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Evaluation of a virtual placement for mental health nursing students: a pilot study

Judy Brook (School of Health and Psychological Sciences, City University of London, London, UK)
Charlotte Kemp (School of Health and Psychological Sciences, City University of London, London, UK)
Stephen Abbott (School of Health and Psychological Sciences, City University of London, London, UK)

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice

ISSN: 1755-6228

Article publication date: 20 October 2023

Issue publication date: 30 October 2023

87

Abstract

Purpose

Large numbers of nursing students and the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to relieve the pressure on UK hospitals to host clinical placements. One hospital innovated by providing a virtual placement online, immediately before an in-person placement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the participant responses to the online virtual placement.

Design/methodology/approach

This was a pilot study evaluated after the placement, including a student survey (25 responses), four semi-structured interviews with students and four with staff in spring 2021.

Findings

High levels of approval of the innovation were recorded among both students and staff. Students were pleased to be taught by clinical experts, though some found it difficult to study at home and some found the hours long. High satisfaction levels may reflect the pandemic context: the placement reduced social isolation and the sense of education being interrupted. Participating students were in their final year of study, and the placement took place in the second year of the pandemic, so mutual familiarity and well-developed information technology skills may have made the innovation more acceptable.

Practical implications

The innovation has value and should be maintained post-pandemic to increase mental health in-person placement capacity and scaffold student learning.

Originality/value

This study added new knowledge to understanding about the utility of virtual placements in mental health nursing education.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was conceived by [hospital name] and funded by Health Education England. The authors would like to thank the [hospital name] Education Team for their support, particularly Maggie Parks, Betsy Scott and Stephanie Tannick. Betsy and Stephanie helped draft this paper.

Conflicts of interest: None.

Citation

Brook, J., Kemp, C. and Abbott, S. (2023), "Evaluation of a virtual placement for mental health nursing students: a pilot study", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 18 No. 5, pp. 366-376. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-10-2022-0082

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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