Preparing nursing students to communicate with mental health patients: A scoping review

Aim/Objective: This review aims to examine and synthesize the existing literature on various teaching strategies for preparing nursing students to initiate conversations with patients with mental health concerns. Background: The increase in adults experiencing mental illnesses each year in the United States emphasizes the need for proficient communication between healthcare workers and patients with mental health concerns. Nursing students have reported feeling anxious and uncomfortable initiating difficult conversations with patients who have mental illnesses or concerns thus, effective teaching strategies are essential to enhance their communication skills, confidence, and interactions. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate educational interventions that can better prepare nursing students for these critical conversations. Design: This scoping review follows PRISMA guidelines and the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Method: Scopus, Academic Search Elite, and CINAHL identified 96 potentially relevant articles published between 2013 and 2023. A total of 11 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) peer learning, (2) blended learning, and (3) simulation learning. The findings of these articles indicate that simulation is the most widely used teaching strategy for preparing nursing students for mental health nursing. Conclusion: This review revealed important insight into how implementing various teaching strategies can affect nursing students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes when communicating with a patient with mental health concerns. Gaps in literature were identified for future research.