Exploring pedagogies used in undergraduate mental health nursing curriculum: An Integrative Literature Review

The growing demand of mental health services among the population and the stigma associated with mental health conditions have resulted in a shortage of skilled nurses competent in delivering quality care to persons experiencing mental health conditions. This suggests the need to develop a systematic and comprehensive curriculum to prepare nursing students for a career in mental health nursing. An integrative review on empirical studies was conducted based on Cooper's five-stage integrative review framework to investigate the different pedagogies and to highlight the elements of an effective curriculum for teaching mental health nursing. All quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies published between 2009 and 2019 that examined pedagogies in mental health nursing for nursing undergraduates were included in this review. Databases of interest included PubMed, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. To ensure methodological rigour and validity, the 23 included studies were independently evaluated by two authors through critical appraisal tools developed by Joanna Briggs Institute for quantitative and qualitative studies. Results from this review were categorized into three themes: (i) the deployment of simulation; (ii) pedagogies in enhancing critical thinking; and (iii) importance of consumer-oriented educational experiences. These results suggested that students would benefit substantially from in-depth discussions, critical reflections, and real-life experiences. Mental health nursing curricula should incorporate simulations, pedagogies for critical thinking, and consumers' lived experience to supplement the clinical rotations.