students.
• Implementation of a structured preclinical workshop integrated with self-reflection activities.

Main Results:

• Students reported that the combined teaching-learning strategy and self-reflection were effective in mitigating stress.
• The intervention provided valuable insights into students' perceptions of the clinical experience.

Conclusions:

• Integrating structured learning with self-reflection is a beneficial approach for nursing education.
• This strategy enhances nursing students' self-awareness and reduces anxiety that can impede academic progress.