Service user involvement in teaching and learning: student nurse perspectives

Area of Science:

• Healthcare education
• Nursing
• Patient advocacy

Background:

• Integrating service user perspectives into healthcare professional education is crucial for fostering compassionate care.
• The Patient as Coach Team (PaCT) initiative at a university involved service users directly in student nurse training.
• This strategy utilized service user-led sessions where individuals shared their care experiences with student nurses in small groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate nursing students' perceptions of a teaching and learning session involving service users.
• To assess the impact of the Patient as Coach Team (PaCT) initiative on student nurses' views.

Main Methods:

• A survey methodology was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires with free-text options.
• Data were collected from 321 student nurses between June 2016 and June 2017.
• Quantitative survey responses were analyzed manually, while qualitative free-text data underwent thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Student nurses provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on the PaCT session, indicating a significant positive impact on their learning.
• Five key themes emerged from student feedback: perceived usefulness, understanding patient perspectives, inspiration, quality of discussion, and overall session views.
• Students highlighted the value of direct engagement with patient coaches and gaining insights into the service user experience.

Conclusions:

• The PaCT session is a validated educational strategy that effectively uses coaching to facilitate learning from service user experiences.
• This approach enhances student nurses' understanding of care from a service user's viewpoint.
• The initiative promotes reflective practice, encouraging student nurses to consider their professional conduct in clinical settings.