Service user input in pre-registration children's nursing education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Policy
• Service User Involvement

Background:

• The Nursing and Midwifery Council mandates service user involvement in pre-registration curricula.
• Service user involvement has been a significant focus in healthcare for over ten years.
• This study addresses the implementation of service user involvement in a UK university's children's nursing program.

Purpose of the Study:

• To plan, implement, and further develop service user involvement in a pre-registration children's nursing program.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of service user involvement strategies in student recruitment and selection.

Main Methods:

• A strategy for service user involvement was developed and implemented in 2008.
• The process focused on student recruitment and selection within a children's nursing program.

Main Results:

• The implemented strategy proved effective in recruiting and selecting students for the program.
• The study highlights the need for careful consideration of participant safety during the involvement process.

Conclusions:

• Service user involvement strategies can be successfully implemented in nursing education.
• Ensuring the safety of all participants is crucial when integrating service users into educational programs.
• Further development and refinement of these strategies are recommended.