title: Socialisation of seconded healthcare assistants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical practice experiences of seconded healthcare assistants (HCAs) with four major socialisation concepts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was comprised of eight seconded HCAs, all from the same pre-registration mental health nursing cohort. A semi-structured focus group strategy was used, with the group convening on a yearly basis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The practice learning experiences of seconded HCAs are different to other nursing students and could be viewed as a unique socialisation process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Course planning teams should consider socialisation factors and supportive mentor strategies when designing the first year of pre-registration nursing programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department for Mental Health and Learning Disability, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex. steve.wood@anglia.ac.uk
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans