Promoting positive perceptions and person centred care toward people with mental health problems using co-design with nursing students

Background: People experiencing severe mental health problems often feel excluded from society due to stigmatization and prejudice. They typically experience negativity and lack life opportunities, which can be reinforced by the attitudes of those around them. Health care professionals, especially nurses, have the opportunity to challenge negative perceptions through role-modelling hope and positive expectation, breaking down barriers to participation and challenging discrimination. However, student nurses can enter the profession with attitudes similar to those of wider society and unless addressed can foster life-limiting approaches toward those for whom they are providing care. Aim: This study aimed to design a person-centred education approach in response to an evaluation of the attitudes of nursing students in Turkey toward people with mental health problems. Method: A qualitative design adopting descriptive phenomenology. Data were collected from 12 undergraduate nursing students by using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed and themes identified which were used to co-design a person-centred education approach. Results: Three themes emerged from the data; (1) meanings attributed to mental illness, (2) moving from fear to understanding, (3) promoting hope and positive change Students typically demonstrated perceptions/attitudes that could be inhibiting to future practice. Conclusions: The pedagogy employed in this study moved away from a focus on signs and symptoms of illness to person-centred approaches. More positive perceptions of mental health can be developed through codesigned, person-centred educational approaches. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.