Solution-focused approach therapy for mental health nursing students

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Nursing
• Psychotherapeutic Interventions
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Solution-focused therapy (SFT) is a strengths-based, future-oriented therapeutic model.
• SFT is adaptable for brief interventions across diverse clinical settings, extending beyond traditional mental health services.
• The integration of SFT principles into nursing education requires exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the solution-focused approach within the context of nursing practice.
• To describe a training template for undergraduate mental health nurses on SFT.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a one-day SFT training for nursing students.

Main Methods:

• A training day was designed using a specific template to teach SFT principles and skills.
• The training was delivered to undergraduate mental health nursing students.
• Student knowledge and confidence in SFT were assessed post-training.

Main Results:

• Students reported an increase in their knowledge of the solution-focused therapy model.
• Undergraduate nursing students demonstrated increased confidence in basic SFT therapeutic skills.
• A one-day training intervention was sufficient to enhance knowledge and skill acquisition in SFT.

Conclusions:

• Solution-focused therapy can be effectively taught to undergraduate nursing students.
• The described training model facilitates learning SFT principles and foundational skills.
• SFT training enhances nursing students' therapeutic knowledge and confidence for practice.