title: Supporting the development of interpersonal skills in nursing, in an undergraduate mental health curriculum: reaching the parts other strategies do not reach through action learning.
abstract: The centrality of therapeutic relationships is considered to be the cornerstone of effective mental health nursing practice. Strategies that support the development of these skills and the emotional aspects of learning need to be developed. Action learning is one such strategy. This article reports on a qualitative research study on the introduction of Action Learning Sets (ALS) into a Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing Programme. This teaching and learning methodology was chosen to support the emotional aspects of learning and mental health nursing skills. Four themes were identified: developing skills of listening and questioning in 'real time', enhanced self-awareness, being with someone in the moment--there is no rehearsal and doing things differently in practice. Students and lecturers found the experience positive and advocate for other Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing Programmes to consider the use of ALS within the curriculum.
authors.affiliation: University of the West of Scotland, Dudgeon House, Crichton Campus, Bankend rd, Dumfries DG12ZN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.waugh@uws.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waugh
authors.affiliation: University of the West of Scotland, Dudgeon House, Crichton Campus, Bankend rd, Dumfries DG12ZN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Lisa.McNay@uws.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McNay
authors.affiliation: University of West of Scotland, Caird Building, Hamilton Campus, Almada Street, Hamilton ML30JB, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Belinda.dewar@uws.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.affiliation: University of the West of Scotland, Dudgeon House, Crichton Campus, Bankend rd, Dumfries DG12ZN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: marie.mccaig@uws.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCaig
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D066107:Social Skills; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Action learning; Emotional aspects of learning; Mental health; Professional competence; Student education; The Francis report; Theory practice gap